Englands Gentle Admonition: OR, A Warning-Piece to all Sinners.  

From hateful Pride see thou thy heart keep clear,  
From Covetousness Instruct thy Brother dear;  
In Innocent Blood be sure thou have no hand,  
The Holy Scriptures the same doth us command.   
The Tune is, Poor Toms Progress: Or, John Dory sold his ambling Nag for Kick-shaws.  By Thomas Robins, a Well-wisher to the Church of England. 


Sin causeth Righteous be killed in the Gates.   

GOod People all I pray draw near,  
And to these Lines a while give ear;  
For I purpose now to declare  
poor Englands Misery:  
And the true cause of these our Woes,  
I unto you will here disclose,  
The Lord Convert poor Englands Foes  
from Envy.   

But many are now so Wicked grown,  
The Scriptures true they will not own;  
For Charity is little shown  
in these our Sinful Days:  
That the Poor in streets may starve and die  
Yet Wicked Pride is mounted high,  
And poor content doth a bleeding lie,  
more pitty.   

But Extortion bears so great a sway,  
It brings all Trading to Decay;  
Which makes the Poor cry out and say  
have pitty Lord with speed:  
Both Rich and Poor we all do cry  
To thee O Lord, that sits on High,  
Defend us from Blood Tyranny,  
in Mercy.   

The Gospel pure O Lord defend,  
We have none else to stand our Friend;  
Therefore thy helping hand down sand,  
that it may flourish still:  
In spite of Jew, of Turk or Pope,  
O Lord in thee is all our hope,  
To let the Gospel have full Scope  
in England,   

That neither Pagan, Turk or Jew,  
Or any of their Wicked Crew,  
Have Power our Kingdom to subdue,  
but stand in our defence:  
Forsake us not in our distress,  
But pardon Lord our Wickedness,  
And turn us Lord as thou thinks best  
in Mercy.    

The Second Part,  
To the same Tune.  

For too many have we in this Land,  
That plays their Game so under hand;  
It is hard for all to understand  
the full intent they have  
To bring us all to grief and woe,  
Church-Government to overthrow,  
O Lord above thy Mercy show  
to England.   

It is hateful Pride and deadly Sin,  
Which daily we do all run in,  
God doth these judgements on us bring,  
as a Warning-piece to all:  
Therefore let all good Christians pray,  
unto the Lord both Night and Day,  
That he would turn his Wrath away  
from England.   

What hateful Sin can any name,  
Is not in England to our shane,  
A daily practise made in famed,  
yet few doth strive to mend:  
If God do not us Mercy show,  
But down his judgements on us throw,  
When it is too late we all shall know  
our Folly.   

So many Sects now in England are,  
We all stand need to have a care,  
That we be not catched within the Snare  
of that Rebellious Crew:  
That would both King and State destroy,  
The Church and England to annoy,  
But God I hope will turn their joy  
to Mourning.   

The Innocent blood God would defend,  
If we would our sinful Lives but mend,  
And Night and Day on God attend,  
by Prayer we may obtain  
What ever we desire to have,  
What Tongue can speak or heart can crave,  
If we repent we may receive  
his Mercy.   

The Lord preserve our gracious King,  
And rule his heart in every thing,  
And at the last to Heaven him bring,  
where Glorious Angels be:  
The Commonalty O Lord defend,  
Convert us Lord our Lives to mend,  
That we may make a faithful End,  
unto thee.     

Here followeth the Authors Advice to all true Christians, to desire them that these my Lines may be no offence unto them, but rather take it as a gentle Admonition; for we cannot instruct one another too much in these sad times, for we do not know how soon the Judgement of God will fall upon us, for the Lord hath given us a fair Warning to amend our sinful Lives, by his mercy in staying the hands of those cruel people, which by relation had an intent to destroy so much Innocent Blood: Which the Lord of his Mercy forgive them: And I desire that we may all desire the Lord to forgive them; for if we look to be forgiven, we ought to forgive, remember the Lords Prayer. But indeed the truth is, we be all axcessary to it; for it is our Sins that hath brought it on us, for there is not any sin that man can name, but it is committed in England, therefore how should we go unpunished: And so I conclude, desiring the Lord of his mercy to give us all Grace to amend our sinful Lives, and in the conclusion always to say with the Publycan, Lord have mercy on me a sinner: Amen.   

Printed for F. coals, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. clerk.