Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die

Verse 1

Sinners, turn: why will you die?
God, your Maker, asks you why.
God, who did your being give,
made you 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?

Verse 2

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?

Verse 3

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?

Verse 4

You, on whom
he favors showers,
you, possessed
of nobler powers,
you, of reason’s
powers possessed,
you, with will and memory blest.

you, with finer sense endued,
creatures capable of God;
noblest of his
creatures, why,
why will you forever die?

Verse 5

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?

Verse 6

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 Jesu’s right;
why will you,
ye Christians, why
will the house of Israel die?

Verse 7

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 passed by;
why will you resolve to die?

Verse 8

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?