Page:Bush burning, yet not consumed, or, The church in the furnace, yet still preserved (1).pdf/12

( 12 ) drew you to Christ and you accepted of Christ, and forgot your consciences pacified by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus upon them and thus faith, or an active reception of Christ, was the first breathing of the new creature within you; but I must not insist regeneration not being the subject I am just now called to discourse upon.

2. The church of Christ is called or compared to a Bush because, as a Bush you know has a root on which it depends, and from which it draws nourishment, so is it with the Church of Christ; she has the renowned root of Jesse, on which she depends, and from which she derives all her spiritual nourishment and growth. As is evident from what our Lord says in John 5 4 "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: No more can ye except ye abide in me." There is not the least branch of the poor bush. that can by nature bring forth any spiritually good fruit unless it be united to Jesus Christ in the living root from whence all fruitfulness does proceed The realest and tallest Cedar in this bush, as well as the meanest twig, are all obliged to the renowned root of Jesse for their fruitfulness and growth, and not to any inherent fruitful principles of their own. Christ’s mystical body his believing numbers are a vast weight upon him but, being the mighty God he is abundantly able to bear them all, and indeed the Church of Christ is well born, she is on a strong foundation; she has Jesus Christ himself for her foundation; and so must be immovable. They that would raze the bush, must first raze the root; the one must go before the other go. You are but stark fools and madmen that meddle with the bush of Christ. for she shall never be consumed. We challenge men and Devils to wrong the least believing twig in all this bush The Church can never be wronged, because Christ is engaged to present her." without