thine heart, as a seal upon thy arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame" Natural fire or heat constitutes natural and animal life, which corresponds by analogy to spiritual life, because it is wholly derived therefrom, (viz.) Divine love: consequently fire and heat bears a strict and true relation and correspondence to love-natural fire or heat to natural love, and Divine or spiritual fire to heavenly or spiritual love.

Moses unto whom the law was given by Jehovah said that in the "blood is the life," Leviticus, xvii. 11. and 14., also Deuteronomy, xii. 23., which flows with great rapidity through the heart of every animated being, to constitute and preserve natural life, by causing heat or warmth throughout every part of the animal body; without which we could not exist a single moment: it is therefore evident and conclusive that natural heat constitutes and preserves natural life, in a similar or corresponding manner as Divine fire or heat (which is Divine or heavenly love,) constitutes spiritual life.

The Lord commanded his servant Moses to "make offerings by fire," which were "sweet savours unto the Lord," Exodus, xxix. 18. and 25.-Numbers, xv. 3, 10, and 14-Leviticus, xxiii. 25., also

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xxiv. 7. &c. "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out." Leviticus, vi. 13. The lamps were also continually burning to give light." Leviticus, xxiv. 2. and 4. These offerings were emblems, types, or shadows; pointing to the Lamb of God (or Jehovah in the humanity,) "who taketh away (or beareth) the sins of the world."

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." St. John, iii. 16.

which signifies everlasting love: "spiritual life being in other words Divine love."

The fire which was continually kept burning on the altar by the Israelites according to the command of God, was doubtless a type or symbol of Divine love; and the lights which were never to be extinguished prefigured Divine wisdom, being a procedure therefrom. Many proofs of Scripture as well as other authorities might be quoted to prove that fire is a true emblem of love, (viz.) Divine fire signifies and corresponds to Divine love;-natural fire to natural love;-and infernal fire (or sensual or carnal heat,) signifies infernal love, which is anger and wrath. Divine love proceeds immediately from the Sun of righteousness, it being the esse or essence thereof, which constitutes heaven; and infernal love (or rather hatred and malice,) proceeds from the very opposite state, which constitutes hell.

Nature, which includes the material universe, is placed between the two opposites, (viz.) good and evil, or heaven and hell; on an equilibrium or equal balance: mankind have consequently influx or influence, from both those spiritual worlds; according to the state of their wills and affections, which constitute and form our spiritual lives, both in this world, and also in that which is to come: otherwise there could be no freedom or choice in the will of man; without which there could be no responsibility, neither could there be any rewards for the righteous after death, or punishments for the wicked; both of which the justice of God fully requires from his impartial hands.

The following are a few passages of Scripture to confirm the preceding statements, (viz.) "that fire is an emblem or symbol of love."-Proverbs,

xxv. 21. and 22. "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. Very similar language is quoted by St. Paul, Romans, xii. 20. "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire (signifying love) on his head." Jeremiah, xxiii. 29. "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord." St. Matthew, iii. 11. John said, "that he (Jesus Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire," (love., The Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, with the visible sign of fire.-Acts, ii. 3. and 4. "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."

This outward and visible sign or emblem, clearly signified Divine love; it being an indication of the approbation of the Supreme! "God appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush." Exodus, iii. 2. and 4. "The Lord descended upon mount Sinai in fire." Exodus, xix. 18. "The sight of the glory of the Lord was like fire* on the top of the mount." Exodus, xxiv. 17.

"The Lord appeared in a vision to the prophet Ezekiel in his glory, with the appearance of fire." Ezekiel, i. 26., 27., and 28. also viii. 2. St John saw the Son of man (or the Lord in his glorified humanity,) in a vision on the Lord's day." His eyes were as a flame of fire (love) and his countenance was as the Sun shineth (wisdom) in his strength." Revelation, i. 14. and 16. It is therefore certain that Jehovah under both the old and new Testa

*The Israelites beheld this emblem of love in an inverted manner, according to the real state their affections were in, and thus (IN IDEA) converted the Divine love into Divine anger, which wholly depended upon themselves as recipients.

ment dispensations, has always appeared in his glory "with fire," or the appearance thereof, and light or brightness round about it; signifying doubtless his character, in order to reveal himself personally to some extent unto his people, according as they were able to bear it.

From which appearances we may understand that he is a pure, spotless, perfect and benevolent being, in every respect; beyond all mortal or angelic conception. The utmost stretch of human thought or imagination can form but a very faint or inadequate idea of his glory and happiness, he has, however, thanks be unto his holy name, revealed himself and the state wherein he dwells in some degree, to our finite comprehensions in the holy Scriptures by his prophets and apostles, and likewise in his works of creation, sufficient for this our temporary state of existence, which is only preparatory to that most blessed and glorious abode, "where there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore.

His glorious appearance with fire was a beautiful emblem or symbol of his Divine Love; and the light or brightness (which is a procedure therefrom.) was likewise a representation of his Divine wisdom-" In thy light shall we see light." Psalm, xxxvi. 9. It is therefore evident that Divine or heavenly fire, which is love or benevolence, was the primary motive that induced Jehovah our Redeemer to create the whole universe, for the use of mankind; in order that he might form a heaven of intelligent beings from the human race: that essence being the very first moving principle of all things that exist; which pure motive also induced him to provide salvation for fallen man.

This essence Divine love, moves, influences, and regulates all his dispensations, and from it

continually emanates the operations of infinite wisdom and power in the glorious and astonishing works of nature, providence, and grace-refer to 1 Epistle of John, iv. 7. to 21.

From his everlasting love proceeds the attributes or perfections goodness and wisdom, as directing and devising principles, the former of which includes equity and righteousness, or rather justice and mercy, on an equilibrium or equal balance; and the latter which includes the omniscience of the Deity, (viz.) the perfect knowledge of things past, present, and to come, are truths as equally certain as they are consolitary and efficacious. All pure love which alone constitutes temporal and eternal happiness, is altogether derived from this grand centre, (viz.) Divine love "the Sun of righteousness," the rays or beams of which, constantly and continually flow or emanate from this only source or fountain thereof, into or upon every intelligent being that exists on this probationary earth and every other; according to the relation in which mankind stand towards Jehovah, "by their life or conduct;" the difference being only in the recipients, (viz) ourselves his creatures, which altogether depends on

wills, affections, or desires; the reception of which rays or beams of Divine love being exactly in the same degree or ratio (proportion) as the encouragement is, or may be on the part of man individually: and although we continually receive rays or particles of love from this Divine Sun, by which our happiness is constantly augmented unto and throughout a boundless or never ending eternity; still his own "the Sun of righteousness" is not by any means thereby lessened in the least degree whatsoever: even as the natural Sun the admitted centre of our solar system, (which is evidently the