Love Compared to Death, and the Grave, and to Coals and Flames of Fire

    LOVE COMPARED TO DEATH, AND THE GRAVE, AND TO COALS AND FLAMES OF FIRE

    "Love is strong as Death, jealousy is cruel as the Grave: the Coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement Flame" Song 8:6.

    "Many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the floods drown it," &c. Song 8:7.

    THE grace of Love which Christ hath infused into the heart of his spouse, and all gracious ones, is compared by the Holy Ghost in these scriptures to three things, which are of a powerful and prevailing nature, against whom there is no standing; first, Death; secondly, the Grave; thirdly, Coals and Fames of Fire: which show forth the vehement power and force of divine love to Jesus Christ; which cannot be quenched.

    First; Love is compared to Death and the Grave.

    METAPHOR

    I. Death and the Grave overcome the strongest men, it prevails over the most powerful, wise, and learned in the world; neither can the most mighty monarch encounter Death, or stand before it; there is no discharge in that war.

    PARALLEL

    I. So Love, that is in the heart of a sincere Christian, prevails against all difficulties and oppositions, temptations, afflictions, and most cruel sufferings and torments, that can be exercised upon them, as appeared by the blessed martyrs. Nothing is too hard for Love, it cannot be subdued, it overcomes all sin and suffering whatsoever.

    METAPHOR

    II. Death and the Grave seize upon every part of the corporeal or mortal body.

    PARALLEL

    II. So Love, when shed abroad in the heart, seizeth upon all the faculties of the soul. Hence it is, that true Christians are said to love Christ with all their hearts, and with all their souls.

    METAPHOR

    I. Death and the Grave put an end to natural life, and so cause all motions or actions from thence to cease.

    DISPARITY

    I. But Love hath that virtue, as it is a grace of the Spirit, that it sets all the faculties of the soul upon acts of a spiritual life. None are so lively as those that truly Love Jesus Christ.

    METAPHOR

    II. Death overcomes and destroys that which we would, if possible, keep, viz., our lives, that are most dear to us.

    DISPARITY

    II. Love only overcomes that which is offensive and contrary to us, or that stands in opposition to the soul's union with Christ, making that which would be injurious to flesh and blood, to become profitable and advantageous; yea, though it be to the loss of life, yet Love takes away the fear of Death, and makes the soul willing to part with life for Christ's sake.

    LOVE COMPARED TO COALS AND FLAMES OF FIRE

    METAPHOR

    I. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a burning and consuming quality.

    PARALLEL

    I. 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.

    METAPHOR

    II. Coals and Flames of fire are of a purging and purifying quality.

    PARALLEL

    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.

    METAPHOR

    III. Coals and Flames of Fire are of a melting and softening nature; they make things tender and pliable, meet to receive the impression of a seal, &c.

    PARALLEL

    III. So the grace of Love softens the heart, and melts it, makes it pliable, and very fit and capable to receive the impression and divine image of God.

    METAPHOR

    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.

    PARALLEL

    IV. The grace of Love is of such a strong and vehement nature, that it is impossible utterly to quench or extinguish it in the soul, though the devil daily uses 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, 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," Ro 8:35-39.

    METAPHOR

    V. Fire hath Light with it.

    PARALLEL

    V. So the grace of Love is attended with the knowledge of Christ, who is the object of Love: ignoti enim nulla cupido.

    METAPHOR

    VI. Coals and Flames of Fire afford heat, they are of a warming and reviving nature.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So the grace of Love heats our cold and frozen hearts; it warms and revives them with sweet and blessed Love and zeal of God, and his glory.

    METAPHOR

    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.

    PARALLEL

    VII. So the grace of Love darts the desires of the soul heaven-wards: "Such have their affections set on things above," Col 3:1-2.

    METAPHOR

    I. Fire is from beneath, it is earthly, and one of the four elements.

    DISPARITY

    I. The grace of Love is from above, it is a supernatural grace, it grows not in nature's garden: "But the fruit of the Spirit is Love."

    METAPHOR

    II. A violent Fire may be quenched, and all natural and elementary Fire shall be put out. Mount Ætna shall not burn always.

    DISPARITY

    II. But the grace of Love, this divine Fire, can never be quenched, it shall burn to eternity" Charity never faileth," &c.

    INFERENCES.

    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.