Scripture: "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."--Romans 5:5
"The Spirit of Love has this original God, as considered in Himself, in His Holy Being, before anything is brought forth by Him, or out of Him, is only an eternal Will to all Goodness. This is the one eternal, immutable God that, from Eternity to Eternity, changeth not, that can be neither more nor less, but an eternal Will to all the Goodness that is in Himself and come from Him. The creation of ever so many worlds adds nothing to, nor takes anything from, this immutable God: He always was, and always will be the same immutable Will to all Goodness. So that as certainly as He is the Creator, so certainly is He the Blesser of every created thing, and can give nothing but Blessing, Goodness and Happiness from Himself, because He has in Himself nothing else to give.
"Now this is the ground and original of the Spirit of love in the creature. It is and must be a will to all goodness; and you have not the Spirit of Love till you have this will to all goodness at all times and on all occasions. You may indeed do many works of love, and delight in them, because they are not contradictory to your state and temper. But the Spirit of Love is not in you till it is the Spirit of your life, till you live freely, willingly and universally according to it. It knows no difference of time, place or person; but whether it gives or forgives, bears or forbears, it is equally doing its own delightful work. For the Spirit of Love, wherever it is, is its own blessing and happiness, because it is the truth and the reality of God in the soul. For as love has no by-ends, wills nothing but its own increase, so everything is as oil to its flame. The Spirit of Love does not want to be rewarded or honoured; its only desire is to propagate itself, and become the blessing and happiness of everything that wants it. The wrath of an enemy, the treachery of a friend, only helps the Spirit of Love to be more triumphant, to live its own life and find all its own blessing in a higher degree. The infinitely perfect and happy God is mere love, an unchangeable Will to all Goodness, and therefore every creature must be corrupt and unhappy, so far as it is led by any other will than the one will to all goodness."
May God teach us that as glorious and holy as is His love to us, is the love with which He promises by His Holy Spirit to fill our hearts.
