I 34 Chrif% fofuc, the only lllediator Vol. 1 In the Age next to the Apoffles, we have an );piffle of one of the Seven Churches, (I mean the Church of Smyrna) in which, in Vindicationof then- felves.from. that Calumny which was raifed a ainft them by the Yews, among the Heathen, That if they permitted the Chr ians to bave'the body of the mar.. tyrediPolycarp, .they would leave Chrifl, to weafhip ,Polycarp ; I fay, in Vindica- tion of.themfelves from this Calumny, theydeclare themfelves thus, Not knowing (fay,they).that we can neither leave Clore, who fiafered far the Salvation of the World of thofe that are faved, nor worfhip any other; or, (as ir is in the old Latin 'Tranflation) nor offer up the Supplication of Prayer to any other Pefon ; for as for Nils Core, we adore him, as being the Son ofGod ; but as for the Martyrs, we love them, as the Difriples and Imitators ofthe Lord. So thatthey plainly exclude the Saints from any fort of Religious Worfhip, of which Prayer ordnvocatiori was always efleesned a very confiderable part. 'renew :likewife tells us, (l. 2.) That the Church loth nothing '(fpeaking of theMiracles whichwere wrought) by the Invocation ofAngels, nor by Inchantment, nor by any other wicked Arts; but byPrayers to the Lord who made all things, and bycalling on the Name ofour LordYefus Chri/1. Here all Invocation ofAngels, acid by the Caine or greater Reafon, of the Saints, is excluded. And Clemens Alexandrines delivers it as the Doc&rine of the Chure'h ; That fine there is but oné goodGod therefore both we and the Angels pray to him, both for the giving, and the continuance of good things. In the next Age, Origen is fo full and exprefs in this matter, that it is not poífib.le for any Proteflant to (peak more .pofitivelyand clearly, 1. 8. cont. Gym, where he does on fet purpofe declare and vindicate the Chriftian Doctrine and Pra&ice in this matter ; We zvorfhip (fays hé) the one only God, and his one only Son, and Word, and Image, with our utmofl Supplications and Honours, bringing our Prayers to the Godof all things, through bis only begotten Son ; And afterwards, Away (fays lie) with Celfus his Council, thatfags, we muffpray to Demons (or Angels) for we mull pray only to God who is above all; we me pray to the only &gotten and firll Born ofevery Creature, andwe mug befeech °him to offer up our Prayers which we make to him, to his Godand our God : and again (fpeaking of Angels) Asfor the Favour ofothers (ifthat be to be regarded) we know, that Thoufands of Thoufands ¡land before him, and Ten Thoufand times Ten Thoufand miniflex unto him ; thfe are our BrethrenandFriends, who when they fee us imitating their Piety towards God, work together to the Salvation of thofe who call upon God, and pray as they ought to do, that is, to God only ;. and (l. 5.) where (Cellos urges him with this, That the Scripturescall Angels Gods, he tells him, that the Scriptures do not call the Angels Gods, with any De- fzgs to require us to worfhip and adore them in/lead ofGod, who are Min#ring Spirits, and bring Me/fages, and Blengs down to us from God; for (fays he) all Supplications, and Prayer, and Interceffion, and giving of Thanks, mull be fent up to God, who is above all, by the High Frie/l, who is aboveall Angels, and is the living Word andGod. And though Angels be only here mentioned, yet by the fame Reafon, all other Creatures are excluded, from being the Ob- Ielts of our Religious Worfhip and Invocation, or, Mediators of Intercelion with God for us ; becaufe all Supplication and Prayer, and Interce/lion, and Thank': giving, muff be feat up to God by our High-Priefi, who is rise living Word and God. Let us then alfo (as he goes on) make Supplication to the Word himfellf; and Interceon, andgiving of Thanks, and Prayer : But to Invocate Angels is not reafonable ; fence we do not comprehend the Knowledge of them, which is above us ; andif we could comprehend the Knowledge of them,, which is wonder- fùl and fecret, this very Knowledge which declaresto us their Nature and Ofice, would not allow us to prefume topray to any other, but to the God who is Lord over all, and abundantly fuffacient for all, by our Saviour the Sonof God,' Where he gives Two plain Reafons, why we ought to Pray only to God, and to offer up our Prayers only by the Mediation of Jefus Chrift, the Son of God and our Saviour : Firfi, Becaufe he only is Lord over all, and therefore the Worfhip of Prayer is to be given to`him only. And then, Secondly; Becaufe we have no need.
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