First,1 That the enjoyment of the comforts of a sweet native soil, specially where there are any ordinances together with it, is a very great blessing of God;2 and the being deprived of it is a great affliction, yea to some it comes as a curse. The very sucking of the air of a sweet native soil (and especially such a comfortable soil as we have here in England) is certainly a great blessing from the Lord. Those that have been deprived of it, and banished away, have been more sensible of it than any of you who always have enjoyed it. Many have lain sucking at the sweetness of this our English air, and at the comforts that there have been in their accommodations, so long, till they have sucked in that which (if Gods mercy had not prevented) would have proved to have been poison to them to have banned their souls. But I speak not of all, I make no question but there have been many of Gods dear servants that have tarried in their native soil, and kept the uprightness of their hearts and consciences as clear as others that went away. It is true, the comforts of a native soil are sweet, but except we may ⟨p. 62⟩enjoy them with the breasts of these consolations (or Ordinances of the Church) they are notable to satisfy the soul: yea, except we may suck out such milk of these breasts as is sincere milk, and not soiled nor soured by the inventions of men, better a great deal that we were weaned from all the sweetness and accommodation we have in our native soil by the mortifying of our affections to them, then that God should wean us from them, by sending of us into captivity, or by giving the adversary power over us, or by making the Land too hot for us. But that for the first.
First,1 That the enjoyment of the comforts of a sweet native soile, specially where there are any ordinances together with it, is a very great blessing of God;2 and the being deprived of it is a great affliction, yea to some it comes as a curse. The very sucking of the ayr of a sweet native soile (and especially such a comfortable soile as we have here in England) is certainly a great blessing from the Lord. Those that have been deprived of it, and banished away, have been more sensible of it than any of you who alwayes have enjoyed it. Many have laine sucking at the sweetnesse of this our English ayr, and at the comforts that there have been in their accommodations, so long, till they have sucked in that which (if Gods mercy had not prevented) would have proved to have been poyson to them to have baned their soules. But I speak not of all, I make no question but there have beene many of Gods dear servants that have tarried in their native soile, and kept the uprightnesse of their hearts and consciences as cleare as others that went away. It is true, the comforts of a native soile are sweet, but except we may ⟨p. 62⟩enjoy them with the breasts of these consolations (or Ordinances of the Church) they are notable to satisfie the soul: yea, except we may suck out such milke of these breasts as is sincere milke, and not soiled nor sowred by the inventions of men, better a great deale that we were weaned from all the sweetnesse and accommodation we have in our native soile by the mortifying of our affections to them, then that God should weane us from them, by sending of us into captivity, or by giving the adversary power over us, or by making the Land too hot for us. But that for the first.
- 1Obser.
- 2The sweetness of the comfort• of a native soil.The sweetness of the comfort• of a native soile.
