i,;;I 1 1I .1 l±raG:it 54 Chap. 3o. An Expefttion upon the Book of J o a. Vert, 5, Note ; elan doth not eafily part from among men. He muff be driven out, he would not goe out. Man is a foeia- ble creature, and naturally loveth to cohabit with men ; when God created man in the perfetiionofnature, as a fingle perfon; he faith ( Gen. 2. 18. ) It is not good that the man fhouldbe alone, Iwill make himan helpe (that is, a helper) mette for him. God madeall othercreatures for the helpeofman, yet no one ofthem was a meete helpe for man. The Angels were too high, and more then mans match, the beafts of the earth were too low, and wanting both fpeech and reafon, could not match man ; therefore the Lord created the woman, and gave man a wife for his companion, that mankind might be anuitiplyed, and live in fuch company as was meete and fit for communion. Monchury, Anchorifme, or an lonely life, which tome chufe and boaft inas a flare of higheft attainment and greateft perfecdïon in this life, is not of Gods inftitution, God made man for fociety; There- fore they over-throw the inftitution of God , who withdraw themfelves from the fociety ofmen. For though we may with- draw for a feafon, upongood occafions , yet no man ought to make a profeffionoffuch feparation. And 'cis againft the graine ofnature in its pure primitive and unftained integrity sodoe fo. Thefe in the Test were evill- doers,yet in this they did well,that they didnot leave thecompany ofmen, till they were driven out from among men. 7-hey cryed after them , .0 after a thief!. Thefe words are brought in by way of Parenthefìs, ani they carry a reafon why thole men were driven forth from among men; they were as out-lamed perfoni, theywere expulfd the fo- ciety ofmen, becaufe they were falfe and unfaithful', at belt fuch as no man would truft, all cryed out upon them, yea Cryed after them., ou after a thife. That is, either they were theeves, or theywere under as much diftaft and difgrace with all people as theeves are. Hence
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