Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 5 · Part 9
Love is alſo compared to Coals and Flames of Fire.
| Metaphor. | Parallel |
| COals and Flames of Fire are of a burning and conſuming Quality. | THe Grace of Love kindled in the Soul of a Believer, burns up and conſumes that inordinate Deſire which is naturally in the Heart, after the Things and Vanities of this World; it eats up and conſumes all carnal and ſenſual Luſts whatſoever; all fleſhly and combuſtible Stuff, or Things that ſtand in the way, are burnt up and deſtroyed by it. |
| II. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a purging and purifying quality. | II. So the Grace of Love purgeth, cleanſeth, and purifieth the Soul; the Droſs and Filth of the Heart and Life being waſted away, a Chriſtian is made holy, ſanctified, and heavenly thereby. |
| III. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a melting and ſoftning Nature; they make things tender and pliable, meet to receive the Impreſſion of a Seal, &c. | III. So the Grace of Love ſoftens the Heart, and melts it, making it pliable, and very fit and capable to receive the Impreſſion and Divine Image of God. |
| IV. Some Fire is ſo vehement, that Water thrown upon it will not quench it, but rather cauſe it to burn more fierce and vehemently. | IV. The Grace of Love is of ſuch a ſtrong and vehement Nature, th…t it is impoſſible utterly to quench or extinguiſh it in the Soul, tho the Devil daily uſeth all his Strength and Skill to do it. Many ways he continually aſſaults Believers; when Temptations of one ſort fail, he trieth others: he offers worldly Pleaſures, Honours, Riches, yea, all the Goods (as I may ſay) of his Houſe; but all is in vain, nothing will quench this Divine Flame; the true Chriſtian utterly contemns him, with all he hath. The grand Deſign of Satan's courting a Man, with all his Offers, All this will I give thee, &c. is to gain his Love, or draw off his Affections from Jeſus Chriſt. If this Way will not do, he tries another, and brings Afflictions and Croſſes upon the Soul; but over theſe likewiſe is a Saint a Conqueror. Which makes the Apoſtle break forth into this holy Triumph: Who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of Chriſt? Shall Tribulation, or Diſtreſs, Rom. 8.35, 36, 37, 38. or Perſecution, or Famine, or Nakedneſs, or Peril, or Sword? No, none of theſe things can: For I am perſuaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things preſent, nor Things to come; nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the Love of God, that is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. |
| V. Fire hath Light with it. | V. So the Grace of Love is attended with the Knowledg of Chriſt, who is the Object of Love: Ignoti enim nulla cupido. |
| VI. Coals and Flames of Fire afford Heat, they are of a warming and reviving Nature. | VI. So the Grace of Love heats our cold and frozen Hearts, it warms and revives them with ſweet and bleſſed Love and Zeal for God, and his Glory. |
| VII. Flames of Fire aſcend, or tend continually upwards. See more of the Nature and Quality of Fire, where the Word of God is compared to it. | VII. So the Grace of Love darts the Deſires of the Soul Heavenwards: Such have their Affections ſet on Things above. Col. 3.1, 2. |
| Metaphor. | Diſparity. |
| FIre is from beneath, it is earthy, and one of the four Elements. | THe Grace of Love is from above; it is a ſupernatural Grace, it grows not in Natures Garden: But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, &c. |
| II. A violent Fire may be quenched, and all natural and elementary Fire ſhall be put out. Mount Aetna ſhall not burn always. | II. But the Grace of Love, this Divine Fire, can never be quenched, it ſhall burn to Eternity. Charity never faileth, &c. |
Inference.
BY theſe Things, Works, and Operations, we may try whether we have true Love to Jeſus Chriſt or no. And for a further Help therein, ſee the following Metaphor.