SINNER, hear thy Saviour's call,
He now is passing by;

He has seen thy grievous thrall,
And heard thy mournful cry.
He has pardon 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,
Pierced with a thousand wounds;
Hark, from each, as with a tongue,
The voice of pardon sounds;
See from all his opened 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.

John Newton, 1725-1807.

COME, sinners, to the gospel-feast;
Let every soul be Jesus' guest.
Not one of you need stay behind;
His gospel calleth to mankind.

2 Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,
Ye wanderers, who are seeking rest;
The poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind,
With Christ a hearty welcome find.

3 The message as from God receive:
Ye all may come to Christ and live:
O let his love your hearts constrain,
Nor suffer him to die in vain.

4 His love is mighty to compel :
His conquering love consent to feel;
Yield to his love's almighty power,
And strive against your God no more.
5 See him set forth before your eyes,
A precious, bleeding sacrifice:
His offered benefits embrace,
And freely now be saved by grace.
6 This is the time, no more delay;
This is the acceptable day:
Come in, this moment, at his call,
And live for him who died for all.
Ch. Wesley, 1708-88.

SINNERS, obey the gospel-word,
Haste to the supper of the Lord:
Be wise to know your gracious day;
All things are ready, come away.

2 Ready the Father is to own
And kiss his late-returning son:
Ready your loving Saviour stands,
And spreads for you his pierced hands.

3 Ready the Spirit to impart
Grace to subdue the stubborn heart,
To shed Christ's love in you abroad,
And witness you are born of God.

4 Ready for you the angels wait,
To triumph in your blest estate:
All heaven is ready to resound,
"The dead's alive, the lost is found."

5 Come, sinners, to your gracious Lord;
Incline your ear, and hear his word :
His offered grace with joy receive;
Hear, sinners, and your souls shall live.
Ch. Wesley, 1708-38.

265.

T. 80.

FROM the cross uplifted high,
Where the Saviour deigns to die,
What melodious sounds I hear,
Bursting on my ravished ear!
Love's redeeming work is done;
Come and welcome, sinner, come.
2 Spread for thee, the festal board
See with richest dainties stored;
To thy Father's bosom pressed,
Now again a child confessed,
Never from his house to roam ;
Come and welcome, sinner, come.
3 Soon the days of life shall end;
Lo, I come, your Saviour, Friend,
Safe your spirit to convey
To the realms of endless day,
Up to my eternal home;
Come and welcome, sinner, come.
Thomas Haweis, 1732-1820.

HO, every one that thirsts, draw nigh! 'Tis God invites man's fallen race: Salvation without money buy,

Buy wine, and milk, and gospel-grace. 2 Come to the living waters, come; Sinners, obey your Maker's call: Return, ye weary wanderers, home, God's grace in Christ is free for all. 3 Ye heavy-laden, sin-sick souls,

See from the Rock a fountain rise: For you in healing streams it rolls

From Jesus, made a sacrifice.

4 Nothing you in exchange need give;
Leave all you are and have behind:
Thankful, the gift of God receive;
Pardon and peace in Jesus find.
5 In search of empty joys below,
Ye toil with unavailing strife.
Whither, ah, whither would ye go?
Christ hath the words of endless life.

6 To you he calls, "My goodness prove: My promises for all are free:

O taste my everlasting love,

And let your souls delight in me."

YE sinners, in the gospel trace
The Friend and Saviour of mankind;
Not one of all the apostate race

But may in him salvation find:
His thoughts, his words & actions prove,
His life, and death,-that God is love.
2 Behold the Lamb of God, who bears
The sins of all the world away:
A servant's form he meekly wears,

He sojourns in a house of clay :
His glory through a veil is seen,
And God with God is man with men.
3 Behold our God incarnate stands,

And calls his wandering creatures home;
He all day long spreads out his hands;
Come, weary souls, to Jesus come:
By sin, by guilt, howe'er oppressed,
Believe, and he will give you rest.
4 Ah, do not of his goodness doubt!
His saving grace for all is free;
He says, "I ne'er will cast him out,
Who as a sinner comes to me;

I can to none myself deny."
Come, sinners, come, why will you die?
Ch. Wesley, 1708-88

O HOW shall I the goodness tell, Saviour, which thou hast shown to me? That I, deserving wrath and hell,

A happy child of God should beShould know, should feel my sins forgiven, And that I am an heir of heaven.

2 Come, O my fellow-sinners, come, Groaning beneath sin's ponderous weight;

He calls you now, invites you home;
Come quickly, ere it be too late :
No need of him the righteous have,
He came the lost to seek and save.

3

For you the healing current flowed From the Redeemer's wounded side; Languished for you the Son of God,

For you the Prince of glory died: Believe, your sins shall be forgiven; Only believe, and yours is heaven. Ch. Wesley, 1708-88 T. 582.

