I think I can truly say with David, that I have none in Heaven but thee, and there is nothing on earth that I desire besides thee, in comparison of thee, in competition with thee. Though all that is dearest to me in the world should forsake me, yet if God whom ⟨p. 246⟩I have chosen for my portion will not forsake me, I have enough. It is my desire and endeavour more and more to account all things but loss and dung, that I may win Christ. I can with Peter make my appeal to him, and say, Lord, thou who knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and that it is the desire of my soul to love thee more, and to love thee for thy self, because thou art holy, and good, and gracious, and the chiefest amongst ten thousand; Yea God in Christ alone, is worthy to be beloved, and it is my highest privilege that he will give me leave to love him, who only can satisfy my soul, and redeem it from death eternal, who hath justified me by his blood, and sanctified me by his Spirit, whom therefore I love with all my heart, and all my soul, and all my might, and all my strength. Finding therefore, that God hath drawn out my heart to love him, and make choice of him alone, I from hence gather ⟨p. 247⟩and ground my hope, that God loveth me, according to that Scripture, 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him, because he first loved us.
I think I can truly say with David, that I have none in Heaven but thee, and there is nothing on earth that I desire besides thee, in comparison of thee, in competition with thee. Though all that is dearest to mee in the world should forsake mee, yet if God whom ⟨p. 246⟩I have chosen for my portion will not forsake mee, I have enough. It is my desire and endeavour more and more to account all things but loss and dung, that I may win Christ. I can with Peter make my appeal to him, and say, Lord, thou who knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and that it is the desire of my soul to love thee more, and to love thee for thy self, because thou art holy, and good, and gracious, and the chiefest amongst ten thousand; Yea God in Christ alone, is worthy to be beloved, and it is my highest priviledge that hee will give mee leave to love him, who only can satisfie my soul, and rede•m it from death eternal, who hath justified mee by his blood, and sanctified mee by his Spirit, whom therefore I love with all my heart, and all my soul, and all my might, and all my strength. Finding therefore, that God hath drawn out my heart to love him, and make choice of him alone, I from hence gather ⟨p. 247⟩and ground my hope, that God loveth mee, according to that Scripture, 1 Ioh. 4. 19. Wee love him, because hee first loved us.