4 Though your heart be made of steel,
Your forehead lin'd with brass,
God at length will make you feel,
He will not let you pass:
Sinners then in vain will call
(Though they now despise his grace),
Rocks and mountains on us fall,
And hide us from his face.*
5 But as yet there is a hope
You may his mercy know;
Though his arm is lifted up,
He still forbears the blow:
'Twas for sinners Jesus died,
Sinners he invites to come;
None who come shall be deny'd,
III. We were once as you are.
1 SHALL men pretend to pleasure
Who never knew the Lord?
Can all the worldling's treasure
True peace of mind afford?
They shall obtain this jewel,
And what their hearts desire,
When they, by adding fuel,
Can quench the flame of fire.
2 Till you can bid the ocean,
When furious tempests roar,
Forget its wonted motion,
And rage and swell no more:
In vain your expectation
To find content in sin;
Or freedom from vexation
While passions reign within.
3 Come turn your thoughts to Jesus,
If you would good possess;
'Tis he alone that frees us
From guilt and from distress:
When he by faith is present,
The sinner's troubles cease;
His ways are truly pleasant,
And all his paths are peace.
4 Our time in sin we wasted,
And fed upon the wind;
Until his love we tasted,
No comfort could we find :
But now we stand to witness
His pow'r and grace to you ;
May you perceive its fitness,
And call upon him too!
5 Our pleasure and our duty,
Though opposite before,
Since we have seen his beauty,
Are join'd to part no more :
It is our highest pleasure,
No less than duty's call,
To love him beyond measure,
And serve him with our all.
1 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 is bar'd!
Awful terrors clothe his brow!
For his judgement stand prepar'd,
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 advent 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 rich, the great, the wise,
Trembling, guilty, self-condemn'd,
Must behold the wrathful eyes
Of the Judge they once blasphem'd:
Where are now their haughty looks?
Oh their horror and despair!
When they see the open'd books,
And their dreadful sentence hear!
4 Lord, prepare us by thy grace!
Soon we must resign our breath;
And our souls be call'd, to pass
Through the iron gate of death:
Let us now our day improve,
Listen to the Gospel voice;
Seek the things that are above,
Scorn the world's pretended joys.
5 Oh! when flesh and heart shall fail,
Let thy love our spirits cheer,
Strengthen'd thus we shall prevail
Over Satan, sin, and fear:
Trusting in thy precious name,
May we thus our journey end;
Then our foes shall lose their aim,
And the Judge will be our friend.
1 SINNERS, hear the Saviour's call, He now is passing by ;
He has seen thy grievous thrall,
And heard thy mournful
He has pardons to impart,
Grace to save thee from thy fears,
See the love that fills his heart,
And wipe away thy tears.
2 Why art thou afraid to come
And tell him all thy case?
He will not pronounce thy doom,
Nor frown thee from his face :
Wilt thou fear Immanuel?
Wilt thou dread the Lamb of God,
Who, to save thy soul from hell,
Has shed his precious blood?
3 Think how on the cross he hung
Pierc'd with a thousand wounds!
Hark, from each as with a tongue
The voice of pardon sounds!
See, from all his bursting veins,
Blood, of wondrous virtue, flow!
Shed to wash away thy stains,
And ransom thee from woe.
4 Though his majesty be great,
His mercy is no less;
Though he thy transgressions hate,
He feels for thy distress;
By himself the Lord has sworn,
He delights not in thy death;*
But invites thee to return,
That thou mayst live by faith.
5 Raise thy downcast eyes and see
What throngs his throne surround! These, though sinners once like thee, Have full salvation found:
Yield not then to unbelief!
While he says, "There yet is room;"
Though of sinners thou art chief,
Since Jesus calls thee, come.
Book I. Hymns 75, 91.
Book II. Hymns 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 35, 77, 78, 83.
|