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Fire burning against wall

Then I saw in my Dream that the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it, to quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.

Then said Christian, What means this?

The Interpreter answered, This fire is the work of grace that is wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it, to extinguish and put it out, is the Devil; but in that thou seest the fire notwithstanding burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that. So he had him about to the backside of the wall, where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which he did also continually cast (but secretly) into the fire.

Then said Christian, What means this?

The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of his Grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart: by the means of which notwithstanding what the Devil can do, the souls of his people prove gracious still. And in that thou sawest that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the Fire, that is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of Grace is maintained in the soul.

Interpretation:

The Christian is still bearing the burden on his back. He now receives the message of salvation from the Interpreter. After teaching him about the two girls, Passion and Patience, he now takes him by hand and leads him into a place where was a fire burning against a wall. The moment a sinner hears the gospel of Christ, the Devil attempts to extinguish the work of the Holy Spirit by grace. He pours on the water of afflictions on the heart which is set on fire by the Holy Spirit. The more the Devil afflicts the soul, the more the grace of God is poured out in an abundant measure. The oil is symbolical of the Holy Spirit Who pours out an abundance of grace on the repentant sinner.

A preacher of the gospel has to warn the sinner concerned about the work of the Devil in extinguishing the work of grace by lies and afflictions. The preacher has to keep pouring the oil on the heart of the sinner by prayers.

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