And the smoke of
the incense, which came up with the prayers of the saints,
ascended up before God out of the angel's hand." Lastly, St.
Cyprian the martyr more than twelve hundred and fifty years
ago wrote to Pope Cornelius, Book I, Letter 1, asking that
"if any depart first, his prayer for our brethren and sisters
may not cease." For if this holy man had not ascertained that
after this life the saints pray for the living, he would have
given exhortation to no purpose. Neither is their Confession
strengthened by the fact that there is one Mediator between
God and men, 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1. For although His
Imperial Majesty, with the entire Church, confesses that
there is one Mediator of redemption, nevertheless the
mediators of intercession are many. Thus Moses was both
mediator and agent between God and men, Deut. 5:31, for he
prayed for the children of Israel, Ex. 17:11; 32:11f. Thus
St. Paul prayed for those with whom he was sailing, Acts 27;
so, too, he asked that he be prayed for by the Romans, Rom.
15:30, by the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 1:11, and by the
Colossians, Col. 4:3. So while Peter was kept in prison
prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for
him, Acts 12:5. Christ, therefore, is our chief Advocate,
and indeed the greatest; but since the saints are members of
Christ, 1 Cor. 12:27 and Eph. 5:30, and conform their will to
that of Christ, and see that their Head, Christ, prays for
us, who can doubt that the saints do the very same thing
which they see Christ doing? With all these things carefully
considered, we must ask the princes and the cities adhering
to them that they reject this part of the Confession and
agree with the holy universal and orthodox Church and believe
and confess, concerning the worship and intercession of
saints, what the entire Christian world beliees and
confesses, and was observed in all the churches in the time
of Augustine.
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