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.