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Chapter 7. Of loving Jesus above all things
Par. 1.

1. Blessed is he who understands what it is to love Jesus, and to despise himself for Jesus' sake. He must give up all that he loves for his Beloved, for Jesus will be loved alone above all things. The love of created things is deceiving and unstable, but the love of Jesus is faithful and lasting. He who cleavs to created things will fall with their slipperiness; but he who embracs Jesus will stand upright for ever. Love Him and hold Him for your friend, for He will not forsake you when all depart from you, nor will he suffer you to perish at the last. You must one day be separated from all, whether you will or will not.
Par. 2.

2. Cleave you to Jesus in life and death, and commit yourself to His faithfulness, who, when all men fail you, is alone able to help you. Your Beloved is such, by nature, that He will suffer no rival, but alone will possess your heart, and as a king will sit upon His own throne. If you would learn to put away from you every created thing, Jesus would freely take up His abode with you. You will find all trust little better than lost which you have placed in men, and not in Jesus. Trust not nor lean upon a reed shaken with the wind, because all flesh is grass, and the goodliness thereof falls as the flower of the field.
Par. 3.

3. You will be quickly deceived if you look only upon the outward appearance of men, for if you seek your comfort and profit in others, you will too often experience loss. If you seek Jesus in all things you will truly find Jesus, but if you seek yourself you will also find yourself, but to your own hurt. For if a man seeks not Jesus he is more hurtful to himself than all the world and all his adversaries.

Isaiah xl. 6.

Theology
Classic Texts