vow that whosoever came not up to help the Lord should be put to death Iudg. 21.5 And the men of Iabesh Gilead being found delinquents vers 9. They fell every mother and mothers son none were saved but 400. young Virgins So unworthy a thing was it esteemed not to help the Lord against the mighty Deut. 23.34 There 's an heavie curse layd upon the Ammonites and Moabites vers 3. and why because they help'd not the Lord in his Church they met not his people with bread and water vers 4. But hired Balaam against them Reas 1. Because not to help the Lord in his Churches quarrel s discovers a trayterous and rebellious heart against the Lord and his people And you know treason and falsenes against a King and his leige people how odious and dangerous it is it drawes the weight of the Kings displeasure on the guilty And Christ our King hates treachery as much as any He that is not with me saith Christ is against me Mat. 12.30 And he that is against Christ doth deserve and will not avoid his Curse He whose heart is right accounts Christs cause his owne and cannot choose but be active Want of help discovers then a trayterous heart to Christs Kingdome By the like reason in this present Irish Rebellion if any will not put his hand against the Rebells may we not aswell conclude his heart is with them and so it is trayterous to Gods people and in them to the Lord. Reas 2. He that commeth not to the help of the Lord doth asmuch as in him lyeth expose the Name of God to dishonour and the Church to ruine and so will be Accessorie to all the dishonours of God by the insultation and blasphemie and all that the Church suffereth by the cruelty of their enemies Qui non vetat peccare cum possit jubet he that hinders not when he may commands and he that helps not the Lord hinders not his enemies Here for ought that the Merozites did the Church might have continued under the bondage and crueltie of Iabin King of Canaan and the Lord thereby under reproach and blasphemy Yea Barao and Deborah might have been overthrowne in this service their innocent bloud shed the Tyrants more enraged and God more dishonoured if every man had sit at home like the inhabitants of Meroz And is it not a sinfull and accursed thing not to help the Lord against the mighty Reas 3. He that comes not to the help of the Lord in the quarells of his Church breakes many bonds and engagements We are the work of Gods hands made after his own Image in him we live move and have our being we professe Redemption by him are in league with him and should we desert this Lord what ingratitude were that For Subjects to desert a gracious King in a good cause wherein he will take good care for their indempnitie how vile were it so is the case between us and Christ And is it not an accursed thing not to help the Lord Besides we also neglect the bonds and engagements between us and the Church which are many great and precious Reas 4. Neglect to help the Lord comes from such evill Causes as do discover it to be an accursed sin For whence ariseth it but either from Hypocrisie when our persons are with the Church but our hearts with the enemies Or from prophanenes when men are not affected with the dishonours of God or his Cause as it is like the men of â—abesh Gilead were not Iudg. 21. Or from an heart hardened against the miseries and moanes of the Church Or from carnall feares arising from the enemies greatnesse as it is like it was with the men of Succoth Iudg. 8.6 Or from diffidence of Gods protection All which rootes are of so hatefull a nature to God that he cannot chuse but cast his curse on so foule a sin flowing from them Quest How many wayes may help be afforded to the Lord in his Church Answ Help to be yeelded to the Church is either Spirituall or Temporall Spirituall are Preces lacrymae Prayers and Teares 1. Repentance Lacrymae Teares for sinne The worst enemies of the Church are her Sins Their Sins strengthen their enemies and weaken their friends Dan. 8.12 An Host was given the grand enemy of the Church to cast the truth to the ground and why because of transgression And he practised and prospered See Transgression makes Errour to prevaile against Truth So Isa 59.1 2. Sin weakens Gods hand as it were who is our best friend Hence Psa 78.58 61 c. for the superstition and prophanenes of his people Gods strength is said to be delivered into captivitie and his glory into the enemies hand They then in the first place doe the Church great assistance that help to take a course with Sinne that drowne sinne in the Sea of penitent teares that kill it by mortification For were it not for sinne one would chase a thousand Deut. 32.30 2. Preces Supplication to set God on work God can overcome if he would but stirre but he will not stirre for us unlesse he be set on work by us We must overcome God by our prayers and then we shall overcome by Him Gen. 32. When Esau was comming with an Army against Iacob Iacob staies behinde as is conceived to wrastle with God in prayer and thereby he prevayled with God and so with men See Gen. 32.24 28. Hos 12.4 5. When Israel was fighting with Amalck Moses did so help by holding up his hands that victory depended more on that then on Ioshua's Valour So those that can Pray well are as the