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 to him and his people, and dethrone him from his government, while they make him worſe than an earthly King, who protects his ſubjects. O, ſirs ſuch are enemies to the Buſh, and its glorious hedge. Satan himſelf could not deny but the Church was ſafely hedged and fenced, when he ſays unto the Lord concerning Job, haſt thou not made a hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? thou haſt bleſſed the work of his hands and his ſubſtance is increaſed in the land. Job i, 10. This was indeed ſound divinity out of the mouth of Satan. He had a mind to give holy Job, a fruitful branch of this Buſh, a heavy blow and he argues with his owner anent it. As if he had ſaid, I cannot reach that branch of the Buſh, a blow he is ſo well guarded and hedged about. Shall I get a hit of him? I deſpair of getting it to eternity, in regard he is ſo well fenced and hedged about. Thus are the people of Chriſt well guarded and protected. The Lord himſelf is their fence and hedge; and therefore, they cannot miſs to be in ſafety amidſt all their enemies whatever. O ſirs, ſeek to be among the branches of this Buſh, otherwiſe you will be over run by your enemies and be ſacrifced to glut their revengeful reſentment againſt you. Non are ſafe but the branches of Chriſt's Buſh.

8. The Church of Chriſt is called or compared to a Buſh. Why? Becauſe a Buſh like this, which Moſes ſaw, being a thorn-Buſh, as ſome divine think, is full of prickles; ſo that nobody can touch it without bloody fingers: juſt ſo is it with the Church of Chriſt; ſhe is full of prickles, to hurt and draw the blood of all ſuch as meddle with her. I do not mean here, ſirs, a Church that has the benefit of civil establiſhment. If that could ſecure a Church, then the Church of Rome, that mother of Harlots, and abomination of the earth has been ſecured theſe thouſand years bye gone; I mean the Church that is built on the rock Chriſt, a collective