Page:Bush burning, yet not consumed, or, The church in the furnace, yet still preserved (2).pdf/8

 blood would do the buſineſs, ſhed his own blood for clearing the debt. When the knife of law and juſtice was juſt going to cut the throat of the elect world, Chriſt himſelf was the true ram that was caught in the thickets of juſtice, and ſo, by his ſacrifice, diverted the impending blow from lighting on the poor Sinner. Thus, ſirs, the Lord beholds his Buſh with an affectionate concern: yea, wonders at her as Moſes did. And well may Men and Angels wonder, when the Lord of Glory himſelf wonders at her, and indeed, if the ſon of God did not behold her with this endeared concern, ſhe would be ſwallowed and burnt up in the flame.

The words being thus ſhortly divided and explained, the doctrine natively ariſing from them is this, viz.

Doct. That as a fiery furnace, and a devouring flame is the ordinary lot of the Church of Chiſt, ſo preſerving mercy is her allowance, from Lord and head even in this ſituation. Behold here is a great wonder, a Buſh burning, yet not conſumed.

The decirine you ſee is complex; and tho' it might well be ſplit into two propoſitions, yet I choſe rather to confine it to one to ſave time in the proſecution thereof. Now tho' the text affords ſufficient proof for the doctrine, yet to confirm your faith in a matter that is calculate ſo much for the faith and comfort of the Lord's people, I will name two places of ſcripture that will ſet it in a clear and convincing light to us. The firſt is, Iſa. xliii. 2 "when thou paſſeſt thro' the waters, I will be will be with thee: and thro' the rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee: when thou walkeſt thro' the fire thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flames kindle upon thee." The ſpeaker and promiſer here is the great Jehovah: the owner and preſerver of his poor deſpicable Buſh. And conſidering the subject of the promiſe, we may well ſay it muſt be a