The paschal sacrifice
And blood-besprinkled door,
Seen with enlightened eyes,
And once applied with power,
Would teach the need of other blood,
To reconcile an angry God.
The Lamb, the Dove, set forth
His perfect innocence,
Whose blood of matchless worth
Should be the soul's defence;
For he who can for sin atone
Must have no failings of his own.
The scape-goat on his head
The people's trespass bore,
And to the desert led,
Was to be seen no more:
In him our Surety seemed to say,
"Behold, I bear your sins away."
Dipt in his fellow's blood,
The living bird went free;
The type, well understood,
Expressed the sinner's plea;
Described a guilty soul enlarged,
And by a Saviour's death discharged.
Jesus, I love to trace,
Throughout the sacred page,
The footsteps of thy grace,
The same in every age!
Oh grant that I may faithful be
To clearer light vouchsafed to me!
XXI. SARDISRev. iii. 1-6.
"And write what he declares,
He whose Spirit, and whose word,
Upholds the seven stars:—
All thy works and ways I search,
Find thy zeal and love decayed;
Thou art called a living church,
But thou art cold and dead.
"Watch, remember, seek, and strive,
Exert thy former pains;
Let thy timely care revive,
And strengthen what remains;
Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend,
Former times to mind recall,
Lest my sudden stroke descend,
And smite thee once for all.
"Yet I number now in thee
A few that are upright;
These my Father's face shall see,
And walk with me in white.
When in judgment I appear,
They for mine shall be confessed;
Let my faithful servants hear,—
And woe be to the rest!"
XXII. PRAYER FOR A BLESSING
ON THE YOUNG.
The gift of saving grace;
And let the seed of sacred truth
Fall in a fruitful place.
Grace is a plant, where'er it grows,
Of pure and heavenly root;
But fairest in the youngest shows,
And yields the sweetest fruit.
Ye careless ones, oh hear betimes
The voice of sovereign love!
Your youth is stained with many crimes,
But Mercy reigns above.
True, you are young, but there's a stone
Within the youngest breast;
Or half the crimes which you have done
Would rob you of your rest.
For you the public prayer is made;
Oh join the public prayer!
For you the secret tear is shed;
Oh shed yourselves a tear!
We pray that you may early prove
The Spirit's power to teach;
You cannot be too young to love
That Jesus whom we preach.
XXIII. PLEADING FOR AND
WITH YOUTH
But Jesus has restored,
And brought the sinner face to face
With his forgiving Lord.
This we repeat from year to year,
And press upon our youth;
Lord, give them an attentive ear,
Lord, save them by thy truth!
