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BOOK 2: ADMONITIONS CONCERNING THE INNER LIFE
Chapter 7: Of loving Jesus above all things
Blessed is he who understandeth what it is to love Jesus, and to
despise himself for Jesus’ sake. He must give up all that he
loveth 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 cleaveth
to created things will fall with their slipperiness; but he who
embraceth Jesus will stand upright for ever. Love Him and hold
Him for thy friend, for He will not forsake thee when all depart
from thee, nor will he suffer thee to perish at the last. Thou
must one day be separated from all, whether thou wilt or wilt
not.
despise himself for Jesus’ sake. He must give up all that he
loveth 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 cleaveth
to created things will fall with their slipperiness; but he who
embraceth Jesus will stand upright for ever. Love Him and hold
Him for thy friend, for He will not forsake thee when all depart
from thee, nor will he suffer thee to perish at the last. Thou
must one day be separated from all, whether thou wilt or wilt
not.
Cleave thou to Jesus in life and death, and commit thyself
unto His faithfulness, who, when all men fail thee, is alone able
to help thee. Thy Beloved is such, by nature, that He will
suffer no rival, but alone will possess thy heart, and as a king
will sit upon His own throne. If thou wouldst learn to put away
from thee every created thing, Jesus would freely take up His
abode with thee. Thou wilt find all trust little better than
lost which thou hast 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 falleth as the flower of the
field.[Isaiah 40:6]
unto His faithfulness, who, when all men fail thee, is alone able
to help thee. Thy Beloved is such, by nature, that He will
suffer no rival, but alone will possess thy heart, and as a king
will sit upon His own throne. If thou wouldst learn to put away
from thee every created thing, Jesus would freely take up His
abode with thee. Thou wilt find all trust little better than
lost which thou hast 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 falleth as the flower of the
field.[Isaiah 40:6]
Thou wilt be quickly deceived if thou lookest only upon the
outward appearance of men, for if thou seekest thy comfort and
profit in others, thou shalt too often experience loss. If thou
seekest Jesus in all things thou shalt verily find Jesus, but if
thou seekest thyself thou shalt also find thyself, but to thine
own hurt. For if a man seeketh not Jesus he is more hurtful to
himself than all the world and all his adversaries.
outward appearance of men, for if thou seekest thy comfort and
profit in others, thou shalt too often experience loss. If thou
seekest Jesus in all things thou shalt verily find Jesus, but if
thou seekest thyself thou shalt also find thyself, but to thine
own hurt. For if a man seeketh not Jesus he is more hurtful to
himself than all the world and all his adversaries.
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