/* about it." Some tliiiik this phrase alludes to the cherubim that kept the way of the tree of life with flaming swords : others to the fiery chariots round about Dathan, where Elisha was ; but most think it to be an allusion to an ancient custom of travellers in the de- sarts ; who, to prevent the assaults of wild beasts in the niglit, made a circular fire round about them, which was as a wall to them. Thus will God be to his people a wall of fire, which none can scale. So Exod. iii. 3, 4 5. we have an excellent emblem of the church's low and dangerous condition, and admirable preservation. You have here both a marvel and a mystery. The marvel was to see a busli all on fire and yet not consumed. The mystery is this, the bush represented the sad condition of the church of Egypt ; the fire flam- ing upon it, the grievous afflictions, troubles, and bondage it was in there ; the remaining of the bush unconsumed, the strange and ad- mirable preservation of the church in those troubles. It lived there as the three noble Jews, untouched in the midst of a burning fiery furnace : and the angel of the Lord in a flame of fire, in the midst of the bush was nothing else but the Lord Jesus Christ, powerfully and graciously present with his people amidst all their dangers and sufferings. The Lord is exceeding tender over them, and jealous for them, as that expression imports, Zech. ii. 8. " He that touchetli " them toucheth the apple of mine eye." He that strrikes at them, strikes at the face of God, and at the most excellent part of the face, the eye, and at the most tender and precious part of the eye, the apple of the eye. And yet, as a learned modern observes, this people of whom he uses this tender and dear expression, were none of the best of Israel neither ; but the residue that staid behind in Babylon, when their brethren were gone to rebuild the temple ; and yet over these, he is as tender as a man is over his eye.
And is the security of the church so great ! and its preservation so admirable, amidst all storms and tempests ! then why art thou so prone and subject to despond, O my soul, in the day of Sion's trou- ble ? Sensible thou wast, and oughtest to be : but no reason to hang down the head through discouragement, much less to forsake Zion in her distress, for fear of being ruined with her.
What David spake to Abiathar, 1 Saiti. xxii. 23. that may Zion s})eak to all her sons and daughters in all their distresses : " Though " he that seeketh thy life seeketh mine also; yet with me shalt thou " be in safeguard." God hath entailed great salvation and deliver- ances upon Zion ; and blessed are all her friends and favourers ; the Rock of ages is its defence. Fear not, therefore, O my soul, though the hills be renivoved out of their place, and cast into the midst of the sea. O let my faith triumph, and my heart rejoice upon this ground of comfort. I see the same rocks now, and in the same place and con- dition they were manv years ago. Though they have endured many
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storms, yet tlicre they abide ; and so shall Zion, when the proud waves have spent their fury and rage against it.
.ESOPOTAMIA, situate in the seas, jMay represent the cliurch ; or, if you please, A rock, o'er whicli the waves do wasli and swell, May figure it ; cluise cither, which you will. Winds strive upon those seas, and make a noise, The lofty waves sometimes lift up their voice. And, swelling high successivelv, do beat With violence against it, then retreat. They break themselves, but it abides their shock ; And when their rage is spent, tlicre stands the rock. Then they are out that do affirm and vote, Peace, pomp, and splendor is the church's note. And they deserve no less reproof that are In Zion's troubles ready to despair. This rock amidst far stronger rocks doth lie. Which are its fence ; so deep, so thick, so high, They can't be batter'd, scafd or undermined : And these, eviron'd by them, daily find Their bread ascertain^ ; waters too secur'd : Then shout and sing, ye that are thus immur'd.
Wliat dangers rtm they for little gains,
Who, for their souls, wmdd ne'er take half the j^ains !
XlOW exceeding solicitous and adventurous are seamen for a small portion of the world ? How prodigal of strength and life for it ? They will run to the ends of the earth, engage in a thousand dangers, upon the ho})L'S and probability of getting a small estate. Per marc, per terras, per millc pericula currinit. Hopes of gain make them willing to adventure their liberty, yea, their life, and encourage them to endure heat, cold, and hunger, and a thousand straits and difficulties, to which they are frequently exposed.
How hot and eager are men's affections after the world ! and how remiss and cold towards things eternal ! thev are careful, and trou- bled about many things ; but seldom mind the great and necessary matter, Luke x. 40. They can vi^q early, go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness ; but when did they so deny themselves for their poor souls ? Their heads are full of designs and projects to get or advance an estate : " We will go into such a city, continue
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«* there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain," James iv. 13. This i s the ro spyov, the master-design^ -which engrosseth all their time, stu- dies, and contrivances. The will hath past a decree for it, the heart and ajfFections are fully let out to it, They zvill he rick, 1 Tim. vi. 9. This decree of the will, the Spirit of God takes deep notice of; and indeed it is the clearest and fullest discovery of a man's portion and condition : for look what is highest in the estimation, first and last in the thoughts, and upon which we spend our time and strength with delight ; certainly, that is our treasure, Matth. vi. ^0, 21. The heads and hearts of saints are full of solicitous cares and fears about their spiritual condition ; the great design they drive on, to which all other things are but vrxpsoyu, things by the by, is to make sure their calling and election. This is the pondus, the weight and bias of their spirit ; if their hearts stray and wander after any other thing, this reduces them again.