Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die

112 Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die

1 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 works 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?
   God, who did our souls retrive,
   Dy'd himself, that you might live,
   Will you 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,
   Woo'd you to embrace his love;
   Will you not the grace receive?
   Will you still refuse to live?
   Why, ye long-sought sinners, why
   Will you grieve your God, and die?
                         Charles Wesley
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
This one is a bit more popular than yesterday's, occurring in nearly one thousand hymnals. And, as usual, there are more verses:

4. Let the beasts their breath resign,
   Strangers to the life divine;
   Who their God can never know,
   Let their spirit downward go.
   You for higher ends were born,
   You may all to God return,
   Dwell with Him above the sky;
   Why will you forever die?

5. You, on whom He favors showers,
   You, possessed of nobler powers,
   You, of reason’s powers possessed,
   You, with will and memory blessed,
   You, with finer sense endued,
   Creatures capable of God;
   Noblest of His creatures, why,
   Why will you forever die?

6. You, whom He ordained to be
   Transcripts of the Trinity,
   You, whom He in life doth hold,
   You for whom Himself was sold,
   You, on whom He still doth wait,
   Whom He would again create;
   Made by Him, and purchased, why,
   Why will you forever die?

7. You, who own His record true,
   You, His chosen people, you,
   You, who call the Savior Lord,
   You, who read His written Word,
   You, who see the Gospel light,
   Claim a crown in Jesus’ right;
   Why will you, ye Christians, why,
   Will the house of Israel die?

8. 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;
   He hath brought to all the race
   Full salvation by His grace;
   He hath not one soul passed by;
   Why will you resolve to die?

9. Can ye doubt, if God is love,
   If to all His mercies move?
   Will ye not His Word receive?
   Will ye not His oath believe?
   See, the suffering God appears!
   Jesus weeps! Believe His tears!
   Mingled with His blood they cry,
   Why will you resolve to die?

10. Dead, already dead within,
   Spiritually dead in sin,
   Dead to God while here you breathe,
   Pant ye after second death?
   Will you still in sin remain,
   Greedy of eternal pain?
   O you dying sinners, why,
   Why will you forever die?

11. 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 waste of love,
   All His drawings from above,
   Why will you your Lord deny?
   Why will you resolve to die?

12. 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.
   If your death were His delight,
   Would he you to life invite?
   Would he ask, obtest, and cry,
   Why will you resolve to die?

13. Sinners, turn, while God is near:
   Dare not think Him insincere:
   Now, even now, your Savior stands,
   All day long He spreads His hands,
   Cries, you will not happy be!
   No, you will not come to Me!
   Me, who life to none deny:
   Why will you resolve to die?

I can't imagine that very many people ever sang the whole thirteen verses!
</idle musing>