Horsemen of Israel and the chariots thereof and help the Lord against the Mighty There is also Temporall help which is either 1. in the purse by gift or loane to support the oppressed or to maintaine the warre For which God will give you opportunity shortly for Ireland Or 2. It may be in person when men are called as Barac Yea Deborah would goe rather then faile And the Princes and Tribes are praysed that offered themselves willingly All may help some of these wayes and some may help in all of them The Cases where in God hath need of help are either of an higher nature as in open murthering warres or of inferiour alloy as when the Christian and Antichristian party are striving in our land like twins in the womb of Rebeccah who shall have the upper hand and advance the Cause they professe Vse 1. To informe us what a Curse this land in generall lieth under which to take off ought to be one speciall work of this day There 's a quarrell this day in Ireland between the limbes of Antichrist and the Lord Iesus in his truth and members And the Lords enemies are mighty if not in their particulars yet in their multitude Insomuch that the Lords flock is driven away and the Lord hath been as I may say put to the worse And have we help'd the
Irelands Advocate OR A SERMON PREACHED AT A PUBLIKE FAST HELD BY Authoritie July the 27. in behalfe of bleeding IRELAND BY John Geree Pastour of Tewkesbury in GLOCESTER-SHIRE 2 Chron. 19.11 Deale couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good Published by Authoritie Printed at Dublin and re-printed at London for William Bladen 1642. TO THE HONOVRABLE Sir John Temple Knight MASTER OF THE ROWLES and One of His Majesties most Honourable Privie COUNCELL SIR THis pious Advocate of ours like the good Samaritan at a dead lift stirred up by God to be so charitable doe I with the more humble boldnesse thus send abroad in your Honours Name that in so great a worke it may help to further Him who to my knowledge much honours it both in Your own Person and honoured good friends in England His own Worth makes him most welcome where ever he is knowne his sweet disposition and great gifts Here where he is a Stranger Your Honours Countenance will ingratiate him to all pious mindes and every where much advantage the Cause that he hath in hand Which I recommend to Gods Blessing together with Your Honours Zeal Praying for more Blessings thereon than to Your Honours many wayes much bounden Servant Joh. Harding Irelands Advocate OR A Sermon preached at a Fast held by Authority July 27. in behalf of bleeding Ireland IUDGES 5.23 Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty THe speciall Occasion of this dayes solemne Assembly is for the People and Cause of God in Ireland Great Might is there raysed against Gods people and so against the Lord. They sue for help to Our dread Soveraign and Parliament Help is spirituall or temporall This latter is restrained to fewer the former belongs to All. Both have their seasons On this day we are assembled by the gracious Command of Authoritie to yeeld our Brethren spirituall help which that we may be earnest and hearty in what can be more moveing then this censure of the Holy Ghost against all that desert God and his Church in the times of grand Opposition Curse ye Meroz c. These words are part of Deborahs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Song of triumph for their victory over Sisera Wherein 1 Chief Glory is ascribed to God as the Author of all the good which they received which is amplified by the greatnes of their miseries before deliverance vers 2.8 2 Due thanks and praise is given to the instruments of this deliverance which is illustrated by their freenes they were all Voluntiers vers 9. c. 3 There 's an expostulation with the Tribes who did not put their helping hands to this work There 's an Action of unkindnesse as it were commenc'd against them And yet because they were not without excuse by reason of distance of place there 's no severe censure denounc'd against them vers 15.16 17. 4 There 's more sharp dealing with Meroz a City it seemes neare who had opportunitie and wanted onely heart to the work so there was either coldnesse or falsenesse and therefore their burthen was heavie as you heare Curse ye i.e. pronounce misery and mischief upon her from God saith the Angel of the Lord that is Barac say some All that are indued with the Spirit of God say others Or what if we understand here the Angell of the Covenant the Redeemer of his Church who appeared to Joshua with a drawn sword as the Churches Deliverer and Avenger Josh 5.13 14 15. whom ever we understand in particular it imports thus much in the generall That this was no â—arnall Curse flowing from any carnall spirit of revenge but dictated by the Spirit of God And as it was not carnall so neither was it rash for it is reiterated and aggravated Curse ye bitterly Let her undergoe the bitterest censure without remorse But what 's the Reason of this so great severitie Were the Merozites persecutors or abettors of the malignant partie No there 's no such intimation But they were not helpfull They went not forth they would be at no cost paines or danger to help the Lord. Why hath the Lord need of help