Page:Bush burning, yet not consumed, or, The church in the furnace, yet still preserved (2).pdf/17

 the ſtreams whereof do make glad the city 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 he ſervice of the Church. O, well cared for Buſh!

7. The Church of Chriſt is called or compared to a Buſh. Why? Berauſe, 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 hedge as the Church. She has an inner an 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, as 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 incloſes a garden. The divine promiſes, that are Yea, and Amen in Chriſt Jeſus, are as it were an impregnable hedge about her, namely the outer hedge of divine ordinance and inſtitutions. The ordinance of Chrift, the diſcipline and government, which he as King in Zion, hath inſtituted in his houſe save for a noble fence to protect the poor Church from the flames of hereſy and error. And indeed, ſirs, they that would pull down this hedge, are no friends 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