Page:Bush burning, yet not consumed, or, The church in the furnace, yet still preserved (2).pdf/15

 not worm Jacob for I am with thee, I will ſtrengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs." Iſa. xli, 10. And indeed, tho' the fire be kindled in the Buſh, yet the Lord is in the midſt of it, and nearer to it than the devouring flame.

5. The Church of Chriſt is called or compared to a Buſh. Why? Becauſe a Buſh, you know, is expoſed to manifold wilderneſs trials, and ſtorms- There's hardly a wind blows, but the Buſh in the wildernef feels it. Juſt ſo is it with the Church of Chriſt. Hence ſaith the Lord, 'O thou afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts and not comforted.' In theſe words the Lord speaks to his Buſh; and he beholds her, when thus toſſed and afflicted with tears of compaſſion. Our Lord warns his Buſh of trials and tempeſts in this valley of tears. John xvi, 33: “In the world ye ſhall have tribulation." That was ill news to the poor Buſh, but there's a cordial to ſupport her amidſt all her tribulations "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" Manifold are the afflictions and tribulations that the people of God are expoſed unto in their militant ſtate; they have ſcarce a fair day and ſerene hour in the whole journey they are making to the land of reſt, in the celeſtial Palace. Stormy days and foul weather is their general lot. You that are the branches of this Buſh may lay your account with ſtorms and tempeſts in the wilderneſs. We read of the Church being compared to a woman that fled to the wilderneſs, whilſt the devil, the old dragon and ſerpent, vomited floods of error, perſecution and confuſion after her. Alas! Sirs, the devil is juſt vomiting theſe floods, at this day, againſt the flowers of Britain and Ireland- there's a remnant of the Lord's chuſing in Scotland at this day, and the devil is pouring out floods against them. Many errors and detutions are now ſpreading. Wait Sirs, tho' ſhe the Buſh be in a flame yet ſhe ſhall not be conſumed. Abide by this Buſh