Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die?

lyricist: Charles Wesley, 1741
Composer: Louis Hérold, 1839

Sinners

turn: why will you die?

God

your mak­er

asks you why.

God

who did your be­ing give

Gave Him­self

that you might live;

He the fa­tal cause de­mands

Asks the work of His own hands.

Why

you thank­less crea­tures

why

Will you cross His love

and die?

Sinners

turn: why will you die?

God

your Sav­ior

asks you why.

God

who did your souls re­trieve

Died Him­self

that you might live.

Will you let Him die in vain?

Crucify your Lord again?

Why

you ran­somed sin­ners

why

Will you slight His grace and die?

Sinners

turn: why will you die?

God

the Spir­it

asks you why;

He

who all your lives hath strove

Wooed you to em­brace His love.

Will you not His grace re­ceive?

Will you still re­fuse to live?

Why

you long sought sin­ners

why

Will you grieve your God

and die?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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