Page:Bush burning, yet not consumed, or, The church in the furnace, yet still preserved (1).pdf/17

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ver, the streams whereof do make glad the (illegible text), of God That is the Holy Ghost, who is sent both to quench the flames that endanger the Bush, and to preserve it from barrenness destruction and desolation He himself is the great dresser of the Bush. And as he dresses himself, so he set to work under dressers Prophets and Apostles; These dressed for a time There must always be under pruners and dressers for the service of the Church O well cared for Bush!

7 The Church of Christ is called or compared to a bush Why? because as you know, a bush must be fenced and hedged about, and protected that so it may not be trampled under foot and destroyed by the wild beasts that range and roam thro' the fields Just so is it with the Church of Christ Never was a society so well fenced as the Church is. We know no society that has so strong and impregnable an hedge as the Church, she has an inner and outer hedge about her. There is the inner hedge of divine grace and mercy the Church is locked up, as it were, in the attributes of God, (illegible text) in a safe inclosure Come my people saith the Lord enter into your chambers. These Chambers are the divine perfections, which surround her as a hedge inclosed a garden. The divine promises, that are Yea, and Amen in Christ Jesus as it were impregnable hedge about her namely the outer hedge of divine ordinances and intentions. The ordinances of Christ, the discipline and government which he as King of Zion. hath instituted (illegible text) his house, serve for a noble fence to protect the (illegible text) Church from the flames of heresy and error. And (illegible text) Sirs they that would pull down this hedge (illegible text) either to Christ or his Children: They that under a pretence of universal love and charity, are for removing the hedge of government and discipline that surrounds the Church, will get no thanks from Christ; for they are enemies