Time Is Earnest

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.