A Living And A Dead Faith.
By William Cowper
The Lord receives his highest praise
From humble minds and hearts sincere;
While all the loud professor says
Offends the righteous Judges ear.
To walk as children of the day,
To mark the precepts holy light,
To wage the warfare, watch, and pray,
Show who are pleasing in his sight.
Not words alone it cost the Lord,
To purchase pardon for his own;
Nor will a soul, by grace restored,
Return the Saviour words alone.
With golden bells, the priestly vest,
And rich pomegranates borderd round,[1]
The need of holiness expressd,
And calld for fruit, as well as sound.
Easy, indeed, it were to reach
A mansion in the courts above,
If swelling words and fluent speech
Might serve, instead of faith and love.
But none shall gain the blissful place,
Or Gods unclouded glory see,
Who talks of free and sovereign grace,
Unless that grace has made him free!