4 “Soon the days of life shall end; Lo! I come, your Saviour, Friend, Safe your spirits to convey To the realms of endless day, Up to my eternal home; Come and welcome, sinner, come.”
304 7s. Turn ye; for why will ye die? Ezekiel 18:31.
Sinners, turn—why will you die? God, your Maker, asks you why: God, who did your being give, Made you with himself to live.
2 Sinners, turn—why will you die? Christ, your Saviour, asks you why; He, who did your souls retrieve, He, who died that you might live.
3 Will you let him die in vain? Crucify your Lord again? Why, you ransomed sinners, why, Will you slight his grace and die?
4 Will you not his grace receive? Will you still refuse to live? O! you dying sinners, why— Why will you for ever die?
305 7s, double. What could have been done, etc. Isaiah 5:4.
What could your Redeemer do More than he has done for you? To procure your peace with God, Could he more than shed his blood? After all this flow of love, All his drawings from above, Why will you your Lord deny? Why will you resolve to die?
2 Turn, he cries, O sinner, 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 thus to life invite? Would he ask, beseech and cry, Why will you resolve to die?
3 Sinners, turn, while God is near! He has left you naught to fear; Now, e’en now, your Saviour 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?”
4 Can you doubt that God is love, Who thus calls you from above? Will you not his word receive? Will you not his oath believe? See, the suffering Lord appears; Jesus weeps—believe his tears! Mingled with his blood, they cry, “Why will you resolve to die?”
306 7s. Earnest entreaty.
Haste, O sinner, to be wise, Stay not for the morrow’s sun; Wisdom warns thee from the skies, All the paths of death to shun.
2 Haste, and mercy now implore; Stay not for the morrow’s sun; Thy probation may be o’er Ere this evening’s work is done.
3 Haste, O sinner, now return; Stay not for the morrow’s sun; Lest thy lamp should cease to burn Ere salvation’s work is done.
4 Haste, while yet thou canst be blest; Stay not for the morrow’s sun, Death may thy poor soul arrest Ere the morrow is begun.
307 7s. Fullness of Christ.
Bleeding hearts, defiled by sin, Jesus Christ can make you clean; Contrite souls, with guilt oppressed, Jesus Christ can give you rest.
2 You that mourn o’er follies past, Precious hours and years laid waste; Turn to God, O turn and live, Jesus Christ can still forgive.
3 You that oft have wandered far From the light of Bethlehem’s star, Trembling, now your steps retrace, Jesus Christ is full of grace.
4 Souls benighted and forlorn, Grieved, afflicted, tempest-worn, Now in Israel’s rock confide, Jesus Christ for man has died.
5 Fainting souls, in peril’s hour, Yield not to the tempter’s power; On the risen Lord rely, Jesus Christ now reigns on high.
308 7s, double. Flee from the wrath to come. Matt. 3:7.
Sinner, art thou still secure? Wilt thou still refuse to pray? Can thy heart or hands endure In the Lord’s avenging day? See his mighty arm made bare! Awful terrors clothe his brow! For his judgment now prepare, Thou must either break or bow.
2 At his presence nature shakes; Earth, affrighted, hastes to flee; Solid mountains melt like wax; What will then become of thee? Who his coming may abide? You that glory in your shame, Will you find a place to hide When the world is wrapt in flame?
3 Then the great, the rich, the wise, Trembling, guilty, self-condemned, Must behold the wrathful eyes Of the Judge they once blasphemed. Where are now their haughty looks? O! their horror and despair, When they see the opened books, And their dreadful sentence hear!
4 Lord, prepare us by thy grace: Soon we must resign our breath, And our souls be called to pass Through the iron gate of death. Let us now our days improve, Listen to the gospel voice; Seek the things that are above; Scorn the world’s pretended joys.
309 7s, 6 lines. My peace I give unto you. John 14:27.
Ye who in his courts are found Listening to the joyful sound, Lost and hopeless as ye are, Sons of sorrow, sin and care, Glorify the King of kings; Take the peace the gospel brings.
2 Turn to Christ your longing eyes; View his bleeding sacrifice; See in him your sins forgiven, Pardon, holiness, and heaven; Glorify the King of kings; Take the peace the gospel brings.
310 7s. The night is past. 1 John 2:8.