Come simple, come gentle, your sing-song give o'er,
And let us for once be combin'd,
On this happy day, our dear Lord to adore,
And bear our Redeemer in mind.

When first our Creator the protoplasts made,
In Eden the couple he plac'd,
Where o'er the whole garden at pleasure they stray'd
And pluck'd ev'ry fruit to their taste.

The fiend, when their happy estate he perceiv'd,
How loving they walk'd o'er the plain,
Whilst all that they wanted or wish'd, they receiv'd,
Without any labour, or pain -

To Eden soon came with the cursed design
Poor Eve, as the weaker, to hook,
And thus he began her obedience to mine,
But of Adam no notice then took.

'Did you taste but a bit of the fruit of the tree,
Which now you're forbidden to eat,
Your eyes wou'd be op'd, and like gods you wou'd be
Its pow'rs and effects are so great!'

The apple she pluck'd, and a morsel she bit,
Nor did Adam, to taste it, refrain:
When, alas! (for us all, how unhappy was it?)
Their pleasure was soon turn'd to pain.

Thus they, thro' their pride, both obnoxious became
To the pains to such crimes justly due,
And we, their descendants, all merit the same,
So close we their footsteps pursue.

When our righteous Judge saw that so hard was our fate
And that we, thro' mere weakness, were spent;
He gave us, in pity to our sad estate,
Christ - to aid us where ever we went.

Our Saviour was born, as on this blessed morn,
And low in a manger was laid -
A morn, that in mind shou'd for ever be borne,
Which brought us so needful an aid!

Two natures in him, without mixture, are join'd,
(A truth, we shou'd always profess!)
The Godhead and manhood in him are combin'd,
As we by our creed do confess.

His Godhead is equal to that of his Sire,
As we from his pow'r may perceive;
His manhood does not so sublimely aspire,
As we from the scriptures believe.

Then was not God's love, all expression above,
To us such a Saviour who gave,
As like us was man (as the scriptures all prove)
In all things, if sin you do save.

When ready to sink, and just on the brink
Of the pit, where the damn'd ever mourn,
In unspeakable pains, fast bound in sin's chains,
Without any hopes of retur,

He us freely bail'd, and our covenants seal'd,
He only, his Sire cou'd appease,
From woe he us brought, and our freedom he bought,
He health gave, which never shall cease.

Not gold of the best, nor the wealth of the East,
The Deity's pardon cou'd buy :
But the Son he lov'd best, the God-and-Man blest :
Let's all to this advocate fly.

By him God was pleas'd, and by him was appeas'd,
And, without him, no pleasure cou'd take;
Thro' him, in each grief, he will grant us relief,
And hear each petition we make.

Himself, man to save, a pure victim he gave,
Lest to Satan a prey we shou'd fall,
Whose head he made feel the full weight of his heel;
But sav'd his own followers all.

Tho' our good works were more than the sand on the shore,
And Arithmetic's pow'rs did exceed,
For want of true faith (as our article saith)
There's the nature of sin in each deed.

We comfort receive through faith, and believe,
That, through faith, we are sav'd from our foes:
By grace, and thro' faith, as St. Paul himself saith,
'Tis that God for his friends has us chose.

No victim he sought from man for each fault,
(Although he was treated so ill)
But a spirit contrite, and a heart pure and right :
To hear him, then come with good will!

By faith we shall have, whatever we crave,
Nor is there a thing that we want,
But we shall receive, if in Christ we believe;
Since he what he pleases, can grant.

Thro' faith in the Blood of our Saviour, thus good,
Our crimes shall be wash'd quite away,
When we must give in an account of each sin,
Before our Creator, one day.

Then put on your best, and be decently drest,
In clothes fit for bride-folks to wear,
E'er to heaven you go, where there is no woe,
When there you're oblig'd to appear.

Like saints be prepar'd, and be still on your guard,
With oil in your lamps in good store;
Lest the bridegroom shou'd come unexpectedly home,
And suddenly knock at the door.

With alacrity still, as you're bound, do God's will,
E'er the day of Salvation is o'er,
E'er a wide-spreading gloom shall the sun overcome,
And you cannot work any more.

Then watch night and day, and most earnestly pray,
That God may be still your defence:
For the time is now near, as the scriptures declare,
When we must depart all from hence.

Be in charity still, 'tis your Maker's dread will,
And you shall a kingdom receive,
Where you shall have ease, mirth, pleasure, and peace,
And joys, that no heart can conceive.

No sickness shall there, nor yet sorrow, appear,
No poverty, care, nor distress;
But the sound of the lyre, with the heavenly quire,
And bliss, which no tongue can express.

I warn you then all, be you great, be you small,
To pray from the ground of your heart,
That God, in pow'r great, and with mercies replete,
May bring you there, when you depart.