XXVIII.

THE Lord at first had Adam made

Out of the dust and clay,

And in his nostrils breathed life,

E’en as the Scriptures say;

And then in Eden’s Paradise

He placed him to dwell,

That he within it should remain,

To dress and keep it well.

Now let good Christians all begin

An holy life to live,

And to rejoice and merry be,

For this is Christmas Eve.

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 the midst thereof,

Of which thou shalt not eat.

Now let good, &c.

“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 only thing,

But did transgress God’s holy laws,

And sore was wrapp’d in sin.

Now let good, &c.

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, &c.

Which promise now is brought to pass,

Christians believe it well,

And by the coming of God’s Son,

We are redeem’d from hell.

And if we truly do believe,

And do the thing that’s right,

Then by His merits we at last

Shall live in Heaven bright.

Now let good, &c.

Now, for the benefits that we

Enjoy from Heaven above,

Let us renounce all wickedness,

And live in perfect love.

Then shall we do Christ’s own command,

Even his written word;

And when we die, in Heaven we shall

Enjoy our living Lord.

Now let good, &c.

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, &c.