“Love not the world.” 1 John. 2. 15-17; Matt. 6. 24
J. Hart 8.8.8.
1
My brethren, why these anxious fears,
These warm pursuits and eager cares
For earth and all its gilded toys?
If the whole world you could possess,
It might enchant; it could not bless;
False hopes, vain pleasures, and light joys.
2
[Remember, brethren, whose you are;
Whose cause you own, whose name you bear;
Is it not his who could not call
His own (though he had all things made)
A place whereon to lay his head –
A servant, though the Lord of all?
3
If wealth or honour, power or fame,
Can bring you nearer to the Lamb,
Then follow these with all your might;
But if they only make you stray,
And draw your hearts from him away,
Reflect in what you thus delight.]
4
Jesus has said (who surely knew
Much better what we ought to do
Than we can e’er pretend to see),
“No thought e’en for the morrow take;”
And “He that will not for my sake
Relinquish all, ‘s unworthy me.”
5
[Let no vain words your souls deceive,
Nor Satan tempt you to believe
The world and God can hold their parts;
True Christians long for Christ alone.
The sacrifices God will own,
Are broken, not divided, hearts.
6
Great things we are not here to crave;
But if we food and raiment have,
Should learn to be therewith content.
Into the world we nothing brought,
Nor can we from it carry aught;
Then walk the way your Master went.
