Saints, Invocation of

Can we really imagine the Hebrews (including the apostles and early church) invoking anyone but God alone?

Chemnitz (Examen, 3, 448): There are found in the writers of that time descriptions of the public form of invocation which was at that time used in the church, as in Clement, Stromat. 7; Justin, Apolog. 2; Tertullian, Apolog., ch. 30. We read, however, that God alone was invoked in the name of Christ, without any mention of either protection or invocation on the part of either angels or saints. These things are certain and clear, and there is no need to copy any statements from there, since we have this explained in entire books and lengthy treatises by writers of that time. Yes, Irenaeus testifies, Bk. 1, ch. 23, that the heretics of those times were accustomed to employ invocations of angels, and in ch. 35 he gives a form of invocation: “O angel, I pray you,” etc. Certain ones even worshiped and invoked Cain and Judas, for they thought, as Augustine writes, that these possessed very great power. But hear what Irenaeus opposes to these invocations of the heretics, Bk. 2, ch. 58: “The church,” he says, “throughout the world, receiving various graces from God, accomplishes this in the name of Christ. It does nothing through invocation of angels, but cleanly, entirely, and clearly directs its prayers to the Lord, who does all, and to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You see that Irenaeus does not set down this antithesis: The heretics invoke fake angels and false saints, like Cain and Judas; the church, however, invokes genuine angels and true saints. But he says the church throughout the world does not employ the invocation of angels, but directs its prayers to God in the name of Christ. This is indeed a glorious testimony.^[1]