Ii 'R 11 36 Chap. 3o, An Expoftion upon the Booke of Jo a. Verf,3, Text in hand ; They werefolitary for want and famine, that is,, they were Inch bale beggarly Companions, that no honeft-wo. men would marry them, and fo wandering upand downe alone without wife or Child, they were utterly forlorn and foli, Cary. Secondly To be folitary, as to be forlaken and abindon'd 6fmen, all avoyding our company ; as it was Paid of our Lord J<:fus Chrifi ( who endur'd all forts ofaffhCtions) ( Matth, z6. 46. ) Then all left him and fled , his Diiciples and all left him. And 'Paul fpeakes thus ofhimfelfe ( 2Tim. 4. o6.) 4r my flog anfwer. (before Nero he nu ant no man flood 6y, me but all ,ue» forfooke me. That man is folitary whom all friends forfake, though he have troops of ftrangers,multitudes ofEnemies about him. Thirdly Others are folitary by flying and-abandoning the company of men ; and ofthis fort we are to underftand there fo litary ones, they themfelves left the company ofmen, flying in- to the wildernufe, as the Text fpeakes in the words following, But why did theme make then,felves folitary, and leave the com- pany of men ? I anfwer, there are feverall grounds uponwhich men leave all company and chufe to be alone. Sometimes(which. is a blefl'ed way of folitarinefs) a Godly man out of a,defre to. have more.intimacy and Communion with God, leaves the com- pany of all men; he goes alone, that God and he maybe alone, (if I may fo fpeake) together. It is,faid, (gen. 32.24.) Then ¡acob was lift alore ; not that his company left him, but he left his company, he witsdrew that he might fpread his cafe and condition before the Lord. We reade what a heavenly meeting and wreftling there,was that night between God and jaccb; pYe are never lie folitary then whenwe are them folitary.' Secondly , Others are folitary, fleeing and abandoning the company of even, as being- grieved with the fins and evill man- ners of men ; upon this Confideration 7eremy..wifhes (Chap. 9, z.) Ohthat'I had in.the wildernefsa lodging place of wayfaring men, that Imight leave my people andgeefrom them ; for they be all adulterers, an affembly of treafkereus men. The manners of that people were Inch as burdened the holy Prophet , he could not beare them, and would therefore retire chat .he might get forne cafe from.thofe heavy preffures., Thirdly,
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