Oh no! I dare not turn away,
As you would have me do;
I dare not leave God's House to-day,
To go to meeting too.

In church God always waits, I know,
To hear His people's prayer;
But in the place to which you go,
His presence is not there.

God's Priest in church for God doth stand;
And when the prayers begin,
The Lord will give me, at his hand,
Forgiveness of my sin.

But who taught others how to pray?
Who gave them power to preach?
Oh, this indeed is not the way
That God's own word doth teach!

Do not the holy Scriptures shew--
(We know the story well)
Why Korah once, and Dathan too,
Went down alive to hell?

And did not God strike Uzzah dead,
Because, through over-care,
Upon the ark his hand he laid,
Which only Priests might bear?

And Saul's sad end might make us wise,
Whom God in anger slew,
Because he offered sacrifice,
Which only Priests might do.

In church I was baptised; I'll praise
In church the Lord most high;
In church I'll serve Him all my days,
And in the Church I'll die.

'Tis there I love His name to bless,
And there to hear His word;
How can I do this wickedness,
And sin against the Lord?

Project Canterbury