Time is ear­nest, pass­ing by;
Death is earn­est, draw­ing nigh.
Sinner! wilt thou trif­ling be?
Time and death ap­peal to thee.

Life is ear­nest; when ’tis o’er
Thou re­turn­est ne­ver­more.
Soon to meet eter­ni­ty,
Wilt thou ne­ver se­ri­ous be?

Heav’n is ear­nest; so­lemn­ly
Float its voic­es down to thee.
Oh, thou mor­tal, art thou gay,
Sporting through thine earth­ly day?

Hell is ear­nest; fierc­ely roll
Burning bil­lows near thy soul.
Woe for thee! if thou abide
Unredeemed, un­sanc­ti­fied!

God is ear­nest: kneel and pray,
Ere thy sea­son pass away—
Ere He set His judg­ment throne,
Vengeance rea­dy, mer­cy gone.

Christ is ear­nest, bids thee Come!
Paid thy spi­rit’s price­less sum.
Wilt thou spurn the Sav­ior’s love,
Pleading with thee from above?

Thou re­fus­est! wretch­ed one!
Thou de­spis­est God’s dear Son!
Madness! dy­ing sin­ner, turn!
Lest His wrath with­in thee burn.

When thy plea­sures all de­part
What will soothe thy faint­ing heart?
Friendless, de­so­late, alone,
Entering a world un­known.

Oh, be earnest! loi­ter­ing
Thou wilt per­ish: lin­ger­ing
Be no long­er—rise and flee;
Lo! thy Sav­ior waits for thee.