Once, Only Once

Once, only once, and once for all,
His precious life he gave;
Before the cross in faith we fall,
And own it strong to save.

�One off�ring, single and complete,�
With lips and hearts we say;
But what He never can repeat
He shows forth day by day.

For as the priest of Aaron�s line
Within the holiest stood,
And sprinkled all the mercy shrine
With sacrificial blood;

So He, Who once atonement wrought,
Our Priest of endless power,
Presents Himself for those He bought
In that dark noontide hour.

His manhood pleads where now it lives
On heaven�s eternal throne,
And where in mystic rite He gives
Its presence to His own.

And so we show Thy death, O Lord,
Till Thou again appear,
And feel, when we approach Thy board,
We have an altar here.