An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

I answer, the night may be taken two ways, or under a twofold notion. First properly, as that which casteth a veil or mantle of darkness over both persons and things, and covers them from our sight; in allusion to which, the sense is this; Do not hope to hide or conceal thy self from the eye or knowledge of God. As thou canst not be ransomed, as thou canst not be rescued from ⟨p. 313⟩his power (which was showed before) so desire not the night, for thou canst not be obscured from his knowledge under the covert of it, there is no hiding from God. Though I judge that interpretation too gross, which supposeth Elihu counselling Job not to desire the night, as robbers and adultere•s, to cover him while doing wickedly, yet possibly he might think Job was not so free to confess the evils which he had done, and therefore rather desired the concealment of them.

I answer, the night may be taken two wayes, or under a twofold notion. First properly, as that which casteth a vail or mantle of darkness over both persons and things, and covers them from our sight; in allusion to which, the sense is this; Do not hope to hide or conceal thy self from the eye or knowledge of God. As thou canst not be ransomed, as thou canst not be rescued from ⟨p. 313⟩his power (which was shewed before) so desire not the night, for thou canst not be obscured from his knowledge under the covert of it, there is no hiding from God. Though I judge that interpretation too gross, which supposeth Elihu counselling Job not to desire the night, as robbers and adultere•s, to cover him while doing wickedly, yet possibly he might think Job was not so free to confess the evils which he had done, and therefore rather desired the concealment of them.

Secondly, the night in Scripture, as also in humane Authors, is put improperly for death. All the dead are wrapped up in a night of darkness. Hence that counsel (