An exposition with practical observations upon the three first chapters of the book of…

This solitariness of the night may have respect to the former words: He would not have it joined to the days of the year, he would not have it come in the number of months. What then? then it must needs be like a solitary widow, all alone, Let that night be solitary. Or secondly, his meaning may be this, Let there be no meetings that night. The night is not solitary in it self, but then the night is called solitary, when the society of friends is stopped ⟨p. 364⟩and interrupted. It was the custom of those times, and it is a custom continued in many places to these times,¹ for friends to meet in the night: and such meetings make night as day; good society is comfortable; A solitary condition is a sorrowful condition. So then, Job completes his curse in this verse, and makes up a full sum of misery upon his night. What can be said more against it, then now he saith. He had before wished it dark in it self, divided from the day, of no number in the months; And now he would not have friends meet or refresh themselves by mutual communion and loving converse that night. Much of the comfort of our lives is brought in by the society of friends. Man is defined a sociable creature, as well as a reasonable creature, solitariness is opposite both to the nature and happiness of man. Woe be to him that is alone (saith Solomon) two are better then one, and especially in times of trouble. As our comforts are multiplied upon them that are near us, so our sorrows are allayed and eased by them. There is a solitariness which is the sweetest part of our lives, when we retire a while from the world, from the throng of men and business, that we may be more intimate with Christ, and take our fill in communion with him. To go alone, that we may meet with God, is Heaven upon earth; but to be so left alone and scattered, that we cannot meet with man, is (if not a hell yet) one of the greatest afflictions upon the earth: Such solitary times are sad times.

This solitarinesse of the night may have respect to the former words: He would not have it joyned to the dayes of the yeare, he would not have it come in the number of moneths. What then? then it must needs be like a solitary widdow, all alone, Let that night be solitary. Or secondly, his meaning may be this, Let there be no meetings that night. The night is not solitary in it selfe, but then the night is called solitary, when the society of friends is stopt