Chap. i 6. An Expofitionupon the Rookof J O B, Ver,7, 253 There is an eleáive alonenefs, or retyrednefs, at Come times very ufeful for contemplation and prayer; and we are never loft alone, then when we arefa alone ; for thenGod is more fpe- cially with us, and we with him. It is Paid of Jacob, Gen. 3z. 24. .Then iacobwas left alone, not that Isçobs company had left and forfaken him, but that Jacob fora time had left his company : So, force render the text athvely, ayed, or remainedalone. facob flayed alone purpofely, that he might have freer communion with God in that recefs and retire_ ment from the creature ; It is good for man to be alone from the company of man, that he mayenjoy, more fully, the pretence of God. Yet God himfelffaid at the firli when man was created, It it not good for man to be alone : There was no moral evil in that alonenefs (for when Gad fpake this word, there was no fuch evil in the vifibleworld ) but God called it evil, be- caufe it was fo inconvenient for the civil well-being and in- conGftent with the natural propagationofman. And there- fore as in reference to both thefeevils, God Paid with his own mouth, It it not g odfor man to be alone ; fo in reference to the former of the two,God Paid by Solomon, Two is better then one, and woe to bim that is alone (Eeclef, 4. 9, t o,) job puts his alonenefs among his woes, Thou bafèmade defolate all my com... pal{y. f, But it may be Paid , had job no company ? Were not his Friends about him ? Did not thefe three come to mournwith him,and to comfort him? And had they not been indifcourfc with him all this while ? Tes, he had company, but it wasnot (bitable company ; he had evil ones about him , as he complaines ( Chap. 19, and Chap, 3o.) and thoughhis three Friends were goodmen,yet to him they were no good company, becaufe fö unpleafant in their converfe withhim. Hence Note. Some company is a burthen. We fay ofmany men, We had rather have their room, then their company. Man loves company but'tis the company of thofe he loves. The comfort of our lives depends much upon fociety, but more upon the fuitablenefs offociety : Itis better ea dwell in a corner afa boule sapttbenwitha brewling woman in
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