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 1
The people's trespass bore,
And, to the desert led,
Was to be seen no more:
In him our Surety seem'd to say,
Behold, I bear your sins away."
Dipt in his fellow's blood,
The living bird went free; 2
The type, well understood,
Express'd the sinner's plea ;
Described a guilty soul enlarged,
And by a Saviour's death discharged.
Throughout the sacred page,
The footsteps of thy grace,
The same in every age!
O grant that I may faithful be
To clearer light vouchsafed to me !
XXI. SARDIS.-REV. iii. 1-6.
1 "WRITE to Sardis," saith the Lord,
And write what he declares,
He whose Spirit, and whose word,
Upholds the seven stars :
1 Leviticus xvi. 21.-2 Leviticus xiv. 51-53.
"All thy works and ways I search,
Find thy zeal and love decay'd:
Thou art call'd a living church,
But thou art cold and dead.
2" 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.
3 "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 confest;
Let my faithful servants hear,
And woe be to the rest!"
XXII. PRAYER FOR A BLESSING ON THE YOUNG.
1 BESTOW, dear Lord, upon our youth
The gift of saving grace;
And let the seed of sacred truth
Fall in a fruitful place.
2 Grace is a plant, where'er it grows, Of pure and heavenly root;
But fairest in the youngest shows,
And yields the sweetest fruit.
3 Ye careless ones, O hear betimes
The voice of sovereign love!
Your youth is stain'd with many crimes,
But mercy reigns above.
4 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.
5 For you the public prayer is made,
Oh! join the public prayer!
For you the secret tear is shed,
Oh! shed yourselves a tear!
6 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.
1 SIN has undone our wretched race,
But Jesus has restored,
And brought the sinner face to face
With his forgiving Lord.
2 This we repeat, from year to year,
And press upon our youth;
Lord, give them an attentive ear,
Lord, save them by thy truth!
3 Blessings upon the rising race!
Make this a happy hour,
According to thy richest grace,
And thine almighty power.
4 We feel for your unhappy state (May you regard it too),
And would awhile ourselves forget,
5 We see, though you perceive it not,
The approaching awful doom;
Oh, tremble at the solemn thought,
And flee the wrath to come!
6 Dear Saviour, let this new-born year Spread an alarm abroad;
And cry in every careless ear,
"Prepare to meet thy God!"
XXIV. PRAYER FOR CHILDREN.
1 GRACIOUS Lord, our children see:
By thy mercy we are free;
But shall these, alas! remain
Subjects still of Satan's reign?
Israel's young ones, when of old
Pharaoh threaten'd to withhold,1
Then thy messenger said, “No ;
Let the children also go."
2 When the angel of the Lord,
Drawing forth his dreadful sword,
Slew, with an avenging hand,
All the first-born of the land;2
Then thy people's doors he pass'd,
Where the bloody sign was placed;
Hear us, now, upon our knees,
Plead the blood of Christ for these!
3 Lord, we tremble, for we know
How the fierce malicious foe,
Wheeling round his watchful flight,
Keeps them ever in his sight:
Spread thy pinions, King of kings!
Hide them safe beneath thy wings;
Lest the ravenous bird of prey
Stoop, and bear the brood away.
1 My song shall bless the Lord of all,
My praise shall climb to his abode ;
Thee, Saviour, by that name I call,
The great Supreme, the mighty God.
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