My Prayer Book_LASANCE - the Catholic Kingdom!

The Saved and Lost 57
hare induced me to think the mildest opinion, namely,
that the majority -and I scarcely fear to add, the
great mujority - of mankind will be saved, are: First,
because the study of God's character urges, if not forces,
me to de so. Second, because this opinion appears to
make most for His greater honor and glory, and for
the merits of Christ. Third, because the belief in it is
better calculated to make us love God, and to serve
Him the more from love.
" Cardinal Bellarmine, in one of his expositions of the
Psalms, writes: 'David records God's providence in
regard of the beasts and the birds in order to let man see
that he will never be forsaken by God in His providence.
Cad, who so bounteously feeds beasts and ra17ens, will
never desert those who are made to His own image and
likeness.' Is not such Our Iard's reasoning and conclusions
as we have them in His Sermon on the Mount:
'Behold the birds of the air; for they neither sow nor
do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly
Father feedeth them. .4re you not of much more value
than they?' The most learned theologians lay down
and prove the following proposition: That God really
and sincerely wishes the salvation of all men, because
He is the Creator of all men. In the words of St.
Amhrose : 'God wishes all whom He creates to be saved :
would to God, 0 men, that you would not fly and hide
yourselves from Him; but even if you do He seeks you,
and does not wish you to perish.' It is more probable
that though many can and will fight God to the end
and be lost, they will be fewer far than those whom He
will tenderly, and in His own way, bring home to Him-
self. God is not only the Creator but the Father of
all men without any exception. He has commanded
us to address Him by this titl:: 'Our Father, who art
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