The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England Second edition [by Isaac Williams] |
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THE DEDICATION. |
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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
 | The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England |  |
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THE DEDICATION.
Thou who Thy tabernacle mad'st of oldTo be a type of things invisible,
And didst within Thy temple come to dwell
Making it holy; I thine altar hold,
And pray Thee, if such prayer be not too bold,
To sanctify each shrine, and mystic cell
Round this Thine altar, and baptismal well.
Thou vilest things to Thy great ends dost mould:—
Accept this offering, and Thy servant spare,
Who this hath built with sin-defiled hands!
And when Thine earthly Temple, now so fair,
Among the things that have gone by shall be,
And nothing but Thy heavenly Temple stands,
Pity me in that day, in that day pity me!
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When your full hearts ye in His Presence pour,
Think of an unclean leper at the door,
Admitted erst to your high-gifted state,
But by unhallow'd taints left desolate!
And Thou who intercedest for the poor
Within Thine unseen Temple evermore,
Plead for his pardon ere it be too late.
Thou didst the leper touch, and take his sin:—
Heal his sick soul, that he may entrance win
To Thy blest City, and so gain within
Thy Priestly Absolution while he may,
Lest he be laid without too late to pray,
When once the Judge hath ris'n, and clos'd the door for aye.
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