By A Collection of Hymns
L.M. Revelations iii. 14-19.
1 GOD of unspotted purity,
Us and our works canst thou behold!
Justly we are abhorred by thee,
For we are neither hot nor cold.
2 We call thee Lord, thy faith profess,
But do not from our hearts obey;
In soft Laodicean ease
We sleep our useless lives away.
3 We live in pleasure, and are dead,
In search of fame and wealth we live:
Commanded in thy steps to tread,
We seek sometimes, but never strive.
4 A lifeless form we still retain;
Of this we make our empty boast,
Nor know the name we take in vain;
The power of godliness is lost!
5 How long, great God, have we appeared
Abominable in thy sight!
Better that we had never heard
Thy word, or seen the gospel light.
6 Better that we had never known
The way to heaven through saving grace,
Than basely in our lives disown,
And slight and mock thee to thy face.
7 Thou rather wouldst that we were cold,
Than seem to serve thee without zeal;
Less guilty if, with those of old,
We worshipped Thor and Woden still.
8 Less grievous will the judgment-day
To Sodom and Gomorrah prove,
Than us, who cast our faith away,
And trample on thy richer love.
