;6:6 erf. `7. h°n Expofition upon the Bookof J O B. Chap.3; fprung up among us ; our troubles increafe, yea our joyful voyce is already changed into the foundof the Trumpet, and the Alarm of War into the neighings of Horfes, and the confufed noife of bloody battels, Ifat.9.5. And which may affíid our hearts more, we hear the mournful voyce of the widow crying out , My Hus- band, my Husband. We hear the mournful voyce of the Orphan, cryingour,My Father,myFather, Husband and Father Hain by the (word, while they went out to help the Lordagainft the mighty. It . is time for us to fit folitary and alone , to mourn every Family a- part,andour Wives apart, (Zech. 12. 12.) to lift up our voyce in prayer night and day, left the joyful voyce be utterly taken away, and for ever filenced amongst us : Let it be laid of us as of Jerufa- lem, (Lam. I. I .) Fhw doth the City fit folitary that was fullof people ? How is fhebecome as a widow ? fhe that was great among theNations, andPrincefs among the Provinces, how it fhe becometri- butary ? As that Heathen laid of the time pall, Ihadperifhed, if I had not perifhed : So we may fay of t he time to come ; We (hall mourn, if we do not mourn ; we thall be folitary,if we fit not a- - lone.Our nights of finful joy in chambering and wantonnefs have bereft us, and will bereave us moreofrefrething joys. And inftead of the voyce of friend and brother , you may hear only thevoyce of the enemy andavenger : and that is no joyful voyce. WhenJa- cob was informed of the approach of Efau his bloodybrother, he ;put all things in order, and prefently the Text faith, Jacob was left aiione,Gen.32.24. What, deferred ? did his company run from him ? No,it was aneleted folitarinefs, not a neceflìtated folitari- nefs,he defined to be alone ; and he flayd alone that he might not be alone : He tlayd alone that he might get God neerer in com= munion with him and his , that his family might not be fcattered from him,and his horde left defolate. So,ifwe would be volunta- rily alone from the world, to be with God, wraftling out nights in prayer as Jacob did,we might(as he did)prevent folitary nights, and prevail with God by thevoyce ofprayer, iu,the mediationof Jefus Chriff, and the powerful cry of his blood, to continue unto us the voyce of joy. JOB
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