Charity and its fruits - Edwards - XIX - Lecture XVI continued

Required reading
Charity and its fruits by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Lecture XVI (Heaven, a world of charity or love) by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'VI. O the blessed effects and fruits of this love exercised and enjoyed in these circumstances'.

My summary
Today Edwards concludes his teaching that heaven is a world of love. 

His last point on the subject is about the blessed effects and fruits of this love, as exercised and enjoyed in heaven.  The blessed fruits are:
(i) the most excellent and perfect behaviour of all the inhabitants of heaven toward God and each other;
(ii) perfect tranquility and joy in heaven.

Then we read Edwards' application of the doctrine of heavenly love:
(i) If heaven be such a world as has been described, then we may see a reason why contention and strife tend to darken our evidence of fitness for its possession;
(ii) How happy those are who are entitled to heaven;
(iii) What has been said on this subject may well awaken and alarm the impenitent;
(iv) Let the consideration of what has been said of heaven stir up all earnestly to seek after it.

What grabbed me
Horrible to consider the realities of hell: 'There are none in hell but what have been haters of God, and so have procured his wrath and hatred on themselves ; and there they shall continue to hate him forever. No love to God will ever be felt in hell ; but every one there perfectly hates him, and so will continue to hate him ; and without any restraint will express their hatred to him, blaspheming and raging against him, while they gnaw their tongues for pain. And though they all join together in their enmity and opposition to God, yet there is no union or friendliness among themselves : they agree in nothing but hatred, and the expression of hatred. They hate God, and Christ, and angels, and saints in heaven, and not only so, but they hate one another, like a company of serpents or vipers, not only spitting out venom against God, but at one another, biting and stinging and tormenting each other. '

People in hell are hating God eternally and being punished eternally.  May God grant people repentance now so they can escape such torment.

Final sentence verdict
The enormous subject of love is carefully taught by one of history's greatest theologians.

Next week's reading
Commence 'Riches increased by giving' by Thomas Gouge (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading up to the paragraph beginning with 'But that this truth may appear with all its evidence and full conviction, I shall prove by Scripture, example, and reason.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.