Yes, for He requires this as the worship proper to His Deity. (continued)
III. Prayer
233. Since we have spoken sufficiently of the service of God, which is the second part of His worship, let us now speak of the third part. We said it was the invocation of God in all our needs.
234. Do you think that He alone is to be invoked? Yes, for He requires this as the worship proper to His Deity.
235. If it is so, in what way is it legitimate for us to ask the aid of men? There is a great difference between these two things. For we call upon God to protest that we expect no good but from Him, and that we have no refuge elsewhere, and yet we ask the assistance of men, as far as He permits, and has given them the power and means of helping us.
236. You mean that when we seek the succour of men, there is nothing to prevent our calling upon God alone, seeing that we do not put our reliance on them, and do not seek their aid except in so far as God has ordained them to be ministers and dispensers of His blessings, in order to assist us. That is true. And indeed, every benefit that comes to us we should take as coming from God Himself, as in truth it is He who sends it to us by their hands.
237. Nevertheless, should we not give thanks to men for the kindness which they do to us? Certainly, if only for the reason that God honours them by communicating His blessings to us through their hands, for in this way He lays us under obligation to Him, and wishes us to be mindful of them.
238. Can we not conclude from this that it is wrong to invoke angels, and saints who have departed from this world? Yes, indeed; for God has not assigned to saints this office of aiding and assisting us. And in regard to angels, though He employs their ministry for our salvation, nevertheless He does not wish us to invoke them, nor to address ourselves to them.