Wesley Corpus

17. See, in particular, that all your "desire be unto him, and unto the remembrance of his name." Beware of "foolish and hurtful desires;" such as arise from any visible or temporal thing. All these St. John warns us of, under that general term "love of the world." [1 John 2:15] It is not so much to men of the world, as to the children of God, he gives that important direction: "Love not the world, neither the things of the world." Give no place to "the desire of the flesh," -- the gratification of the outward senses, whether of the taste, or any other. Give no place to "the desire of the eye," -- the internal sense, or imagination, -- by gratifying it, either by grand things, or beautiful, or uncommon. Give no place to "the pride of life," -- the desire of wealth, of pomp, or of the honour that cometh of men. St. John confirms this advice by a consideration parallel to that observation which St. Paul had made to the Corinthians: "For the world and the fashion of it passeth away." [1 John 2:16, 17] "The fashion of it" -- all worldly objects, business, pleasures, cares, whatever now attracts our regard or attention -- "passeth away," -- is in the very act of passing, and will return no more. Therefore desire none of these fleeting things, but that glory which "abideth for ever."