The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley :: :: University of Virginia Library

HYMN XIV.

[Sinners, turn; why will ye die?]

“Why will ye die, O house of Israel?” —Ezekiel xviii. 31.

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?

Sinners, turn; why will ye die?
God, your Saviour, 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, ye ransom'd sinners, why
Will you slight His grace and die?

Sinners, turn; why will ye die?
God, the Spirit, asks you why;
God, 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 ye grieve your God, and die?

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

Let the beasts their breath resign,
Strangers to the life Divine,
Who their God can never know,
Let their spirit downward go:
Ye for higher ends were born,
Ye may all to God return,
Live with Him above the sky;
Why will you for ever die?

You, on whom He favours showers,
You, possess'd of nobler powers,
You, of reason's powers possess'd,
You, with will and memory blest,
You, with finer sense endued,
Creatures capable of God,
Noblest of His creatures, why,
Why will you for ever die?

You, whom He ordain'd 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 for ever die?

You, who own His record true,
You, His chosen people, you,
You, who call the Saviour Lord,
You, who read His written Word,
You, who see the gospel light,
Claim a crown in Jesu's right,
Why will you, ye Christians, why
Will the house of Israel die?

You, His own peculiar race,
Sharers of His special grace,
All His grace to you is given,
You the favourites of heaven;
And will you unfaithful prove,
Trample on His richest love?
Jesus asks the reason, why,
Why will you resolve to 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?

Will you die because His grace
Cannot reach to all the race?
Life because you cannot have?
You because He will not save?
Dare you say He doth not call,
Doth not offer life to all,
Doth not ask His creatures, why,
Why will you resolve to die?

Saith He what He never meant,
Calls on all men to repent,
Calls, while His decree withstands,
Mocks the work of His own hands?
Will you die because you must?
Dare you make your God unjust?

He would have you live; O why,
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;
He hath brought to all the race
Full salvation by His grace,
He hath no one soul pass'd by;
Why will you resolve to die?

Hath He pleasure in your pain?
Did He you to death ordain,
Vow you never should return,
Damn or ever you were born?
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 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 you resolve to die?”

Can ye doubt if God is love,
If to all His bowels 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?