6re LOVE eoMPARED TO COALS AND FLAMES oF FIRE. Book IV , after the Things and Vanities of this World; it eats up and confumes all carnal and fenfual Lufts whatfoever; all flefhly and combuftible Stuff, or Things that ftand in the Way, are burnt up and detlroyed by 1t. METAPHOR, PARALLEL. I!. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a purging and purifying ~ality. II. So the Grace of Love purgerh, cleanfeth; and punfieth the Soul; the Drofs and Filth of the Heart and Life being wafted away, a Chriftian is made holy, fanEtified, and heavenly thereby. Ill. So the Grace of Love fofrens the Heart, and melrs it, making it pliable, and very fit and capable to receive the Impreflion and divine Image of God. Ill. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a melting and foftening Na– ture; they make Things tender and pliable, meet to receive the Im– preflion of a Seal, &c. IV. Some Fire is fo vehement, IV. The Grace of Love is of fuch a ftrong that Water thrown upon it will not and vehement Nature, that it is impoflible utter– quench it, but rather caufe it tO ly to quench or exungmfi11t m the Soul, though burn more fierce and vehemently. the Dev1l dally ufe all his Strength and Skdl to do it. Many ways he continually alfaults Be– lievers; when Temptations of one fort fail, he trieth others: He offers worldly Plea– fures, Honors, Hiches, yea, all the Goods, as I may fay, of his Houfe; bm all is in vain, nothing will quench this divine Flame; the true Chrifhan utterly contemns him, with all he hath. The grand Delign of Satan's courting a Man, with all his Ofrers, All this will I give tbee, &c. is to gain his Love, or draw off his AffeCtions from Jefus Chrift. If this way will not do, he tries another, and brings AffliCtions and Crolfes upon the Soul; but over thefe likewife is a Saint a Conqueror. Which makes the Apoftle break forth into this holy Triumph: Who jhal! feparate us from the Love of Chrifl? Shall 'fribulation, or Diftrefs, or Perfectttion, or Famine, or Nakednefs, or Peril, or Sword? No none of thefe Things can: }'r,r I am perfuaded, that neither Death, nw Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prefent, nor 'Things o come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, jha/1 be able to feparate us from the Love of God, that is in Chrifl Jefus our Lord, Rom. viii. 35, 36, 37, 38. V. Fire hath Light with it. V. So the Grace of Love is attended with the VI. Coals and Flames of Fire afford Hear, they are of a warm– ing and reviving Nature. VII. Flames of Fire afcend, or tend continually llpwards. See more of the Nature and Ii!!fa· lity of Fire, where the Word of God is compared to it. MET A PH 0 R. I. FlHE is from beneath, it is earthly, and one of the four Elements. II. A violent Fire n"y be quench– ed, and all natural and elemen– tary Fire fhall be put out. Mount ./Etna fhall not burn always. Knowledge of Chrift, who is the Object of Love: Ignoti enim nulla cupido. VI. So the Grace of Love heats our cold and frozen Hearts, it warms and revives them with fweet and blelfed Love and Zeal for God, and his Glory. Vll. So the Grace of Love dam the DeGres of the Soul Heaven- wards : Such have their Affec– tio;zs jet on 'Things abot·e, Col. iii. I, 2. D IS PAR IT Y. I. THE Grace of Love is from above, it is a fupernatural Grace, ic grows not in Na– ture's Garden: But the Fruit of tbe Spirit is Love, II. But the Grace of Love, this divine Fire, can never be quenched, it fhall burn to Eternity. Charity zzeverfaileth, &c. I N F E H E N C E. By thefe Things, Works, and Operations, we may t~y whether we have true Love to Jefus Chrift or no. And for a further Help therem, fee the followmg Metaphor. CHRIST'£
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