Love Not the World

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.

Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #807