Inference 2.
* 1.1Did Christ stand his ground and go through with his suffering-work, when all that had followed him forsook him. Then a resol∣ved adherence to God and duty, though left alone, without com∣pany or encouragement, is Christ-like, and truly excellent. You shall not want better company than that which hath forsaken you in the way of God. Elijah complains, 1 Kings 19.10. They have forsaken thy Covenant, thrown down thine Altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword; and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. And yet all this did not damp, or discourage him in following the Lord; for still he was very jea∣lous for the Lord God of Hosts.
Paul complains, 2 Tim. 4.16. At my first answer no man stood by me, all men forsook me: nevertheless the Lord stood with me. And as the Lord stood by him, so he stood by his God alone, with∣out any aids or support from men. How great an Argument of integrity is this! He that professes Christ for company, will also leave him for company. But to be faithful to God, when forsaken of men; to be a Lot in Sodom, a Noah in a corrupted generation; oh how excellent is it! 'Tis sweet to travel over this Earth to Hea∣ven in the company of the Saints that are bound thither with us, if we can; but if we can meet no company, we must not be discoura∣ged to go on. It's not unlike but before you have gone many steps farther, you may have cause to say as one did once, never less alone, than when alone.