Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

3. It is also Fruitful. Fruitful in all gracious Issues and Effects. §. 10 A man may Love another as his own soul, yet perhaps that Love of his cannot help him, He may thereby pity him in prison, but not relieve him: bemoan him in misery, but not help him: suffer with him in trouble, but not ease him. We cannot Love Grace into a child, nor mercy into a friend: we cannot love them into Heaven, though it may be the great desire of our soul. It was Love that made Abraham cry, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee, but it might not be. But now, ⟨p. 69⟩the Love of Christ, being the Love of God, is effectual and fruitful in producing all the good things which he willeth unto his beloved. He loves Life, Grace and Holiness into us: He loves us also into Covenant, Loves us into Heaven: Love in him is properly to will good to any one: Whatever good Christ by his Love, Wills to any, that willing is operative of that Good.

3. It is also Fruitfull. Fruitful in all gracious Issues and Effects. §. 10 A man may Love another as his own soule, yet perhaps that Love of his cannot helpe him, He may thereby pitty him in prison, but not relieve him: bemoane him in misery, but not help him: suffer with him in trouble, but not ease him. Wee cannot Love Grace into a child, nor mercy into a friend: we cannot love them into Heaven, though it may be the great desire of our soule. It was Love that made Abraham cry, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee, but it might not be. But now, ⟨p. 69⟩the Love of Christ, being the Love of God, is effectual and fruitfull in producing all the good things which he willeth unto his beloved. He loves Life, Grace and Holinesse into us: He loves us also into Covenant, Loves us into Heaven: Love in him is properly to will good to any one: Whatever good Christ by his Love, Wills to any, that willing is operative of that Good.

These three Qualifications of the Love of Christ, make it exceedingly §. 11 eminent, and him exceeding desirable. How many Millions of Sins, in every one of the Elect, every one whereof Were enough to condemn them all, hath this Love overcome? what Mountains of unbelief doth it remove? Look upon the conversation of any one Saint, consider the frame of his Heart, see the many stains and spots, the defilements and Infirmities, wherewith his Life is contaminated, and tell me whether the Love that bears with all this, be not to be admired. And is it not the the same towards thousands every day? what streams of Grace, purging, pardoning, quickening, assisting, do flow from it every day? This is our beloved, O ye daughters of Jerusalem.