Wesley Corpus

5, 6.) “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Rom. viii. 34.) As there is but one God to us, though “there are gods many, and lords many;” (1 Cor. viii. 5;) so to us there is but “one Mediator,” or Intercessor, though we should grant there are many intercessors and mediators. For though the angels and saints may intercede for us in heaven, that no more makes them such intercessors as we may pray to, than because there are gods many, we may pray to them, as we do to the true God. The Scripture knows no difference between a Mediator of intercession and redemption: He alone makes intercession for us that died and rose, and is at the right hand of God. And He alone has a right to our prayers, and to Him alone may we address them. So Origen: “All prayers, and supplications, and thanks givings, are to be sent up to God the Lord of all, by that High Priest who is above all angels, being the living Word of God.” (Lib. 5, Cont. Cels., pp. 233,239.) So again: “We ought to pray only to the God over all, and his only Son, the first-born of every creature, who, as our High Priest, offers his prayers to his God, and our God.” (Lib. 8, pp. 395,402.) To have other mediators and intercessors is “not to hold the Head,” (Coloss. ii. 19,) in the judgment of the Apostle, and the Council of Laodicea, where it is said, “Christians ought not to forsake the Church and invocate angels. If any man, therefore, be found to give himself to this privy idolatry, let him be anathema; because he hath forsaken our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, and betaken himself to idolatry.” Q. 38. What is the worship they give to the Virgin Mary? A. They fly unto her as the advocatrix of the faithful, the mother of God; that by prayer to her they may obtain help through her most excellent merits with God. (Catech. Rom., par. 4, cap. 5, n. 8.) REPLY.