Wesley Corpus

Behold your due in Uzzah dead For touching an external sign, You that the priestly right invade, And minister in things divine! Page 158 Will ignorance your bodies save? Enquire of Uzzah in his grave. "But lo! Unless our hands sustain, The tottering ark will strike the ground!" God cannot need the help of man: A thousand ways with God are found His church in danger to defend, And bear her up, 'till time shall end. "God smote Uzzah." II. Sam. vi. 7. Unauthoris'd by right divine Dost thou not on the word lay hold, Who claim'st the promises for thine With ignorance prophanely bold, But dost not with the terms comply? Forbear to touch the ark or die! "God smote Uzzah." II. Sam. vi. 7. So sacred if the symbol be What the true living ark of God! And O! How sore the penalty For trampling on the covenant-blood Familiariz'd by common sounds: Wounds, wounds, and nothing else but wounds! "The Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his houshold." II. Sam. vi. 11. If but one Christian soul appear Beneath my roof, the ark is here: Jesus, the real ark thou art, Set up in every faithful heart! And where thy Godhead doth reside, Mercy and grace are multiplied, Fulness of gospel-blessings flow, And make a little heaven below. "David danced before the Lord with all his might." II. Sam. vi. 14. He laid his purple robes aside, Nor shame, nor diminution fear'd, Put off the pomp of regal pride, And servant of the ark appear'd;