Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 7 · Part 13
The Church compared to a Buſh on Fire.
Exod. 3.2. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Flame of Fire out of the midſt of a Buſh; and he looked, and behold the Buſh burned, and was not conſumed, &c.
ACcording to Ainſworth, and divers other Expoſitors, by the Buſh is meant the Church of God in great Affliction, the ſevere Trials of God's People being often ſet forth in the holy Scriptures by Fire, by a Flame of Fire, and ſometimes by a ſmoaking Furnace; as in Abraham's Viſion, Gen. 15.17. And behold a ſmoaking Furnace, and a burning Lamp, that paſſed between the Pieces. Gen. 15.17By the ſmoaking Furnace was ſignified to Abraham, Iſrael's great Affliction in Egypt; and by the Lamp, the Law of God that afterwards was given; or, as ſome underſtand it, the Lamp of Deliverance, or that Salvation God would work for them, &c. for that the Salvation of God is like to a Lamp that burneth, Iſa. 52.1.
Queſt. Why is the Church of God compared to a Buſh, to a burning Buſh? The Scripture uſually ſets out the Church by things whoſe Natures or Qualities are excellent, things that are of great Worth, &c. And why ſhould ſhe be compared to a Buſh, to a Bramble-Buſh, for ſo Ainſworth and others read it?
Anſw. Some of the Reaſons of it, according to our weak Judgment, are hinted in the following Parallels.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| A Buſh is a thing of ſmall worth and value, few eſteem or regard a Bramble-Buſh; ſtately Trees are viewed and prized, and ſome of them valued highly, but ſo is not a Buſh. | SO likewiſe the Church of God was then, and is now, a thing of ſmall value, of little or no eſteem in the eyes of wicked Men; it was no more regarded by proud Pharaoh, and many of the Egyptians, than a ſorry Bramble-Buſh. Hence the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the Church, as being very contemptible in the ſight of Men. We are made as the Filth of the World, 1 Cor. 4.13 and are the Off-ſcouring of all things unto this day. |
| II. A Bramble-Buſh, as it is a thing of no Worth or Value, ſo it is a thing that hath no Beauty in it, in compariſon of other Trees; it is in no wiſe taking to the eye. Some things that are of no great worth, ſeem very glorious and beautiful; but there is none of this in a Bramble. | II. So the true Church of God is not cloathed with outward Beauty, not arrayed in Purple and Scarlet, deck'd with Gold, precious Stones, and Pearls, like the Mother of Harlots; but ſeemeth low,Rev. 17.4. baſe, and contemptible to a carnal Eye, her Beauty being all hidden: The King's Daughter is glorious within. Pſal. 45.13 And 'tis from hence the World values her no more. As Chriſt made himſelf of no Reputation,Phil. 2.7. ſo the Church for a while remaineth among Men in a like State; no carnal Eye that ſeeth her, doth at all deſire her. |
| III. A Buſh is not only a thing of little worth in the eſteem of Men, but it is in it felf really of ſmall value. What is a Bramble worth? what is it good for, but to be cut down, and caſt into the Fire? | III. So the People of God, conſidered abſtractively, (as they are in themſelves) what are they? what Worth or Excellency is in them? All the Beauty and Glory of the Church is from Chriſt. They are naturally vile Sinners,Mich. 7.4. and are called Thorns, Bryars, and pricking Brambles; and tho converted and changed by the Power of God's Grace, yet there remaineth ſomething ſtill of the Old Man and evil Nature in them. And God, in other Places of Scripture, where he compareth them to a Vine, to Lillies, to a Garden, to Golden Candleſticks, &c. ſpeaks of them with reſpect to what they are by his ſpecial Grace in Chriſt Jeſus. But here, in comparing them to a Buſh, he hath reſpect (as we conceive) to what they are in themſelves, and by Nature, to ſet forth their own Unworthineſs, that ſo he might thereby raiſe Moſes his Wonder, to ſee the mighty Condeſcenſion of the Bleſſed God, in having regard to ſuch a poor and undeſerving People, to dwell in them, and in keeping and preſerving them in the midſt of ſuch fierce and cruel Enemies, when a ſmall Spark might eaſily conſume and deſtroy them in an inſtant, but that he ſtretcheth forth his glorious Arms of Grace and Divine Power for their Succour and Relief. |
| IV. There is one thing more touching a Buſh, which for Illuſtration ſake I ſhall here mention, not that the Spirit of God had reſpect to it in this Viſion, viz. A Buſh is a common Receptacle for Birds; 'tis the Place where they lodg, make their Neſts in, and are ſecured from many Dangers that do attend them. | IV. The Church of God is the chief Place for the Saints of God to dwell or make their Abode in, who in the Song of Songs are called Birds: The time of the ſinging of Birds is come, &c.Cant. 2 12 Which (ſaith Reverend Mr. Ainſworth) ſignifies the Saints, who feeling the Comforts of God's Word and Spirit, do ſing the Praiſes of God, with Pſalms, and Hymns, and ſpiritual Songs.Iſa. 24.16. They ſhall lift up their Voice, they ſhall ſing for the Majeſty of the Lord; and from the uttermoſt Parts of the Earth we have heard Songs, even Glory to the Righteous. And indeed in our Judgment the Godly are compared to Birds principally upon this Conſideration, i. e. in reſpect to their Singing, which is laid down in ſeveral places of Scripture as an undoubted Duty; I wiſh that Chriſtians, who are not in the practice thereof, would conſider of it. But to proceed, How ſafe is the Bird, when ſhe getteth into the Buſh? ſo are the Saints, when they are got into the Church; God being a Wall of Fire round about her,Ze…h. 2.5. and her Defence and Glory on every ſide. |
