" They seem to have
founded their opinion on the declaration of St. Paul (Eph. iii.
10): "That now to the principalities and powers in heavenly
places might be made known through the Church the manifold
wisdom of God."]
I will only add one more ancient authority, in confirmation of the view
here taken of Justin's words. The passage is from Athenagoras[41] and
seems to be the exact counterpart of Justin's paragraph.
[Footnote 41: Athenagoras presented his defence, in which these
words occur, to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and his son
Commodus, in the year 177.]
"Who would not wonder on hearing us called Atheists? we who call the
Father God, and the Son God, and the Holy Ghost, showing both their
power in the unity, and their distinction in order. Nor does our
theology rest here; but we say, moreover, that there is a multitude of
angels and ministers whom God, the Maker and Creator of the world, BY
THE WORD PROCEEDING FROM HIM, distributed and appointed, both about the
elements, and the heavens, and the world, and the things therein, and
the good order thereof." [Sect. 10. p. 287. edit. Just. Mart.]
I have already stated my inability to discover a single word in Justin
Martyr which could be brought to sanction the invocation of saints; but
his testimony is far from being merely negative. He admonishes us
strongly against our looking to any other being for help or assistance,
than to God only.
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