3 While grace is offered to the prince, The poor may take his share; No mortal has a just pretense To perish in despair.
4 Come, all ye wretched sinners, come, He’ll form your souls anew; His gospel and his heart have room For rebels such as you.
5 His doctrine is almighty love; There’s virtue in his name To turn the raven to a dove, The lion to a lamb.
296 C. M. peculiar. Draw nigh to God, etc. James 4:8.
Return, O wanderer, to thy home, Thy Father calls for thee; No longer now an exile roam, In guilt and misery: Return, return!
2 Return, O wanderer, to thy home, ’Tis Jesus calls for thee; The Spirit and the Bride say—come; O! now for refuge flee; Return, return!
3 Return, O wanderer, to thy home, ’Tis madness to delay; There are no pardons in the tomb, And brief is mercy’s day: Return, return!
297 S. M. Now is the accepted time. 2 Cor. 6:2.
Now is th’ accepted time, Now is the day of grace; Now, sinners, come, without delay, And seek the Saviour’s face.
2 Now is th’ accepted time, The Saviour calls to-day; To-morrow it may be too late— Then why should you delay?
3 Now is th’ accepted time, The gospel bids you come; And every promise in his word Declares there yet is room.
298 S. M. Now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor. 6:2.
Now is the day of grace; Now to the Saviour come; The Lord is calling, “Seek my face, And I will guide you home.”
2 The Father bids you speed; O, wherefore then delay? He calls in love; he sees your need; He bids you come to-day.
3 To-day the prize is won; The promise is to save; Then, O, be wise; to-morrow’s sun May shine upon your grave.
299 S. M. Give me thy heart. Prov. 23:26.
Give to the Lord thine heart; In him all pleasures meet: O, come and choose the better part, Low at the Saviour’s feet.
2 Hear, and your soul shall live; His peace shall be your stay— Peace, which the world can never give, Can never take away.
300 S. M. Where shall the ungodly, etc. 1 Pet. 4:18.
And will the Judge descend? And must the dead arise? And not a single soul escape His all-discerning eyes?
2 How will my heart endure The terrors of that day, When earth and heaven before his face, Astonished, shrink away?
3 But ere the trumpet shakes The mansions of the dead; Hark! from the Gospel’s cheering sound, What joyful tidings spread.
4 Ye sinners! seek his grace, Whose wrath you can not bear; Flee to the shelter of his cross, And find salvation there.
5 Come! take his offers now, From every sin depart, Perform thy oft-repeated vow, And render him thy heart.
6 Repent! return! receive The grace through Jesus given; Sure, if with God on earth we live, We live with God in heaven.
301 S. M. The gospel call.
Ye trembling captives! hear; The gospel-trumpet sounds; No music more can charm the ear, Or heal your heart-felt wounds.
2 ’Tis not the trump of war, Nor Sinai’s awful roar; Salvation’s news it spreads afar, And vengeance is no more.
3 Forgiveness, love, and peace, Glad heaven aloud proclaims; And earth, the jubilee’s release, With eager rapture claims.
4 Far, far to distant lands The saving news shall spread; And Jesus all his willing bands In glorious triumph lead.
302 S. M. Boast not thyself of to-morrow. Prov. 27:1.
To-morrow, Lord! is thine, Lodged in thy sovereign hand; And if its sun arise and shine, It shines by thy command.
2 The present moment flies, And bears our life away; O, make thy servants truly wise, That they may live to-day.
3 Since on this fleeting hour Eternity is hung, Awake, by thine almighty power, The agéd and the young.
4 One thing demands our care; O, be it still pursued! Lest, slighted once, the season fair Should never be renewed.
5 To Jesus may we fly, Swift as the morning light, Lest life’s young, golden beams should die In sudden, endless night.
303 7s, 6 lines. Come and welcome.
From the cross, uplifted high, Where the Saviour deigns to die, What melodious sounds we hear, Bursting on the ravished ear! “Love’s redeeming work is done; Come and welcome, sinner, come.
2 “Sprinkled now with blood the throne, Why beneath thy burdens groan? On my piercéd body laid, Justice owns the ransom paid; Bow the knee, embrace the Son; Come and welcome, sinner, come.
3 “Spread for thee the festal board, See with richest dainties stored; To thy Father’s bosom pressed, Yet again a child confessed, Never from his house to roam— Come and welcome, sinner, come.