or was the warre against him Answ The warre in as much as it was against the Lords people was against the Lord. And God as in an ordinary way he works by meanes may be sayd to need help that is fit instruments to serve his Providence to effect his pleasure His Church needs help and that is the Lords need And here againe is a rhetoricall repetition or musicall expolition to the help of the Lord against the mighty The Greatnes of the enemies that made help needfull its likely discouraged these faithlesse cowardly Merozites that they pul'd in their hornes as many now adayes doe being afraid to shew themselves in the Lords Causes against the mightie So then here you see 1. A Curse denounc'd 2. The injoyner of it which shewes the Purity and Validity of it The Angel of the Lord. 3. The iteration of it with aggravation Curse ye bitterly shewing the seriousnes and certainty of it 4. The Object Meroz and her inhabitants Vrbs Civitas as though Meroz should be made like Iericho desolated in regard of building and inhabitants unlesse we understand a Metonymie in the first 5. The Cause for not helping the Lord against the mighty I will not now insist upon all the points that this Text holds forth I will not stand to inlarge my self on this That the Churches enemies and battles and needs are the Lords Nor will I stay to show you that the enemies of God and his Church are many times mighty Though points neither unusefull nor impertinent would the time permit the handling of them But being it is now the latter end of the day I shall studie rather to be lively than long and therefore content my self with this one observation Not to yeeld aid to the Lord against the enemies of the Church is a most accursed Sin Doct. This omission exposeth to the severest judgements Iudg. 8.6 7. When Gideon had discomfited the Midianites and was in the pursuite of his victory he and his men waxed faint and he required help from the men of Succoth but they rejected him wherefore they were first threatned and after felt a most fearefull punishment being torne with thornes and bryars of the wildernesse vers 16. to teach them more to respect the Lord in his battles Into the same sin ranne the men of Penuel vers 8.9 And they received answerable misery vers 17. Iudges 20. When such folly was committed on the Levites Concubine and the Tribes were asse nbled to put away sinne from Israel by punishing the sinners which was to be done by Warre because the Benjamites would take upon them the protection of their brethren children of Beliall vers 12.13 14. The children of Israel then vowed a
9. and who shall withdraw You are not now going through mistake against the Lord as in the Scottish expedition Wherein you and we may blesse God and his instruments as David did Abigail 1 Sam. 25.32 33. that prevented shedding of Bloud But you are to goe against Antichristian bloudy unjust filthy barbarous Irish Rebells many of whom have deserved an hundred deaths You cannot fight dye or overcome in a better or more honourable quarrell Now every good Christian will pray Gods blessing on you They will honour you returning prosperous pity and help you and yours suffering It 's next to martyrdome to dye in such a Cause and the most glorious and comfortable Victory to overcome in such a quarrell and therefore let all be incouraged that have a just call with Zebulum and Nephtali Judg. 5.18 to jeopard their lives in the high places of the field because it is to help the Lord against the Mighty Need you any more Motives then this that it is for the Lord Shall I not disparage and displease you if I should think you need further encouragement yet when the Spirit is willing the flesh many times is weake and therefore give me leave to adde a few Considerations more to quicken you to the help of the Lord against the Mighty in Ireland 1 Consider In helping Ireland you help your selves For you cannot or need not be ignorant what Irish Rebells aime at or what they threaten If England help not Irelond then Ireland is utterly undone lost and what will become of England but to be the next bit all our Priviledge will be to be devoured last 2. Consider the forwardnes of the Scots willing of themselves and praying that their help might be accepted as the Macedonians in another case 2 Cor. 8.3.4 May not then the forwardnes of the Scots be made a Motive to Vs to help the Lord in Warre aswell as the Macedonians Example was used by the Apostle to excite the Corinthians to relieve the Saints in want 2 Cor. 8.8 3. Hereby we shall especially manifest our pietie and charitie that to the Lord this to his Church And so we shall much refresh our Brethrens soules and occasion much prayer and thankesgiving to God as the Apostle excellently expresseth the fruit of help and supply to Christ in his members 2 Cor. 9 12 13. All charitie and mercie is precious but that is best where need and misery is most and such is theirs that are under the Oppression of the Mighty 4 Consider what a mercy it is unto Us that it is our part to help Others God might have made it our lot to have needed help Therefore since we are set on the better side shall we not be carefull and cheerfull in dischargeing our dutie 5. Consider how God hath help'd us to ingage