The Lord, the Judge, His Churches Warns

The Lord the Judge His church­es warns:

Let hy­po­crites at­tend and fear

Who place their hope in rites and forms

But make not faith nor love their care.

Vile wretch­es dare re­hearse His name

With lips of false­hood and de­ceit;

A friend or bro­ther they de­fame

And soothe and flat­ter those they hate.

They watch to do their neigh­bors wrong

Yet dare to seek their mak­er’s face;

They take His co­ve­nant on their tongue

But break His laws

ab­use His grace.

To Heav’n they lift their hands un­clean

Defiled with lust

de­filed with blood;

By night they prac­tice ev­ery sin

By day their mouths draw near to God.

And while His judg­ments long de­lay

They grow se­cure and sin the more;

They think He sleeps as well as they

And put far off the dread­ful hour.

O dread­ful hour! when God draws near

And sets their crimes be­fore their eyes!

His wrath their guil­ty souls shall tear

And no de­liv­er­er dare to rise.