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A42655
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Irelands advocate: or, a sermon preached at a publike fast held by authorie, July the 27. in behalfe of bleeding Ireland. By John Geree, pastour of Tewkesbury, in Glocester-Shire. Published by authoritie.
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Geree, John, 1601?-1649.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing G596A; ESTC R223673
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15,404
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25
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We all are of the same City the heavenly Jerusalem of the same houshold the houshold of Faith and Brethren in that houshold Ephes 2.19 But the oppressed in Ireland are also under the same King of the same Nation and many of them of our deare friends and allies Will not so many bonds duely pondered draw help from us Undoubtedly they will If one be opprest that is neare of kin to us doe we not count it a shame to let him be trampled upon and we not help him If we be what we professe shall not Spirituall ingagements excite us aswell as civill and naturall 2. We must labour to get a sympathizing heart an heart moved with compassion to their misery a thing expressely required Rom. 12.15 Nehem. 1.3 4. We shall find Nehemiah first inquiring after the state of the Church then sympathizing and compassionating whence flowed first the Spirituall aid of Fasting and Prayer vers 4. to the end of the Chapter and then civill help with the expence and trouble of a long journey and other costly tedious and couragious endeavours as largely appeares in the sequell of the story in Chapters 2.3 4 5 6 7. Compassion is the root of all relief That moves the heart and she commands in chief Oh then labour to have sympathy in your hearts and you will help the Lord in his members And my Beloved if you would but a little consider Ireland you would see in them all Motives of Compassion so concurrent that your hearts cannot chuse but be moved for them Things that move Pitie are 1. Arist Rhet. lib. 2. ca. 10. some things in the evills suffered as when they are saith the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destructory as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers kinds of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthy beatings of the body such as St. Paul met with 2 Cor. 11.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deforming or dismembring the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be deprived of friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be pluck'd from friends familiars is pitifull Now which of these is wanting in Ireland Nay which is not there to be found in the superlative degree They are destroyed heapes upon heapes and many times with fearefull kindes of death hang'd starved with cold famish'd to death and what not So that Ireland may complaine with Israel Psal 79.2 3. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of heaven the flesh of thy Saints to the beasts of the earth Their bloud have they shed like water round about Ierusalem Their bodies likewise are somtimes disdainfully beaten somtimes dismembred and which is more disgracefull and miserable the virgins and women are ravish'd by barbarous villaines and daughters of the Nobilitie and Gentrie of best account and some Wives too forced to be married to them For losse of friends it is in the highest degree They are pull'd one from another to be slaughtered before their eyes yea the Infants pull'd out of their mothers belly to be murthered in a cruell manner with them And how can they be free from famine being so many driven from house and home strip'd not onely of sustenance but vestments And this to have been in the Winter Mat. 24.20 an aggravating circumstance which our Saviour taught the lewes to pray against when darkenesse cold bogs water frost and snow increase the danger discomfort of such naked flight Can any heart chuse but be moved with compassion at such sufferings If they should may not Ireland justly renew the Complaint Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Lam. 1.12 2. Pity is moved by consideration of the parties suffering where two things chiefly move pity one as they are considered in themselves the other with reslexion on us 1. In themselves indignity doth move pity when such suffer as it is not meet should suffer as if godly men and women and godly Ministers suffer so when the Antients and Infants suffer Hence the Prophet in the Lamentations labours to move pity Lam. 4.7 8. 5.11 12 13. and doth not this circumstance concurre to move pity to Ireland Are not they most subject to misery that are Protestant's and will not renounce their Religion Are not the best Ministers and best people worst used There also neither have the young been spared nor the Antient honoured nor the Honourable respected 2. If you consider them with reflexion on our selves and there two circumstances chiesly move pity 1. Vnity 2. Parity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Familiars When there is nearnesse and when men are of the same condition How neare they are in bonds to us hath been formerly shewed and there be amongst them to suit the conditions of every one of us to move virgines to pity virgines have suffered rapes and violence to move wives to pity They are moved with pity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist ubi supr they may heare the miseries of wives in the losse of husbands suffering hainous things before their faces so Fathers sufferings may work on Fathers Childrens suffering on childrens for they may reslect this might this may be my case 3. Consider the Parties that be apt and should be most moved to pity and you shall see something in that to move pity There be chiefly three sorts of people that should be compassionate 1. They that have had experience of evill 2. Those that are sensible of their own infirmity and danger 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are instructed because able to judge of misery Now doe not all these call on us for sympathy who have escaped lately if not the feeling yet the feare of such dangers having had not long since two Armies in our Nation and many Plots against it And doe we not know how subject we are to the like Have not we as the Prophet said sinnes also amongst us 2 Chron. 28 10. yea and Papists too and discontented spirits likewise And hath not God afforded us ingenuous breeding to judge aright of things you see then as sympathy will produce help so how sympathy may be wrought in us for Irelands present misery 3. Labour to stirre up in you zeale and love to the Lord. For where that is what will we not doe where the Lord is ingaged this will constraine us with St. Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 15. 2 Sam. 6.21 22. to give our selves to any thing wherein we may serve him It 's the Lord saith David to whom I am thus and thus ingaged therefore he would doe more and more And thus will zeale to God work on us 4 Adde to these Faith and Courage Mighty enemies are apt to stirre carnall feares which must be cured ere we can put to our hands by Faith we must apprehend Gods assistance and thereby cure feares grow Couragious and then we will own and help the Lord. Vse 5. Then hence last of all it will follow that they are Blest that help the Lord against the Mighty They doe not only avoid a blot and a Curse but get honour and a blessing God out of his graciousnesse is more ready to Blesse then Curse So Iudg. 5.9 24. The Princes are honoured that offered themselves willingly and Jael is pronounced blessed above women for putting her hand to the nayle and so it is now Blessed then be our Gracious Soveraigne that hath so often and earnestly called for help to the Lord in Ireland and now at last manifested increase of goodnesse in offering his own Person willingly to help the Lord in his bleeding Church if the Parliament shall think fit but they wil more tender the light of Israel that it be not quench'd Blessed be the House of Commons that have offered so largely and been so studious to further help to the Lord And blessed be the Noble Peers who have joyned with them in so good a work Blessed be the Royall City who have been so forward with their Petitions and Purses to afford this help yea Blessed be they and the Shires near who might and did offer themselves willingly not only to Petition for Ireland but to help the Lord in his Worthies of Parliament against the Plotters nearer hand Blessed be they that give or lend liberally for the Lords assistance Blessed be our Soveraign that religiously cōmanded and All you that have religioussy observed this day of Humiliation to help the Lord against the Mighty in Ireland Blessed I say be all the Lords helpers in their names estates bodies soules now and for evermore Amen! Amen! FINIS
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.