5 But unbelief, self-will,

Self-righteousness and pride,

How often do they steal

My weapon from my side?

Yet David's Lord, and Gideon's Friend,
Will help his servant to the end.

XVIII. The Golden Calf.

Chap. xxxii. 4. 31.

1 WHEN Israel heard the fiery law
From Sinai's top proclaim'd,
Their hearts seem'd full of holy awe,
Their stubborn spirits tam'd.

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

3 Yea, Aaron, God's anointed priest,
Who on the mount had been,

He durst prepare the idol beast,
And lead them on to sin.

4 Lord, what is man, and what are we,
To recompense thee thus!

In their offence our own we see,
Their story points at us.

5 From Sinai we heard thee speak,
And from Mount Calv'ry too;

And yet to idols oft we seek,

While thou art in our view.

6 Some golden calf, or golden dream,
Some fancy'd creature good,
Presumes to share the heart with him,
Who bought the whole with blood.

7 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.

XIX.-The True Aaron. Chap. viii. 7-9.

1 SEE Aaron, God's anointed priest,
Within the vail appear,

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

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

His breast displays, in shining rows,
The names of all the tribes.

3 With the atoning blood he stands
Before the mercy-seat;

And clouds of incense from his hands
Arise with odour sweet.

4 Urim and Thummim near his heart,
In rich engravings worn,
The sacred light of truth impart,
To teach and to adorn.

5 Through him the eye of faith descries
A greater Priest than he :
Thus Jesus pleads above the skies,
For you, my friends, and me.

6 He bears the names of all his saints
Deep on his heart engrav'd;
Attentive to the state and wants
Of all his love has sav'd.

7 In him a holiness complete,

Light and perfection shine;

And wisdom, grace, and glory meet ;
A Saviour all divine!

8 The blood, which as a Priest he bears
For sinners, is his own;

The incense of his pray'rs and tears
Perfume the holy throne.

9 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.

NUMBERS.

XX.-Balaam's Wish*. Chap. xxiii. 10.

1 How bless'd the righteous are,
When they resign their breath!
No wonder Balaam wish'd to share
In such a happy death.

2 Oh! let me die,' said he,

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

Found with the faithful few.'

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

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

4 But Balaam's wish was vain

His heart was insincere ;
He thirsted for unrighteous gain,
And sought a portion here.

5 He seem'd the Lord to know,

And to offend him loth

h;

But Mammon prov'd his overthrow,
For none can serve them both.

6 May you, my friends, and I,

Warning from hence receive;

If like the righteous we would die,
To chose the life they live.

*Book III. Hymn 71.

JOSHUA.

XXI.-Gibeon. Chap. x. 6.

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

2 Their stubborn neighbours, who, enraged, United war against them wag'd,

By Joshua soon were overthrown,
For Gibeon's cause was now his own.
3 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.
4. The men of Gibeon wore disguise,
And gain'd their peace by framing lies;
For Joshua had no pow'r to spare,

If he had known from whence they were. 5 But Jesus invitation sends,

Treating with rebels as his friends;
And holds the promise forth in view,
To all who for his mercy sue.

6 Too long his goodness I disdain'd,
Yet went at last, and peace obtained;
But soon the noise of war I heard,
And former friends in arms appear'd.
7 Weak in myself, for help I cry'd,
Lord, I am press'd on every side;
The cause is thine, they fight with me,
But ev'ry blow is aimed at thee.
8 With speed to my relief he came,
And put my enemies to shame;
Thus, sav'd by grace, I live to sing
The love and triumphs of my King.

XXII. C. Jehovah-Shalom,-The Lord send Peace. Chap. vi. 24.

1 JESUS, whose blood so freely stream'd,
To satisfy the law's demand,

By thee from guilt and wrath redeem'd,
Before the Father's face I stand.

2 To reconcile offending man,

Made Justice drop her angry rod;
What creature could have form'd the plan,
Or who fulfil it but a God?

3 No drop remains of all the curse,

For wretches who deserv'd the whole;
No arrows dipt in wrath to pierce
The guilty but returning soul.

4 Peace by such means so dearly bought,
What rebel could have hop'd to see?
Peace by his injur'd Sov'reign wrought,
His Sov'reign fasten'd to a tree.

5 Now, Lord, thy feeble worm prepare!
For strife with earth and hell begins;
Confirm and gird me for the war,

They hate the soul that hates his sins, 6 Let them in horrid league agree!

They may assault, they may distress;
But cannot quench thy love to me,

Nor rob me of the Lord my peace.

XXIII.-Gideon's Fleece. Chap. vi. 37-40.

1 HE signs which God to Gideon gave,
His holy sov'reignty made known,
That He alone has pow'r to save,
And claims the glory as his own.