18. THE GOLDEN CALF. Chap. xxxii. 4-31. See Hymn

WHEN Israel heard the fiery law

From Sinai's top proclaim'd,

Their hearts seem'd full of holy awe,
Their stubborn spirits tamed.

Yet, as forgetting all they knew,
Ere forty days were past,
With blazing Sinai still in view,
A molten calf they cast.

Yea, Aaron, God's anointed priest,
Who on the Mount had been,
He durst prepare the idol-beast,
And lead them on to sin!

Lord, what is man, and what are we,
To recompense Thee thus?
In their offence our own we see-
Their story points at us.

From Sinai we heard Thee speak,
And from Mount Calvary too;

And yet to idols oft we seek,
While Thou art in our view.

Some golden calf or golden dream,
Some fancied creature-good,

Presumes to share the heart with Him
Who bought the whole with blood.

on Exod. xxv. 17, The MercySeat, p. 352.

Lord, save us from our golden calves,

Our sin, with grief, we own;

We would no more be Thine by halves, But live to Thee alone!

LEVITICUS.

19. THE TRUE AARON. Chap. viii. 7-9.

SEE Aaron, God's anointed priest,
Within the veil appear,

In robes of mystic meaning drest,
Presenting Israel's prayer.

The plate of gold which crowns his brows
His holiness describes;

His breast displays, in shining rows,

The names of all the tribes.

With the atoning blood he stands

Before the mercy-seat;

And clouds of incense from his hands

Arise with odour sweet.

Urim and Thummim, near his heart,

In rich engravings worn,
The sacred light of truth impart,
To teach and to adorn.

Through him the eye of faith descries

A greater priest than he;

Thus Jesus pleads above the skies
For you, my friends, and me.

He bears the names of all His saints
Deep on His heart engraved;
Attentive to the state and wants
Of all His love has saved.

In Him a holiness complete,
Light and perfections shine;
And wisdom, grace, and glory meet-
A Saviour all divine!

The blood, which as a Priest He bears
For sinners, is His own;

The incense of His prayers and tears
Perfumes the holy throne.

In Him my weary soul has rest,
Though I am weak and vile;

I read my name upon His breast,

And see the Father smile.

Page 424.

See Hymn on Num.

xxi. 9, The Brazen Ser

pent, p. 99.

NUMBERS.

20. BALAAM'S WISH. Chap. xxiii. 10

How blest the righteous are

When they resign their breath!
No wonder Balaam wish'd to share
In such a happy death.

'Oh! let me die,' said he,

'The death the righteous do; When life is ended, let me be

Found with the faithful few.'

The force of truth, how great!
When enemies confess,

None but the righteous, whom they hate,
A solid hope possess.

But Balaam's wish was vain,
His heart was insincere;
He thirsted for unrighteous gain,
And sought a portion here.

He seem'd the Lord to know,
And to offend Him loath;
But Mammon proved his overthrow,
For none can serve them both.

* Book iii., Hymn 71.

May you, my friends, and I,
Warning from hence receive;
If like the righteous we would die,
To choose the life they live!

JOSHUA.

21. GIBEON. Chap. x. 6.

WHEN Joshua, by God's command,
Invaded Canaan's guilty land,
Gibeon, unlike the nations round,
Submission made, and mercy found.

Their stubborn neighbours who, enraged,
United war against them waged,
By Joshua soon were overthrown,
For Gibeon's cause was now his own.

He from whose arm they ruin fear'd,
Their leader and ally appear'd;
An emblem of the Saviour's grace,
To those who humbly seek His face.

The men of Gibeon wore disguise,
And gain'd their peace by framing lies;
For Joshua had no power to spare,

If he had known from whence they were.

See Hymns on passages of Deuteronomy:-

Deut. vi. 20, 'We were

Pharaoh's

Bond-men,'

page 238. Deut. xxxiii. 26, "Who is like

the God of Jeshurun,' page 449.

Deut. xxxii.

9, page 450.