us God hath done for England above all the Nations under the Sun Many a time have we been in straits but did God ever leave us in the suds Remember 88. The 5. of November The 4. of Iannary all the Plots and attempts of late yet we live we prevaile we flourish And shall England desert God in the Opposition of the Mightie God forbid Rather let us say with David against the oppositions of carnall Michal 2 Sam. 6.21 It was for the Lord who chose me c. So let us say It s for the Lord who hath chosen us to professe the truth and protected and holpen us so many times therefore by help of his Grace we will be forward answerable too yea with the Macedonians above strength 2 Cor. 8.3 in the help of the Lord against the Mighty 6 Consider the Lords side is the better and the stronger side and therefore help the Lord. Newters you may not be for in this case Newtrality is no better then treachery Good men will take the better wise men will incline to the stronger side If then you would manifest either Goodnesse or Wisedome help the Lord. None can doubt that the Lords side is the better side who is not Atheisticall And by the same faith we may beleeve it the stronger side Those that are on the Lords side may say as Elisha to his man there be more with us then against us 2 King 6.16 With this Hezekiah incouraged his people 2 Chron. 32.7 8. With this Isaiah aforehand insults over the strongest opposition Associate your selves c. and you shall be broken for God is with us Isa 8.8 9. The enemies may sometimes prevaile a while for the humbling and triall of his people and that their own sinnes may be full and ripe But God in his good time will take notice of their rage and put an hook into their nostrils especially being sought as now he is for Ireland And therefore make sure of victory at last Though our enemies were as the Anakims though Pope and Spain c. should bandy together yet so long as we are on the Lords side we may encourage our selves Numb 14. and show Ioshua and Calebs faith that they shall be but bread and spoile for us The blessing of Gad Gen. 49.19 shall be the portion of Ireland Gad a troupe shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last 1 Sam. 4. The Philistines prevayled against the Lord and carried his strength into captivity but see Chapter 5. and 6. could they keep it were they not glad to give glory to God and send it back Thus God will regain his honour in the ruine of his enemies they shall fall before him And then what comfort will it be that we have help'd the Lord what comfort and confidence have they in this Nation who have petition'd and have been against the mighty enemies of Purity and liberty above those that have sided with them Now we see God making his Servants to prevaile and so will it be much joy of heart that we have help'd the Lord against the Mighty in Ireland When God hath returned the captivitie of his people and made his enemies his footstoole be incouraged then to help the Lord against the Mighty in Ireland and every where Because we are this day especially assembled for Ireland therefore I more particularly apply the doctrine to them But you may in your med itations apply it proportionably to Germany to all the Catholiks in our own Nation which are for God to stirre you up to help the Lords side against the Popish by all the meanes you can power or prayers And in our own land our Protestation is an inviolable ingagement I will now adde some Meanes to inable to duty Our hearts may be holpen in this duty by these Meanes following Meanes 1. Let us consider the near Bonds that are between us and the Lords people in reference to whom this help is to be afforded Between Us and All the Lords people there is the bond of one body mysticall and one Spirit One Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Ephes 4.4 5 6.
Lord against the mighty or help'd in any measure considerable in reference to our ability and ingagements Oh no! my brethren I tell you a sad thing not fit to be mentioned but as St. Paul spake of the profanenesse of some Phillipians with teares Our Brethren in Ireland have fled into divers parts not only three months from before their enemies which was one of the great burthens that put David into such a strait 2 Sam. 24.13 but almost twice three moneths now And we have been as the waters that faile Nay as Aegypt that broken reed that did not support but wound those that stayed on her Even so in some respect and degree have we been to them Reade that excellent Speech of one of the Worthies of our Nation the renowned Pim which he had before the Lords at a Conference and you will see confirmed what I say How long have their and our Brethren of Scotland Christianly forgetting the supplies that Ireland rashly offered against them in the day of their calamity truely honourable for that forgetfulnesse How long did they stand offering assistance before it was effectually accepted Was this to help the Lord to delay the help of others Are not our delayes the cause why Ireland may sadly lament before the Rebells as David before Absalom Psal 3.1 2. Lord how are they increased that trouble me Many are they that rise up against me Many are they which say of my soule there is no help for him in God Selah