271.

NOW is the accepted time;
Now is the day of grace;

Now, sinners, come, without delay,
And seek the Saviour's face.

2 Now is the accepted time;
The Saviour calls to-day:
To-morrow it may be too late;
Then why should you delay?
3 Now is the accepted time;
The gospel bids you come ;
And every promise in his word
Declares there yet is room.

4 Lord, draw reluctant hearts
To seek the Saviour's love;
Then shall attendant angels bear
The joyful news above.

272.

J. Dobell, 1757-1840.

T. 22.

COME, weary souls, with sin distressed,
Come, and accept the promised rest;
The Saviour's gracious call obey,
And cast your gloomy fears away.

2 Oppressed with guilt, a painful load,
O come, and spread your woes abroad;
Divine compasion, mighty love,
Will all the painful load remove.

NOW begin the heavenly theme;
Praise ye Jesus' saving name;
Ye who Jesus' kindness prove,
Triumph in redeeming love.

2 Ye who see the Father's grace
Beaming in the Saviour's face,
As to heaven ye onward move,
Praise and bless redeeming love.
3 Mourning souls, dry up your tears,
Banish all your guilty fears;
Jesus will your guilt remove,
Prompted by redeeming love.
4 Ye who long, alas, have been
Willing slaves of death and sin,
Now from bliss no longer rove,
Stop and taste redeeming love.
5 Welcome, all by sin oppressed,
Jesus Christ will give you rest;
Nothing brought him from above,
Nothing but redeeming love.
6 Sing, ye ransomed, to his praise;
Tune your songs to grateful lays :
Mortals, join the hosts above,
Join to praise redeeming love.
7 When his Spirit leads us home,
When we to his glory come,
We shall all the fulness prove
Of our Lord's redeeming love.

278.*

T. 132.
JESUS, thou source of every good,
And fountain of salvation,
Behold me bowed beneath the load
Of guilt and condemnation:
My sins indeed are numberless;
O Lord, regard my deep distress,
Reject not my petition.

2 In pity look upon my need,

Remove my sore oppression;
Since thou hast suffered in my stead,
And paid for my transgression,
Let me not yield to dark despair;
A wounded spirit who can bear?
O show me thy salvation.

3 When I review my mis-spent days,
I feel a heavy burden:
Reflecting on my trespasses,

I scarce could hope for pardon;
But should be hopeless and forlorn,
Uncertain where for help to turn,
If I had not thy promise.
4 But thy reviving gospel-word,
That calls me to repentance,
Doth joy unspeakable afford,

Revokes the righteous sentence,
And tells me thou wilt not despise
A broken heart, in sacrifice,

That turns to thee, Lord Jesus.
5 Lord, I approach thy mercy-seat,
And pray thee to forgive me:
With contrite heart, I thee entreat,
Show pity and receive me;
Cast all my sins and trespasses
Into the ocean of thy grace,

And them no more remember.

6 O, for thy name's sake, let me prove
Thy mercy, gracious Saviour:
The yoke which galls me, soon remove,
Restore me to thy favour:
Thy love shed in my heart abroad,
That I may live to thee, my God,
And yield thee true obedience.
B. Ringwaldt, 1531-98.

2 Through thy atoning blood,
That precious healing flood,
Purge off all sin and sadness,
And fill my heart with gladness:
Lord, hear thou my confession,
And blot out my transgression.
3 Lord Jesus Christ, in thee
I trust eternally;

I know I shall not perish,
But in thy kingdom flourish;
Since thou hast death sustained,
Life is for me obtained.

4 Lord, strengthen thou my heart;
To me such grace impart
That nought which may await me
From thee may separate me;
Let me with thee, my Saviour,
United be for ever.

280.*

J. Heermann, 1585-1647.
T. 132.

OUT of the deep I cry to thee,
My God, with heart's contrition:
Bow down thine ear in grace to me,
And hear thou my petition;
For if in judgment thou wilt try
Man's sin and great iniquity,

Ah, who can stand before thee?

2 To gain remission of our sin,
No work of ours availeth;
God's favour we may strive to win,

But all our labour faileth:
We're 'midst our fairest actions lost,
And none 'fore him of aught can boast:
We live alone through mercy.

3 Therefore my hope is in his grace,
And not in my own merit;

On him my confidence I place,
Instructed by his Spirit:

His precious word hath promised me
He will my joy and comfort be:
Thereon is my reliance.

4 Though sin with us doth much abound,
Yet grace still more aboundeth;
Sufficient help in Christ is found,
Where sin most deeply woundeth:
He the good Shepherd is indeed,
Who his lost sheep doth seek and lead
With tender love and pity.

281.*

M. Luther, 1483-1546.
T. 14.

O LORD, afford a sinner light,
For I in darkness stray;
Star of the soul, appear in sight,
And show the narrow way.