807    8.8.8.     J. Hart
“Love not the world.” 1 John. 2. 15-17; Matt. 6. 24

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.