Are not our delayes the causes of those many heart-cutting insultations of the Rebells over the Loyall Where 's your aid from England your hope your God Have we not had a Call from God aswell as Barac and the Princes of Israel Have not their moanes and cryes come in their Petitions to King and Parliament Did not they rely on Vs Are not we ingaged to them and is not the quarrell Religion and so the Cause the Lords Are not we then in Meroz her sin Oh! may not much of the bloud of Ireland and Gods dishonour there be charged on England for want of our comming forth to help the Lord And what shall I doe now make intercession against England as Eliah sometime did against Israel Rom. 11.2 What shall I say now Curse ye England O God forbid We are come together for deprecation of evill and not imprecation But I must tell you or I should not deale faithfully that the Curse of Meroz hangs over England for this till it be bewayled and deprecated Oh then now bewayle this sin pray God to pardon this Omission this day If we truely bewayle it God may make this sinne find out the Actors of it and we may be free but unlesse it be bewayled it 's Englands sinne We have this to comfort Us The King of England cryed haste haste when he was yet in Scotland or els Ireland will be lost The Commons of England offered aid more then Ireland asked within as short a time as could be expected The Petitions from all coasts cryed for speedy help for Ireland This is some cleering of the Nation yet help was not afforded where was the stay Popish Lords and Prelates hearken yee Petitioners for Prelates stayed all in the Lords House So the Lord in Ireland was not help'd against the mighty England did not help though many in England would have holpen the Lord. This sin then is committed in England and will be the sin of England till it be bewayled Oh then above all sins lament this day this desertion of the Lord. What if a forreine enemie had come in all this while where had Ireland been Nay where England Under what guilt and danger Therefore lament this omission Unlesse we do lament it God will not respect our Prayers this day of Intercession If we pray mercy for Ireland yet we shall pray none for our selves This Curse will prevaile against the Blessing Blot it out therefore with Teares of Repentance Vse 2. For Terrour and Reproofe of such as help the mighty against the Lord. They must need be subject to a double curse having double guilt But are there any such Answ Yes Too many and they of divers sorts 1 Those Popish Lords and Prelates and all that malignant party that have laid blocks in the way to hinder help from Ireland hindering thence either men or money Those help'd the Rebells in Ireland Incouraging and strengthening the hearts and hands of those Murtherers and giving them opportunity to act their cruelties and increase their party But greatly discouraging the hearts and weakning the hands of the Lords side of Gods poore people and party there Those therefore are worse then Meroz 2. Those that when help had been long delayed and the House of Commons had discovered the maine cause of the sticking of this and other of Gods causes to be the opposition of the Popish Lords and Prelates in the house of Peers would yet petition for the Prelates and so labour to keep up those that hindered help for Ireland and so did themselves hinder God and help the mighty To say nothing what mightie enemies many of them have been against the Lords Servants and Ordinances in this Nation They were part of the Mightie against Ireland Nor will their plea of not-Petitioning for the evill help here for in this cause they must light a candle to find out a good in their office not to prejudice their persons unlesse they may possibly be thought to be on the Lords side that are justly in durance for Protesting against the Parliament the maine Refuge as things stand both for Ireland and England And therefore Brethren I speak not in passion but compassion Those that have endeavoured to uphold them have help'd the Mighty against the Lord. The onely Plea left is Humiliation and Confession which we in this place have cause to be carefull in this day because notwithstanding our light and profession yet by what meanes you know we have been deep in this transgression Blot out this day this guilt and stayne with penitent teares 3. Those people that goe on impenitently in any crying sinnes Drunkennes whoring swearing c. Those Magistrates that protect and countenance sinners Whores Drunkards Sodomites Murtherers c. These help the Mighty Our sinnes strengthen our enemies weaken our friends as we have shewed from Dan. 8.12 Isa 59.1 2. Therefore sinners that repent not help the Mighty against the Lord. Sinnes make God as a Mighty man that cannot save as appeares by Jeremyes complaint Cap. 14. Quest Why shouldst thou be as a Mighty man that cannot save and Gods reply vers 10. Thus have they loved to wander Therefore the Lord doth not accept them As holy Prayer doth hold Gods hands that he cannot strike Exod. 32.10 Let me alone So foule sins hold him that he cannot help He is burthened with our sinnes Amos 2.13 14. Good Magistrates by punishing sinne save the Lords flock as Phinchas did and then those that protect evill