Abounding Grace

Behold! the sons of Aaron fail:

But lo! the leper now

Doth find the precious blood avail—

The unction on his brow.

Beneath the ceremonial law

Who wore this holy crown?

The leper and high priest it saw

Anointed thus alone.

Abounding grace! Amazing love!

The sinner, cleared by blood,

Rejoices with the priest alone,

A saint—brought nigh to God.

Thrice blessed truth! Our God to know,

His Christ in fullness see,

And then to seek our tent below

In power of life set free.

And thus upon our head we find

The gladdening oil descend;

First, leave the things of old behind,

And then—among them blend.

The long’d for eighth-day morn arose,

The door the outcast nears,

Where glory’s light in blessing flows,

And God Himself appears.

How many toil to find the path

For pilgrimage on earth,

Ere yet they know the joy of faith

Above the scene of dearth.

They pitch the tent before they pass

Beyond time’s days—the seven;

And thus they wander on, alas!

Without a view of Heaven.

Through grace the circumcision, we

Our joyful alter raise:

Then here, as buried, Lord, with Thee,

Our tent must hear Thy praise.

To walk,—a new creation band,

Its perfect ‘rule’ to own,

Once lepers in the Adam-land,

Now here for Christ alone.

(Writer Unknown)