Chap. . An Expofition upon the Bookof J OB. Verf. 13. 147 It was a feaft,and a leaf} of wine,and a feafl of wine in their el deft brothers houfe,who had.alarger eftatt,a fuller portion,and to an- fwer the dignity of his promogenitnre, ought to make a more fo- lemnfeaf} then the reti did:This was the day that Satan picks out and choofes to bringall thefe fad afRicions upon job ; anordinary daywould not ferve his turn;without doubt this was not the im- mediate day or time , after which he got that commiflìon front God, All that he bath is in thine hand: Satanwent away ,he would . have been at it as loon as he-could, but he waiteth for a fpecial time, wherein he might do it with greaten advantage ; and that is the point I (hall obferve from this. That Satan obferveth and watcheth his time to fatten his tem- ptations moltfirongly upon the foul : He watcheth a day, therewas aday, and there was not a day in the whole year,. upon which he could have done it with greater advantage then upon that day. As themercies of God are exceedingly indeared to us by the fea- fon in which they come to us : When they come to us in our fpc- cial need,how fweet is a mercy then! And as our obedience is ex- ceedingly commended to the acceptationof God, when it is upon a fit day, when it is on the day wherein he calls for and expaEts it : And as our fins are exceedingly aggravated ,by thc feafonand time wherein they are committed : What,Gn upon thisday ? A day of trouble, a day of humiliation? As Elifha rebuked Ge- 2.xings5.:,5. hazi, Is this a time to receive money,anel to receive garments, &c. Is this a time for thy heart to runout finfully after the world ? So likewife the temptations of Satan, and the affliaions which he brings upon the fervants of God, are exceedingly imbittered by the feafon; and he knows well enough, what feafons will make themmonbitter ; and what -can more imbitter a cup of forrow, then to have it brought us upon a day of rejoycing ? Solomox tells us, that as he that taketh away agarment in cold weather, and as viniger upon nitre, f o is he that itngs a fang to an heavie heart. it joy be troublefome in our fe>rrows, how troublefome is forrow in the midn of our joys ? Prov.25. 2o. Then, Satan could never :have foundout fuch a time as this : Muff he needs be ofiding the.-Father, when the children werea feat}ing ? Could he find out noother time but this ? Mutt his teares be mingled with their wine ? Mull the childrens rejoycing day be the Fathers mourning day ? Mull Satanneeds thewhis malice againn the Father,when the children werehewing their love one to another ? It was V2 a
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