Ah! woe is me, constrain'd to dwell

Verse 1
Ah! Woe is me, constrain’d to dwell
Among the sons of night, (I Thess. 5:4-5)
Poor sinners dropping into hell,
Who hate the gospel-light. (John 3:19-20)

Verse 2
Wild as the untam’d Arab’s race (Gen. 16:12)
Who from their Saviour fly,
And trample on his pard’ning grace, (Heb. 10:29)
And all his threats defy. (Psalm 2:1-6)

Verse 3
Yet here alas! In pain I live,
Where Satan keeps his seat, (Rev. 2:13)
And day by day for those I grieve
Who will to sin submit. (John 8:34, Rom. 6:16-22)

Verse 4
With gushing eyes their deeds I see,
Shut up in Sodom I, (Gen. 19:1-29, II Pet. 2:7-8)
And ask with him who ransom’d me, (I Tim. 2:6)
“Why will ye sin and die?” (Ezek. 18:31, Ezek. 33:11)

Verse 5
Jesus, Redeemer of mankind,
Display thy saving power, (Rom. 1:16)
Thy mercy let these out-casts find, (Matt. 18:11, Luke 19:10)
And know their gracious hour.

Verse 6
Ah! Give them, Lord, a longer space,
Nor suddenly consume,
But let them take the proffer’d grace, (II Pet. 3:9)
And flee the wrath to come. (Matt. 3:7, Luke 3:7)

Verse 7
O wouldst thou cast a pitying look (Matt. 9:36, Matt. 14:14, Mark 6:34)
(All goodness as thou art)
Like that which faithless Peter’s broke, (Luke 22:61-62)
Or my obdurate heart. (Ezek. 36:26)

Verse 8
Who thee beneath their feet have trod, (Heb. 10:29)
And crucified afresh, (Heb. 6:6)
Touch with thine all-victorious blood, (I John 1:7)
And turn the stone to flesh. (Ezek. 36:26)

Verse 9
Open their eyes, and ears to see (Acts 26:18, Isa. 35:5)
Thy cross, to hear thy cries: (Mark 15:34)
Sinner, thy Saviour weeps for thee, (Luke 19:41)
For thee he weeps, and dies.

Verse 10
All the day long he meekly stands
His rebels to receive,
And shews his wounds, and spreads his hands, (John 20:24-29, Is. 65:2)
And bids you turn and live. (Ezek. 18:23, Ezek. 18:32)

Verse 11
Turn, and your sins of deepest die [dye]
He will with blood efface, (I John 1:7, Isa. 1:18, Rev. 1:5, Heb. 9:14)
Ev’n now he waits his blood t’ apply;
Be sav’d, be sav’d by grace. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Verse 12
Be sav’d from hell, from sin, and fear:
He speaks you now forgiven,
Walk before God, be perfect here, (Gen. 17:1, Matt. 5:48)
And then come up to heaven.