Book IV. LOVE COMPARED TO COALS AND FLAMES OF FIRE. 6d9 5· Hope keeps the Soul in a fteady and fure Expectation of the good Promifes, under Aflliction and Sufferings; a Samt JS hereby ftayed and qmeted, wh!lft he IS ex– p okd to the Lofs of all other Things for Chrift's fake. '!'hey took patiently the JPoiling; of their Goods, knowing in themftlves, they had in Heaven· a better and tnore enduring Subflance, Heb. x. 34· 6. True Hope makes a.Chriftian very lively, and valiant for Chrift, and his Truth: It fills the Soul full of fpiritual AC\ivity, it is called a lively Hope, it makes him bold; and not afhamed of the Cro(<, &c. LOVE COMPARED TO DEATH, AND THE GRAVE, AND TO COALS AND FLAMES OF FIRE. Love is flrong as Death, Jealoufy is cruel as the Grave : '!'he Coals thereof arc Coals of Fire, which hath a mofl vehement Flame, Cant. viii. 6. Many Waters cannot quench Love, neither can the Floods drown it, &c. Ver. 7· THE Grace of Love which Chrill hath infufed into the H eart of his Spoufe, and ali gracious Ones, is compared by the Holy Gholl in thefe Scriptures to three Things, which are of a powerful and prevailing N~ture, againft whom there is no fiandino-: Firll, Death; Secondly, the Grave; Thirdly, Coals and Flames of Fire : Which"'lhew forth the vehement Power and Force of divine Love to Jefus Chrill; Which cannot be quenched. Firll; Love is compared to Death and the Grave. METAPHOR. l. DEATH and the Grave overcome the firongeft. Men, it prevails over the moll powerful, wife, and learned in the \Vorld; neither can the moll mighty Mo– narch encounter Death, or ftand before it; there is no Difcharge in that War. I!. Death and the Grave feize upon every Part of the corporal or mortal Body. METAPHOR. I. DEATH and the Grave put an end to natmal Life, and fo caufe all Motions or Actions from thence to ceafe. II. Death overcomes and de– !lroys that which we would, if poffible, keep, viz. our Lives, that are moll dear to us. PARALLEL. I. so Love, that is in the Heart of a fincere Chrifl:ian, prevails againll all Difficulties and Oppofition5, Temptations, Affiictions, and moO: cruel Suffcrings and Torments, that can be exercifed upon them, as appeared by the blelfed Martyrs. r\othing is too hard for Love, it cannot be fubdued, it overcomes all Sin and Suffering whatfoever. I!. So Love, when fhed abroad in the Hearr, feizeth upon all the Faculties of the Soul. Hence it is, that true Chriftians are faid to love Chrift with all their Hearts, and with all their Souls. D IS PAR IT Y. I. BUT Love bath that Virtue, as it is a Grace of the Sp1r1t, that It fets all the Faculties of the Soul upon Acts of a fpiritual Life. None are fo lively as thofe that truly love Jefus Chrill. I I. Love only overcomes that which is offen– live and contrary to us, or that ftands in oppoli– tion to the Soul's Union with Chrill, making that which would be injurious to Flelh and Blood, to become profitable and advantageous ; yea, though it be to the Lofs of Life, yet Love takes away the Fear of Death, and makes the Soul willing to part with Life for Chrifl:'s fake. LOVE COMPAR ED TO COALS A·ND FLAMES 0>F FIRE. METAPHOR. I. COALS and Flames ofFire are of a burning and confum– ing ~Iality. PARALLEL. I. THE Grace of Love kindled in the Soul of a Believer, burns up and confumes that inordinate Defire which is naturally in the Hearr, 7 Q_ after
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