The Sanctuary A Companion in Verse for the English Prayer Book. By Robert Montgomery |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
The Commandments.
|
 | The Sanctuary |  |
The Commandments.
“Then shall the Priest, turning to the People, rehearse distinctly all the Ten Commandments.”
—Rubric.
Two Wills the universe divide
But One supremely reigns;
Or God must be undeified
While sin the mast'ry gains.
But One supremely reigns;
Or God must be undeified
While sin the mast'ry gains.
In perfect union limitless,
Eternally the same,—
Dread glories of almightiness
Enshrine Jehovah's Name!
Eternally the same,—
Dread glories of almightiness
Enshrine Jehovah's Name!
Coëqually thus Law and Love
Together act and blend,
Proceeding from that Power above
Who is their source and end.
Together act and blend,
267
Who is their source and end.
Avaunt, then, ye unhallow'd spells!
By whose seductive power
Sinai no more its thunder knells
Round Satan's tempting hour.
By whose seductive power
Sinai no more its thunder knells
Round Satan's tempting hour.
An image of Eternal Mind,
So far as words can be,
The Law reveals to lost mankind
Thyself,—transcribed by Thee;
So far as words can be,
The Law reveals to lost mankind
Thyself,—transcribed by Thee;
By Thee, O God, in Whom to think
A moral change can move,
Would make the highest angel shrink
And darken heaven above!
A moral change can move,
Would make the highest angel shrink
And darken heaven above!
“Thy Law to keep, our hearts incline,”
Be this our inmost prayer;
And then, will holy radiance shine
On all we do, and are.
Be this our inmost prayer;
And then, will holy radiance shine
On all we do, and are.
In covenant, though Law be dead,
As ruling power, it lives;
And children, by the Spirit led,
Walk in the light it gives.
As ruling power, it lives;
And children, by the Spirit led,
Walk in the light it gives.
It glorifies Emmanuel's Blood,
Irradiates the Cross;
And proves that God is perfect good,
And sin, the only loss.
Irradiates the Cross;
And proves that God is perfect good,
And sin, the only loss.
Sinai in thunder and in threat
Soften'd by Calv'ry's tone,—
Both we require, and dare not yet
Listen to each alone.
Soften'd by Calv'ry's tone,—
Both we require, and dare not yet
Listen to each alone.
Thus ever may omniscient Law
Deep in our bosom dwell,
And every pulse of passion awe,
Or break its guilty spell.
Deep in our bosom dwell,
And every pulse of passion awe,
Or break its guilty spell.
268
O Thou! in whom the Law divine
Its perfect Type approved,
Chasten our wills to copy Thine
And choose what Thou hast loved.
Its perfect Type approved,
Chasten our wills to copy Thine
And choose what Thou hast loved.
Maternal teacher of God's truth,
Guardian of glorious creeds,—
Thy Church will thus in age and youth
Answer immortal needs:
Guardian of glorious creeds,—
Thy Church will thus in age and youth
Answer immortal needs:
Since Love and Law in her express
Their unison of aim,
And clothe with awful loveliness
Jehovah's worshipp'd Name.
Their unison of aim,
And clothe with awful loveliness
Jehovah's worshipp'd Name.
| The Sanctuary | |