| V. It is a ſtrange and marvellous thing, to ſee a Bramble-Buſh on fire, and not conſumed; this made Moſes to turn aſide: I will turn aſide to ſee this great Sight. | V. So it is a ſtrange Sight, a Prodigy, a Mercy to a Wonder, enough to aſtoniſh all true thinking Chriſtians, to ſee the Church of God, the unworthy, frail, polluted, weak, (and declining) Church, as ſet on fire, yea, all on a Flame, (as it were) many Fires being kindled on her by wicked Adverſaries, and yet ſhe is not conſumed! How many Plots and Helliſh Contrivances were there on foot againſt poor Iſrael in Egypt? Firſt, They made a Law, that the Midwives ſhould kill all their Men-Children, when they did their Office. Secondly; When that would not take, (becauſe the Midwives feared God, and ſaved the Men-Children alive:E…od. 1.17. They feared God, ('tis ſaid) and did not as the King of Egypt commanded, &c.) then they thought of another way, another Plot was ſet on foot, a new Fire (as it were) was kindled, which was to caſt all the Men-Children into the River: And Pharaoh charged all his People, ſaying, Every Son that is born ye ſhall caſt into the River, E…od. 1.22 and every Daughter ye ſhall ſave alive. Hence poor Moſes was caſt into the Flags, who afterwards was an Inſtrument in the hand of God, by working many Signs and Wonders, and appeared to help and deliver Iſrael, (one that Pharaoh little thought of.) Thirdly; But this not taking ſo effectually neither, they were moſt cruelly oppreſſed by hard Servitude, and forced to make their full Tale of Bricks, and yet Straw is denied them; which made the Lives of God's People bitter unto them. Fourthly, and laſtly; When they deſired liberty to go and worſhip God, this was denied them, by no means would Pharaoh conſent to it, but made his hands heavier and heavier upon them. Thus were they in the Fire and Furnace of Affliction, and yet graciouſly preſerved, notwithſtanding their Enemies were ſo many, ſo cruel, and ſo mighty above them. And this was that great Sight that God in a Figure ſhewed to Moſes; and this great Sight is to be ſeen at this Day, in this and other Nations. O what Helliſh Plots and Contrivances have been on foot for many Years laſt paſt, eſpecially for the ſpace of two or three Years! How many Fires have been kindled to conſume the poor Church of God in England, and other adjacent Nations! What Plots and Sham-Plots have the Popiſh Enemies ſet on foot, ſince the Time that Dr. Oates firſt diſcovered the Grand and Helliſh Intrigue! And yet how wonderfully hath God wrought to ſave us to this Day, notwithſtanding we are an unworthy People, and as little deſerving this Divine Favour (in our ſelves) as ever any were, who ever lived in any Age of the World! The ſtrange and perfidious Actings of the Enemy to deſtroy us, and the ſtrange and wonderful Workings of Divine Providence to preſerve us, have been ſo admirable, that ſucceeding Ages, who ſhall read the Hiſtory of theſe Times, will (doubtleſs) ſcarcely believe them, but rather conclude they are meer Romances. |
| VI. Here I might note alſo, for Illuſtration ſake, that a Bramble-Buſh is attended with Thorns, and often offends and wounds ſuch as roughly and unadviſedly meddle with it. | VI. So ſuch as roughly and unadviſedly touch and handle the Lord's People, do but prick and wound themſelves thereby; as moſt plainly appeared in the Caſe of Pharaoh, and the Egyptians. What became of them? Thoſe that afflict God's People, ſhall be afflicted, nay, wounded. And I will undo all that afflict thee. Zeph. 3.19. God knoweth how to make Jeruſalem a burthenſom Stone for all People: All that burthen themſelves with it ſhall be cut in pieces, Zech. 12.3 tho all the Earth ſhould be gathered together againſt it. Hence Chriſt gave perſecuting Saul Warning of the Danger: 'Tis hard for thee to kick againſt the Pricks. Acts 9.5. Thoſe that kick againſt God's Church, do but kick againſt the Pricks; they do but hurt, wound, and undo themſelves thereby. |
As for Diſparities, they are many, and ſo obvious to all, that I ſhall paſs them by; for tho the Church of God is here repreſented by a Bramble-Buſh, yet ſhe is in Chriſt's ſight as a Lilly among Thorns; and her Worth and Glory through the Lord Jeſus is ſo great, that ſhe very far ſurpaſſeth all the People and Families of the Earth. Nothing of all created Things doth Chriſt think good enough to ſet forth and illuſtrate the Beauty and Excellency of his Church and People by, however unworthy ſhe is in her own ſight, or in the eyes of the ſinful World.
Inferences.
ADmire the Grace and Love of God, the Almighty Jehovah, that inhabiteth Eternity, that he ſhould out of his abundant Favour, good Will, and great Condeſcenſion, dwell in a poor Bramble-Buſh! Who is able to conceive of this rich and undeſerved Favour!
2. It alſo informeth us, how it comes to paſs that the poor Saints and Church of God are preſerved to this day: 'Tis becauſe God is among them, God dwelleth in the Buſh: The Lord dwelleth in Sion, to comfort, revive, uphold, ſave, and deliver her in the Day of Trouble.
3. It may ſerve to humble us, and lay us low in our own eyes. What are the beſt of God's People by Nature, and in themſelves, but as a Buſh, Bryar, or Thorny Hedg? 'Tis God who hath made us to differ from others.
4. It may deter the Wicked, and for ever be a Warning to them, to forbear perſecuting God's People; for that it will prove at laſt to their utter Ruine; they kick but againſt the Pricks.
5. Remember the good Will of Him, and ſeek his Bleſſing, that dwelt in the Buſh.