The Sinners Redemption

Wherein is described the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ; Together with his Life on the Earth, and precious death on the Cross for Mankind.

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional
See: All You That Are To Mirth Inclined - Notes

To the Tune of, The Bleeding Heart.

Printed for J. Clarke, W. Thackery, and T. Passinger, ca 1684-1686.

From The Pepys Collection, The Sinners Redemption, #2.29

Source: The English Broadside Ballad Archive, University of California at Santa Barbara, Department of English, Director: Patricia Fumerton; EBBA ID: 20652.

ALL you that are to mirth inclin'd,
Consider well and bear in mind,
What our good God for us hath done,
In sending his beloved son.

Let all your Songs and praises be,
Unto his Heavenly Majesty;
And evermore amongst your mirth,
Remember Christ our Saviours birth.

The five and twentieth of December,
Good cause we have for to remember,
In Bethelem upon this morn,
There was our blest Messias born.

The night before that happy tide,
The spotless Virgin and her guide,
Were long time seeking up and down,
To find them lodging in the town.

And mark how all things came to pass,
The Inns and Lodgins filled was,
That they could have no room at all,
But in a silly Oxes stall.

This night the Virgin Mary mild,
Was safe delivered of a Child:
According unto Heavens decree,
Mans sweet salvation for to be.

Near Bethelem did Shepherds keep
Their herds and flocks of feeding sheep,
To whom Gods Angel did appear,
Which put the Shepherds in great fear.

Prepare and go the Angel said,
To Bethelem, be not afraid,
There shall you find this blessed morn,
The Princely Babe sweet Jesus Born.

WIth thankful hearts & joyful mind
the shepherds went this babe to find
And as the Heavenly Angel told,
They did our saviour Christ behold.

Within a manger was he laid,
The Virgin Mary by him staid,
Attending on the Lord of life,
Being both Mother, Maid, and Wife.

Three Eastern wise-men from afar,
Directed by a glorious star,
Came boldly on, and made no stay
Until they came where Jesus lay.

And being come unto the place,
Whereas the blest Mesias was;
They humbly laid before his feet,
Their gifts of gold and odour sweet.

See how the Lord of Heaven and earth,
Shew'd himself lowly in his Birth,
A sweet example for mankind,
To learn to bear an humble mind.

No costly Robes nor rich attire,
Did Jesus Christ our Lord desire,
No musick nor sweet harmony,
Till glorious Angels from on high

Did in melodious manner sing
Praises unto our heavenly King,
All honour, glory, might and power,
Be unto Christ our Saviour.

If Quires of Angels did rejoyce,
Well may mankind with heart and voice
Sing praises to the God of Heaven,
That unto us his son has given,

Moreover let us every one,
Call unto mind and think upon
His Righteous life, and how he dy'd,
To have poor sinners justified.

Suppose O man that thou should'st lye,
In Prison strong condemn'd to dye,
And that no friend upon the earth
Could ransome thee from cruel death.

Except thou can some party find,
That for thy sake will be so kind,
His owo hearts blood for to dispence;
And loose his life in thy defence.

Such was the love of Christ when we,
Were lost to Hell perpetualy;
To save them from the gulph of woe,
Himself much pain did undergo.

Whilst in this world he did remain,
He never spent one hour in vain,
In fasting and in prayer divine,
He daily spent away the time.

He in the Temple daily taught,
And many wonders strange he wrought,
He gave the blind their perfect sight,
And made the Lame to go upright.

He cur'd the Leaper of their evils,
And by his power he cast out Devils,
He raised Lazarus from the grave,
And to the sick their health he gave.

But yet for all these wonders wrought,
The Jews his dire destruction sought,
The Traytor Judas was the man,
That with a kiss betray'd him then.

Then was he led to Justice Hall,
Like one despis'd amongst them all,
And had the sentence given that he,
Should suffer death upon a Tree.

Unto the Execution place,
they brought him on with much disgrace,
With vild reproachful taunts and storns,
they crown'd him with a wreath of thorns

Then to the cross through hands & feet
They nail'd our blest Redeemer sweet,
And further to augment his smart,
With bloody spear they pierc'd his heart

Thus have you seen and heard aright,
The love of Christ the Lord of life,
And how he shed his precious blood,
Only to do us Sinners good.

Note:

An MP3 of this ballad is available at the EBBA, The Sinners Redemption-Recording.

Total verses = 28 (the same as the three Roxburghe ballads).

Editor's Note: There are a number of carols on this website with similar titles or lyrical themes, and some of which are derived from a single source. See: All You That Are To Mirth Inclined - Notes.

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