A Carol for Christmas Eve.
1.
THE Lord at first did Adam make
Out of the dust and clay,
And in his nostrils breathèd life,
E’en as the Scriptures say.
And then in Eden’s Paradise
He placèd him to dwell,
That he within it should remain,
To dress and keep it well.
Now let good Christians all begin
A holy life to live,
And to rejoice and merry be,
For this is Christmas Eve.
2.
And thus within the garden he
Commanded was to stay;
And unto him in commandment
These words the Lord did say,
“The fruit that in the garden grows
To thee shall be for meat,
Except the tree in midst thereof,
Of which thou shalt not eat.”
Now let good Christians, etc.
3.
“For in that day thou dost it touch,
Or dost it then come nigh,
And if that thou dost eat thereof,
Then thou shalt surely die.”
But Adam he did take no heed
To that same holy thing,
But did transgress God’s holy laws,
And sore was wrapp’d in sin.
Now let good Christians all begin
A holy life to live,
And to rejoice and merry be,
For this is Christmas Eve.
4.
Now mark the goodness of the Lord,
Which He to mankind bore;
His mercy soon He did extend
Lost man for to restore;
And then, for to redeem our souls
From death, and hell, and thrall,
He said His own dear Son should come
The Saviour of us all.
Now let good Christians, etc.
5.
And now the tide is nigh at hand
In which our Saviour came,
Let us rejoice and merry be
In keeping of the same.
Let’s feed the poor and hungry sort,
And such as do it crave;
And when we die, in Heaven be sure
Our reward we shall have.
Now let good Christians, etc.
