“ Then sirs, if you are for chusing societies for safety to your souls and bodies, goods and gear, I know no society better for you to join with And anything that you dole while in this company, the protector of the Bush has promised to repay with ten thousand times more advantage. There’s not another society under the cope of heaven for men to join with, recorded in scripture. ”

“ Thus the world would devour the poor Lambs of Christ, and trample upon them as so many many worms under their feet But they have a promise to buoy up their hearts amidst all the hardships they are exposed to ”

“ We have the greatness of the sight intimate by (illegible text) word behold, Behold, a bush burned, and was not consumed I is not a great sight to see a combustible Bush, green and fresh in the midst of (illegible text) burning fiery furnace? is it not a great sight to see the church of Christ, all in a flame and yet walking like the three children in the midst thereof, without the least harm? Let hell and earth raise the hottest persecution they can, yet the church of Christ will look as fate in the flames as the three noble Jews did, when in the burning fiery furnace. ”

“ 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 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 the enemies to the Bush, and its glorious hedge. ”

“ O sirs, you are by nature united unto sin and Satan, so endeavour by grace, to be enjoined therefrom, and united to Jesus Christ the living and life giving root.
3 the Church of Christ is called or compared to Bush Why? Because, as a Bush is not one branch but made up of many branches, so, one Church of Christ is not one believer, but consists in many. One branch will not make a Bush; so one believer will not make a body to Christ There are millions of believers go to make up Christ’s mystical body ”

“ There are many mysteries in nature that you know as little of as this we are presently talking about yet you generally believe them: and surely the one demands as strong and firm faith as the other. Oh! pray to the Lord for the teaching of the spirit, that he may unfold unto you the mysteries of his grace. ”

“ 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 ”

“ In the world ye shall have tribulation That was no 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 affliction on and tribulations that the people of God are exposed to 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. ”

“ But, while he is in the heat of his bloody rage and fury against the Church and going with a furious force to ruin and destroy all the christians at Damascus the owner of the Bush surprises him with an alarming voice Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the p (illegible text) ! That is to say, thou actest as unwise and foolish a part it is for a beast to kick with its heels against sharp stakes and pointed irons. There’s prickly vengeance' surrounds the Bush of Christ: no man will meddle with it, but shall be cut off with wounded and bloody fingers. ”

“ The believer may make supposition that can never take place, hells flames, tho he were in them, would be to him what Nebuchadnezzar's her furnace was to three heroick Jews, they would not hurt or harm them in the least one in the form of God and who thinks it no robbery to be equal with God, would bear him company, and bring him out safe and sound. ”

“ Is it so as has been said; then, pray sirs, keep company with the Bush It is to be near her; there’s some crumb to be had from king's children. But some of you may say, O 'tis dangerous to be near her she is a burning Bush all in a flame I'll tell you sirs, a burning fire at a distance, appears more formidable than near at hand A great divine once said the crops appear to be heavier at a distance (illegible text) when you behold it on a believer's back—— (illegible text) so is it with the Bush all in a flame. Tho’ it may appear somewhat discouraging and frightful-like a distance ”

“ In short the Church of Christ is a happy society, O happy, eternally happy will they be, that can say I am a branch of Christ’s Bush For the Bush shall be transplated from this earth to the soil of glory. and grow in verdant beauty and fragrant splendor for evermore Oh! ”

“ This to carnal men appears a fanciful whim exceeding the belief of a rational man. But will you not believe it because you cannot comprehend it? at this rate, O man you may deny all mysteries of nature, and much more those of grace, because your shallow reason is not able to form suitable and adequate notions and conceptions of them But, are there no mysteries in spiritual things, because you cannot comprehend them? surely there are tho' you should remain eternally blind and the scales of ignorance remain for ever on your eyes. ”

“ Because a Bush you know is exposed to manifold wilderness tryals, and storms—there hardly a wind blows but the Bush in the wilderness 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 ”

“ 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 spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, unto the father at the last day.” The Bush, sirs, is nearly related to Christ and dearly bought by him too. ”

“ She appears as a very poor society on earth; hence she is called and compared to a lame woman leaning on her beloved She can b (illegible text) f walk, there’s in her but half grace half sin Further, she is compared to a worm; Hence our Lord says Fear not (illegible text) Jacob Who is more mean and despicable like than a worm, (illegible text) the silly worm that crawls among their feet 'Tis just so with believers, the Church of Christ; the carnal man does not think them worthy a night's lodging in the wilderness. But fear no worm Jacob You know every fool is ready to trample upon a worm ”

“ She is as (illegible text) e accounted of as a silly Bramble-Bush, that attests no man's regard, engages no man’s observation.
Moses in this Chapter, is about his worldly business he kept the Flock of Jethro his father in law, and led his flock to the back of the desert: and, while thus employed, he is privileged with a very singular appearance of God. This may teach us, that (illegible text) gence and activity in our worldly business is a very commendable thing, and especially when gone a (illegible text) at with a view and regard to the glory and command of God ”

“ The free children afford us a noble instance of this They were no longer cast info the burning fiery furnace, (illegible text) one, like unto the son of God, bears them company. When they came out of the fire, not one hair of their head (the most combustible thing about them) was either singed or hurt If mercy, O believer, be in the Bush no matter tho’ hell's flames there in it too. ”

“ I own 'tis a great mystery what influence or concurrence the faith of the word of promise has thro’ the operating virtue of the holy Ghost, in producing a new creature in the (illegible text) of a sinner. ”