John Trapp on Job 1:4

Verſe 4. And his ſons went, and feaſted in their houſes.] They were of ripe years: and although unmarried, yet had they their ſeveral houſes to dwell in. This declareth not onely the wealthineſs of the Family, but alſo the good Order and Government thereof, as [illegible: 1 word] obſerveth. Their orderly intercourſe of friendly feaſting one another, ſhews their mutuall love, to [illegible: 1 word] and agreement, by this means teſtified and [illegible: 1 word]. For wine hath (as [illegible: 1 span]) ([non-Latin text not transcribed], an attractive power [illegible: 1 word] it to [illegible: 1 word]) and [illegible: 1 letter]eep friendſhip, and from the drinking of [illegible: 1 word], [non-Latin text not transcribed] the word [illegible: 1 word] uſed for: a [illegible: 1 word] hath [illegible: 1 span]. We may not think that they did thus every day▪ a[illegible: 1 letter] that [illegible: 1 span]; their [illegible: 1 span] they had been better bred, and they obſerved this order with great modeſty and diſcretion. They went and feaſted▪ that is, they did it readily and cheerfully, that brotherly love might continue; for — Fratrum quoque gratia raraeſt. The Divel doth what he can to caſt a bone betwixt brethren, to make thoſe that ſhould love moſt dearly, to hate one another moſt deadly. See this [illegible: 4 letters]plified in C[illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 1 letter] and Abel, Eſau and Jacob, Joſeph and his Brethren, Joram and his, Romulus and Remus, Caracalla and Geta, Robert and [illegible: 1 word] the two ſons of William the Conquerour, Polynices and Eteecles &c. And when ſuch are once [illegible: 1 span] (ſaith Solomon) is harder to be wo[illegible: 1 letter] then a ſtrong City▪ and their contentions are like the barres of a Caſtle, which being ſtrong, will [illegible: 1 span] Prov. 18.19. All good means therefore muſt be uſed to prevent them, and to preſerve that unity and unity which the Pſalmiſt doth ſo [illegible: 1 span] concludeth that there God commandeth the bleſſing and [illegible: 1 span]; that is, conſtant happineſſe [illegible: 1 word] in and by a bleſſ[illegible: 1 letter]d Poſterity. The number of two hath been accounted [illegible: 1 word], becauſe it was the firſt that departed from Unity.

And ſent and [illegible: 1 span] ] That their number and amity might be complete. This was no [illegible: 1 word] joy to [illegible: 1 word], that his children were ſo kind one to another: It is [illegible: 1 span], that which was denyed to Abraham and Iſaac (though fathers onely of two children) to Jacob alſo and Samuel and David, Conſtantine the great, [illegible: 1 word] many others▪ whoſe children, through ambition, pride, [illegible: 1 span] may at deadly ſend among [illegible: 1 span] that the Siſters kept not with their [illegible: 1 span] which was both more ſeemly and more ſafe, as alſo more agreeing with maidenly [illegible: 1 word]. Neither is it ſaid, that [illegible: 1 span] not ever [illegible: 1 letter]oldly to the [illegible: 1 span] honeſt diſpoſition.