SINNERS, turn; why will ye die?
God, your Maker, asks you why?
God, who did your being give,
Made you with himself to live;
He the fatal cause demands;
Asks the work of his own hands,-
Why, ye thankless creatures, why
Will ye cross his love, and die?
2 Sinners, turn; why will ye die?
God, your Saviour, asks you why?
He, who did your souls retrieve,
Died himself, that ye might live.
Will ye let him die in vain?
Crucify your Lord again?
Why, ye ransom'd sinners, why
Will ye slight his grace, and die?
3 Sinners, turn; why will ye die?
God, the Spirit, asks you why?
He, who all your lives hath strove,
Urged you to embrace his love.
Will ye not his grace receive?
Will ye still refuse to live?
O ye dying sinners, why,
Why will ye forever die?
INNERS, turn, while God is near;
Dare not think him insincere :
Now, e'en now, your Saviour stands;
All day long he spreads his hands;
Cries,-Ye will not happy be;
No, ye will not come to me,-
Me, who life to none deny:
Why will ye resolve to die?
2 Turn, he cries, ye sinners, turn:
By his life, your God hath sworn;
He would have you turn and live;
He would all the world receive.
your death were his delight,
Would he you to life invite?
Would he ask, beseech, and cry,—
Why will ye resolve to die?
3 What could your Redeemer do,
More than he hath done for you?
To procure your peace with God,
Could he more than shed his blood?
After all his flow of love,-
All his drawings from above,-
Why will ye your Lord deny?
Why will ye resolve to die?
Believe, and be at peace.
WHY should gloomy thoughts arise,
And darkness fill the mind?
Why should that bosom heave with sighs, And yet no refuge find?
2 Hast thou not heard of Gilead's balm,— The great Physician there, Who can thine every fear disarm,
And save thee from despair?
3 Still art thou overwhelm'd with grief,
And fill'd with sore dismay?
Still looking downward for relief,
Without one cheering ray?
4 Lift up thy streaming eyes to heaven; The great atonement see;
And all thy sins shall be forgiven :—
Believe, and thou art free.
5 For thee the Saviour suffer'd shame,
And shed his precious blood:
Believe, believe in Jesus' name,
And be at peace with God.
Accepting the invitation.
YOME, weary sinners, come,
Groaning beneath your load;
The Saviour calls his wand'rers home;
Haste to your pard'ning God.
2 Come, all by guilt oppress'd,
Answer the Saviour's call-
O come, and I will give you rest,
And I will save you all.
3 Redeemer, full of love,
We would thy word obey,
And all thy faithful mercies prove:
O take our guilt away.
4 We would on thee rely;
On thee would cast our care; Now to thine arms of mercy fly,
And find salvation there.
YOME, humble sinner, in whose breast
A thousand thoughts revolve,
Come, with your guilt and fear oppress'd,
And make this last resolve:-
2 I'll go to Jesus, though my sin
Like mountains round me close;
I know his courts, I'll enter in,
Whatever may oppose.
3 Prostrate I'll lie before his throne,
And there my guilt confess;
I'll tell him, I'm a wretch undone
Without his sov'reign grace.
4 Perhaps he will admit my plea,
Perhaps will hear my prayer;
But, if I perish, I will pray,
And perish only there.
5 I can but perish if I go-
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away, I know
I must forever die.
To whom should we go?,
AH! whither should I
Burden'd, and sick, and faint?
To whom should I my trouble show,
And pour out my complaint?
My Saviour bids me come;
Ah! why do I delay ?
He calls the weary sinner home,
And yet from him I stay.
2 What is it keeps me back,
From which I cannot part,Which will not let the Saviour take Possession of my heart? Searcher of hearts, in mine Thy trying power display; Into its darkest corners shine, And take the veil away. 3 I now believe, in thee, Compassion reigns alone; According to my faith, to me O let it, Lord, be done! In me is all the bar,
Which thou wouldst fain remove: Remove it, and I shall declare
That God is only love,
HEREWITH, O Lord, shall I draw near,
And bow myself before thy face?
How in thy purer eyes appear?
What shall I bring to gain thy grace?
2 Will gifts delight the Lord Most High?
Will multiplied oblations please?
Thousands of rams his favour buy,
Or slaughter'd hecatombs appease?
3 Can these avert the wrath of God?
Can these wash out my guilty stain?
Rivers of oil, and seas of blood,
Alas! they all must flow in vain.
4 Who would himself to thee approve,
Must take the path thyself hast show'd;
Justice pursue, and mercy love,
And humbly walk by faith with God.
5 But though my life henceforth be thine,
Present for past can ne'er atone :
Though I to thee the whole resign,
I only give thee back thine own.
6 Guilty I stand before thy face;
On me I feel thy wrath abide;
'Tis just the sentence should take place;
'Tis just, but O, thy Son hath died!
The Rock that is higher than I.
ENCOMPASS'D with clouds of distress,
And ready all hope to resign,
I long for thy light and thy grace;
O God, will they never be mine?
2 If sometimes I strive, as I mourn,
My hold of thy promise to keep,
The billows more fiercely return,
And plunge me again in the deep.
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