ddressed {248} to the cross of wood prepared for his own
martyrdom, and then bodily before his eyes. There are many such
addresses to the Cross, in various parts of the Roman ritual. (See A.
344.)

In such apostrophes the whole of the Song of the Three Children abounds;
and we meet with many such in the early writers.

III. The third stage supplies instances of prayer to God, imploring him
to allow the supplication of his saints to be offered for us. Of this we
find examples in the Collects for St. Andrew's Eve and Anniversary, for
the feast of St. Anthony, and various others.

"We beseech thee, Almighty God, that he whose feast we are about to
celebrate may implore thy aid for us," &c. [Quaesumus omnipotens Deus, ut
beatus Andreas Apostolus cujus praevenimus festivitatem, tuum pro nobis
imploret auxilium. A. 545.]

"That he may be for us a perpetual intercessor." [Ut apud te sit pro
nobis perpetuus intercessor. A. 551.]

"We beseech thee, O Lord, let the intercession of the blessed Anthony
the Abbot commend us, that what we cannot effect by our own merits, we
may obtain by his patronage [Ejus patrocinio assequamur. H. 490.]:
through the Lord."

These prayers I could not offer in faith. I am taught in the written
word to look for no other intercessor in heaven, than one who is eternal
and divine, therefore I can need no other. Had God, by his revealed
word, told me that the intercessions of his servants departed should
prevail with Him, provided I sought that benefit by prayer, I should,
without any misgiving, have implored Him to receive their {249} prayers
in my behalf; but I can find no such an intimation in the covenant. In
that covenant the word of the God of truth and mercy is pledged to
receive those, and to grant the prayers of those who come to him through
his blessed Son. In that covenant, I am strictly commanded and most
lovingly invited to approach boldly the Supreme Giver of all good things
myself, and to ask in faith nothing wavering, with an assurance that He
who spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, will, with
Him, also freely give us all things. In this assurance I place implicit
trust; and as long as I have my being in this earthly tabernacle, I
will, by his gracious permission and help, pray for whatever is needful
for the soul and the body; I will pray not for myself only, but for all,
individually and collectively, who are near and dear to me, and all who
are far from me; f