364 Vttrf. 7. ,tln Expofition upon the Bookof J OB., Chap+, and interrupted. It was thecuftom of thofe times, and it is`a cu- tom continued in many places to thefe times , for friends tomeet in the night : and fuch meetings make night as day ;,:good fociety Egyptii fe_ is comfortable : A folitary condition is a forrowful condition. So fi« celrberri. then lob cornpleats his curfe in this Verfe,and makes up a full fum mum habue- of mifery upon his night. What cari be laidmore againft it, then runt ncaurntim, now he faith ? He had before wifht it dark in it felf,divided from turn etím no. Ku tetebran- the day, of no number in the moneths ; And now he would not tur nuptid. have friends meet to refrefh themfelves by mutual communion Herod. lii. z. and loving converfe that night. Much of the comfort ofour lives is brought in by the focietyoffriends. Man is defined a fociable creature, as well as a reafonable creature; 'folitarinefs is oppofite both to the nature and happinefs of man. Wo be to him that is a- lone ( faith Solomon) two are better then one, and efpecially in times of trouble. As our comforts are multiply'd Upon- them that are veer us, fo our furrows are allayed and eafed by them. There is a folitarinefs which is the fweeteft part ofour lives, when we retire a while from the World , from the throng of men and bufnefs, that we may bemore intimate with Chrift, and take our fill in communion with hiin : to go alone,that we may meet with God in Heaven upon Earth : But to be fo left alone and fcattered, that we cannot meet with men, is (ifnot a Hell, yet) one ofthe greateft afhiétions upon the Earth. Such folitary times are fad times. Let no joyful voyce 'come therein.) As if he fhould fay, If men will meet that night,and converfe together, let themmeet only to mourn together, and let their converfationbe made up with mu- tual furrows; let them only tell each other the fad (forks of their afl)iCtions. Thus let them meet to lament together, but let none meet to rejoyce together, let there be nomeeting with any joyful voyce that night. He alludes again to the cuftom of thofe times, which were wont to have as meetings in thenight, fo to rejoyce in thofe meetings ; they feafted withTongs and mufick, a joyful voyce was in their meetings. Mufick is fweeteft in the night : the itilnefs ofthe night gives advantage to thevoyce. The Roman Hi- Rory tells us, that their greateft feafts, their moft luxurious ban- quetings and curious mutìck was in the night; the Apoffle alludes to that cuftom, when he faith, They that are drunken, are drunken in the night, (-i Tbef.5.6.) Works ofdarknefs feek times of dark= 4e,fs. He that loth evil hateth the light, Ioh..3.2F. principally the
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