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58

LEVITICUS.

188.

[Thee that my sacrifice may please]

No offering which ye shall bring unto the Lord, &c. —ii. 11.

Thee that my sacrifice may please,
Assist me, Lord, to lay aside
The leaven of all wickedness,
All spite, hypocrisy, and pride:
Anger, and doubt, and anxious care
Out of my heart if Thou remove,
I'll lift up holy hands in prayer
With truth, sincerity, and love.

189.

[From nature's different mixtures free]

Ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, &c. —ii. 11.

From nature's different mixtures free,
Honey the joy, and grief the leaven,
I bring my sacrifice to Thee,
Jesus, my great High-priest in heaven:
That God my offering may receive,
I set my heart on things above,
The sour of worldly sorrow leave,
The cloying sweets of creature-love.

190.

[Unsavoury all our offerings are]

With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. —ii. 13.

Unsavoury all our offerings are,
Till acceptable through Thy Son:
But hear well-pleased our praise and prayer
Presented in His name alone:
The salt we borrow from our Lord,
His meritorious righteousness,
And every deed, and thought, and word
Is season'd now with Jesu's grace.

191.

[O Thou who camest from above]

The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar, &c. —vi. 13.

O Thou who camest from above,
The pure, celestial fire to' impart,
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Kindle a flame of sacred love
On the mean altar of my heart;
There let it for Thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its Source return,
In humble prayer, and fervent praise.
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
To work, and speak, and think for Thee;
Still let me guard the holy fire,
And still stir up Thy gift in me:
Ready for all Thy perfect will,
My acts of faith and love repeat,
Till death Thy endless mercies seal,
And make my sacrifice complete.

192.

[Our High-priest the breast-plate wears]

He put the breast-plate upon him, &c. —viii. 8.

Our High-priest the breast-plate wears,
His Israel's Oracle,
Full of truth and grace declares
The Father's perfect will,
Makes His people priests and kings,
His fulness to His church imparts,
The Urim and the Thummim brings
To all believing hearts.

193.

[Who for us went up, we know]

Who for us went up, we know,
Resides on earth again,
Lights, perfections to bestow
On poor rebellious men;
Gifts for men He now receives
Our prevalent High-priest above,
Now into our bosom gives
The Spirit of faith and love.
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194.

[Faith and love the breast-plate make]

Faith and love the breast-plate make
Of perfect righteousness;
Let us then the blessing take,
Whom God delights to bless:
Beautified my will and mind
With wisdom and integrity,
I shall all perfections find,
When Jesus dwells in me.

195.

[Happy, Lord, Thy people are]

Happy, Lord, Thy people are,
By full possession Thine!
In their faithful hearts they bear
The Oracle Divine,
Thee consult in all their ways,
And all Thy will rejoice to prove,
Answer'd by the light of grace,
And by the truth of love.

196.

[A charge to keep I have]

Keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not. —viii. 35.

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky;
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfil:
O may it all my powers engage
To do my Master's will!
Arm me with jealous care,
As in Thy sight to live,
And O! Thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give:
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Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall for ever die.

197.

[Aaron lifts up his praying hands]

Aaron lift up his hand towards the people, &c. —ix. 22.

Aaron lifts up his praying hands,
To show from whence the blessing flow'd,
He craves the grace which Christ commands,
Our great High-priest, who sent of God
Blesses this dear-loved world of His
With glorious everlasting bliss.
Aaron a transient blessing gave,
A mortal, typical high-priest;
Jesus for ever lives, to save
The people He at parting bless'd;
Aaron came down, the blessing given,
His Antitype went up to heaven.

198.

[Sent, through Jesus, from the skies]

There came a fire out from before the Lord, &c. —ix. 24.

Sent, through Jesus, from the skies,
Spirit of burning, come;
Kindle on the sacrifice,
And all our sins consume:
While Thou dost Thyself reveal,
Our persons, and our works approve,
All our ravish'd souls shall feel
The fire of heavenly love.
Father, trusting in Thy Son,
I bow to Jesu's name,
Glows my heart with warmth unknown,
With pure seraphic flame:
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Lost in wonder at Thy grace,
I fall the pardoning God before,
Breathe unutterable praise,
And silently adore.

199.

[Warm'd by fond nature's wild desire]

There went out fire from the Lord, &c. —x. 2.

Warm'd by fond nature's wild desire,
I brought strange uncommanded fire;
Inflamed with persecuting zeal,
I served Thee—with the fire of hell:
Yet undevour'd, O God, I sing
Thy grace; and now my offering bring,
Pure incense, kindled from above
By the true fire of Jesu's love.

200.

[Why should a living man complain]

Aaron held his peace. —x. 3.

Why should a living man complain
That sinners are struck dead?
Reprieved myself I still remain,
If punish'd in my seed:
Howe'er Thou deal'st with mine, or me,
O stop the murmuring groan;
Or let my only answer be,
Father, Thy will be done!

201.

[Unholy, of an holy God]

Ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. —xi. 45.

Unholy, of an holy God
The people we can never be:
But sanctify us by Thy blood,
Jesus, and we Thy face shall see,
Shall bear Thy spotless image here,
And pure before Thy throne appear.

202.

[Not the alms, or works of man]

It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. —xvii. 11.

Not the alms, or works of man
Can for his sins atone,
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But the Lamb for sinners slain
Hath satisfied alone:
Jesus to His Father paid
The ransom we could never find,
By His blood atonement made
For me, and all mankind.

203.

[Through fear of feeble man]

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, &c. —xix. 17.

Through fear of feeble man,
Through want of social love,
Lord, I have made Thy precept vain,
Neglecting to reprove;
The' offender in mine eye
I suffer to go on,
A thousand sins in him pass'd by,
And made them all my own.

204.

[Ah! save me from a worse extreme]

Ah! save me from a worse extreme,
When sin in others I condemn:
Assist me first to lay aside
The spiteful bitterness of pride,
Reflecting on myself, to see
A soul not half so vile as me,
And then my neighbour to reprove
In meekness, humbleness, and love.

205.

[Father, let Thy faithfulness]

I will set My tabernacle among you. —xxvi. 11.

Father, let Thy faithfulness
And love in Christ appear,
The true tabernacle place
Among Thy people here,
Jesus to Thy church reveal
Delighted with an humble shrine,
Give Him in our hearts to dwell
The Shechinah Divine.
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206.

[Walking in the church below]

I will walk among you, and will be your God, &c. —xxvi. 12.

Walking in the church below,
The garden of the Lord,
Jesus, by Thy presence show
Our paradise restored:
Grant us fellowship with Thee,
Our God in all our souls reside,
Then we shall Thy people be
For ever sanctified.

207.

[Lord, if Thou from me hast broke]

I have broken the bands of your yoke, &c. —xxvi. 13.

Lord, if Thou from me hast broke
The power of outward sin,
Burst this Babylonish yoke,
And make me free within;
Bid mine inbred sin depart,
And I Thine utmost word shall prove,
Upright both in life and heart,
And perfected in love.

208.

[Father, I do at last relent]

If they then accept of the punishment, &c. —xxvi. 41, 42.

Father, I do at last relent,
My length of painful punishment
I do as just receive;
Think of the covenant in Thy Son,
And O! forget what I have done,
And all my sins forgive.
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