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(Thomas Brooks, "Apples of Gold" 1660)

“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none

upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my

heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and

The true Christian seeks God as his choicest and chief
good. God is a perfect good, a solid good. That is a
perfect good—to which nothing can be added; that is
a solid good—from which nothing can be spared. Such
a good God is, and therefore He is chiefly to be sought.

God is a pure and simple good; He is a light in Whom
there is no darkness, a good in Whom there is no evil.
The goodness of the creature is mixed, yes, that little
goodness which is in the creature is mixed with much
evil; but God is an unmixed good. He is good, He is
pure good. He is all over good. He is nothing but good.

God is an all-sufficient good. Augustine said,
"He has all—who has the Haver of all."

God has in Himself . . .
  all power to defend you,
  all wisdom to direct you,
  all mercy to pardon you,
  all grace to enrich you,
  all righteousness to clothe you,
  all goodness to supply you,
  all happiness to crown you.

God is a satisfying good, a good that fills the heart and
quiets the soul. In Him, I have all. I have all comforts,
all delights, all contentments. As the worth and value of
many pieces of silver is to be found in one piece of gold,
so all the petty excellencies which are scattered abroad
in the creatures—are to be found in God. Yes, all the
whole volume of perfections, which is spread through
heaven and earth—is epitomized in Him. No good below
Him Who is the greatest good, can satisfy the soul. A good
wife, a good child, a good name, a good estate, a good
friend—cannot satisfy the soul. These may please—but
they cannot satisfy.

Ah! that we should seek early, seek earnestly, seek
affectionately, seek diligently, seek primarily, and seek
unweariedly—this God, Who is the greatest good, the
best good, the most desirable good, Who is—
  a suitable good,
  a pure good,
  a satisfying good,
  a total good, and
  an eternal good.

“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none

upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my

heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and

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