He lives who lives to God alone, <br />And all are dead beside; <br />For other source than God is none <br />Whence life can be supplied. <br /> <br />To live to God is to requite <br />His love as best we may; <br />To make his precepts our delight, <br />His promises our stay. <br /> <br />But lite, within a narrow ring <br />Of giddy joys comprised, <br />Is falsely named, and no such thing, <br />But rather death disguised. <br /> <br />Can life in them deserve the name, <br />Who only live to prove <br />For what poor toys they can disclaim <br />An endless life above? <br /> <br />Who, much diseased, yet nothing feel; <br />Much menaced, nothing dread; <br />Have wounds which only God can heal, <br />Yet never ask his aid? <br /> <br />Who deem his house a useless place, <br />Faith, want of common sense; <br />And ardour in the Christian race, <br />A hypocrite's pretence? <br /> <br />Who trample order; and the day <br />Which God asserts his own <br />Dishonour with unhallowed play, <br />And worship chance alone? <br /> <br />If scorn of God's commands, impressed <br />On word and deed, imply <br />The better part of man unblessed <br />With life that cannot die; <br /> <br />Such want it, and that want, uncured <br />Till man resigns his breath, <br />Speaks him a criminal, assured <br />Of everlasting death. <br /> <br />Sad period to a pleasant course! <br />Yet so will God repay <br />Sabbaths profaned without remorse <br />And mercy cast away.<br /><br />William Cowper<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/stanzas-subjoined-to-the-yearly-bill-of-mortality-of-the-parish-of-all-saints-northampton-anno-domini-1793/
