CHAPTER XXXV – 18. Our native country and habitation to be denied
but this in government, that will give the commonwealth that desirable liberty, in which their welfare doth consist.
And therefore those persons are enemies to the liberty of their country, that under that name would advance such kind of popular interest as is plainly against the interest of Christ; and must have magistrates and ministers restrained from doing the work of the omnipotent Sovereign, the one from punishing sin (if it be against the first table, or come but under the name of conscience), and the other from exercising church discipline, and all under pretence of the people's liberties. All these are carnal liberties to be denied.
CHAPTER XXXV
Our Native Country and Habitations Denied 18. ANOTHER part of carnal self-interest to be denied, is, our native country, or place of habitation, with all the comforts and accommodations they afford us. It is lawful to have some special love to our own country; but not such as shall prevail against the love of Christ, or seem sufficient to entangle us in sin. We must shew our love to it principally by desiring and endeavouring, that God's name may be hallowed, and his kingdom maintained, and his will fulfilled among and by our countrymen; but if they should turn enemies to the Gospel or to godliness, we must love the servants of God abroad, much better than his enemies at home; and wish the success of his servants, though of other countries, against his enemies, though they were of our own. And if we cannot serve God, or enjoy the freedom of a good conscience at home, another nation, though it were in the utmost parts of the earth, where we may better serve God, must seem
a better place to us. And if we be banished or necessitated to forsake our country, we must not stick at it, for the cause of Christ. It is none of the greatest trials to be put to remove from one country to another, as long as we have necessaries, wherever we come. We have the same God to be with us, and take care of us, beyond the sea, as at home; the same earth, and air, and sun to shine upon us; the same
Spirit, and grace, and promises to accompany us; the same saints of God, and ordinances of worship, may be had in other countries as our own. It is a kind of childishness to make such a matter of being driven out of one kingdom into another, when we have the same or greater mercies in the other. All is but our Father's house; and we do but remove from room to room. "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." As I said before of imprisonment, so I say of banishment: it is in our own wills by consenting to it, to make it no banishment. If you will make an affliction and a great matter of it, you may. A merchant or factor can live for his commodity, far from home, even among Turks and infidels, and take it for no banishment; much more should you do for the sake of Christ. Every place is our own country where our master's work lieth. We are but pilgrims; and as long as we are not out of our way, we need not complain much of being out of our country. Indeed we are here but strangers, and this is not our country, and therefore let us not over-love it upon a mistake. The apostles of Christ did purposely leave their countries, and travel about the countries of the world, to bring them the doctrine of salvation by Christ. And is it not better be walking lights to illuminate the world, than candles shut up within the walls of our own habitation? "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the