In the fourth place, Most of the Popish writers, busy themselves much to ground invocation of Saints, & the intercession of Saints for us, upon this text: As if Eliphaz had directed Job to cry to the Saints departed; Call now if there be any that will answer, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn? what Saint wilt thou choose for thy patron or helper in this sad condition? So they teach and practise, having appointed a particular Saint in the Calendar of the year, to the help of every particular affliction in their lives, and to these they turn themselves in every distress: They have a Saint for the sea, and a Saint for the land, a Saint for the fire, and a Saint for the water, a Saint for each disease of the body, and for each disaster in the family: To some of these they suppose Job was advised to have recourse, for succour and comfort in his troubles. And yet they are divided in opinion, & give a double sense about it. First, As if Eliphaz had thus bespoken him; If thou doest not give credit unto me, nor believe what I have spoken was revealed 1from God, then call thou thy self upon God, and try whether he will not give thee some answer, and resolve thy doubt: Or if by reason of thine own unworthiness, thou canst not obtain an immediate answer at the hand of God, then turn thee to some of the Saints, that by their mediation thou mayest receive light from God, to assure thee about my vision, whether it were sent from Heaven or no. Secondly, Others interpret it more largely, as if Eliphas perceiving Job to be brought to some light and acknowledgement of his sins, and now to thirst after the pardon of them: ⟨p. 171⟩he in these words, exhorts him to call upon, and cry unto God for pardon, if perhaps he himself would vouchsafe to answer; But in case shame did so cover his face, and guilt so stop his mouth, that he could not speak unto God immediately, then he adviseth him to pray in aide, from some of the Saints departed, who might manage this suit, and intercede for him at the throne of grace. The grossness of this interpretation is such, as carries a self-refutation with it, and therefore I shall not need to stay long, about the refuting of it.
In the fourth place, Most of the Popish writers, busie themselves much to ground invocation of Saints, & the intercession of Saints for us, upon this text: As if Eliphaz had directed Job to cry to the Saints departed; Call now if there be any that will answer, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne? what Saint wilt thou choose for thy patron or helper in this sad condition? So they teach and practise, having appointed a particular Saint in the Kalender of the yeare, to the help of every particular affliction in their lives, and to these they turne themselves in every distresse: They have a Saint for the sea, and a Saint for the land, a Saint for the fire, and a Saint for the water, a Saint for each disease of the body, and for each disaster in the family: To some of these they suppose Job was advised to have recourse, for succour and comfort in his troubles. And yet they are divided in opinion, & give a double sense about it. First, As if Eliphaz had thus bespoken him; If thou doest not give credit unto me, nor believe what I have spoken was revealed 1from God, then call thou thy selfe upon God, and try whether he will not give thee some answer, and resolve thy doubt: Or if by reason of thine own unworthynesse, thou canst not obtaine an immediate answer at the hand of God, then turne thee to some of the Sainrs, that by their mediation thou maist receive light from God, to assure thee about my vision, whether it were sent from Heaven or no. Secondly, Others interpret it more largely, as if Eliphas perceiving Job to be brought to some light and acknowledgement of his sins, and now to thirst after the pardon of them: ⟨p. 171⟩he in these words, exhorts him to call upon, and cry unto God for pardon, if perhaps he himselfe would vouchsafe to answer; But in case shame did so cover his face, and guilt so stop his mouth, that he could not speake unto God immediately, then he adviseth him to pray in aide, from some of the Saints departed, who might manage this sute, and intercede for him at the throne of grace. The grossenesse of this interpretation is such, as carries a selfe-refutation with it, and therefore I shall not need to stay long, about the refuting of it.
- 1Aquinus in loc.
