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
make them a prey Now those that bring spirituall or temporall weakenings help the Mighty against the Lord. Oh consider this To be more guilty then Meroz deeper under Gods Curse then they what an evill thing and bitter is this Oh lay it to heart and repent Vse 3. To reprove those that help not the Lord against the Mighty enemies in Ireland or elsewhere That help not spiritually or temporally For Temporall help to Ireland we have had yet but little opportunity And therefore I shall more presse our defect of spirituall help They then are reproveable that labour not to kill their own sins The Sinnes of Ireland and England these are the greatest enemies and our Repentance is their death It was never said that the Lords hand was shortned that it could not help Isa 59.1 2. in regard of the strength rage or plots of enemies but in regard of the sinnes of the Church They then that suffer sin to live and sway help not against the most dangerous enemie Is not it help to disarme Enemies the sting of sinnes is their guilt which repentance takes off and so disarmes them they can doe no more hurt Will you suffer then a sting in the hand of the Lords enemies You then that repent not of Personall and Nationall Sinnes especially the growth and countenancing of Popery which hath given Papists advantage to rise up arme and plot against us and may move God to sell us into their hands you I say help not the Lord. You also that play not the Jacobs striving with God in Prayer for Ireland You that have not held up your hands with Moses against Irish Amalekites You that have not with Nehemiah fasted and prayed nor journeyed neither for the Church of God you have not yeelded all that help to the Lord which was within your sphaere You are guiltie of that sin that holy Samuel put an absit a God forbid upon 1 Sam. 12.23 God forbid that I should cease praying for you Hearken to this all ye that have not counted Germane and especially Irish misery a just Occasion of humbling and praying you have not help'd the Lord and how will you avoid Meroz Curse Oh then see your sinne in this and repent yea cary this home to your Neighbours that would not set this day apart nor here afford their presence Tell them I say that this was a day appointed for the help of the Lord against the Mighty and they not coming forth to it they are surely and justly under Meroz Curse presse them therefore to feare repent and reforme so foule so dangerous a neglect Vse 4. To presse all upon all occasions in all wayes to help the Lord against the mightie Should we not fly all sinne but especially such as be Crying as this is Should you not feare and avoid the Curse of God especially such a bitter one then help the Lord. Would you not be found false in the Brotherly Covenant with the Church Amos 1.9 nor treacherous to the Lord Christ then help the Lord. What are you when your day comes without the Lords help With what face can you expect or challenge help from God when you have deserted him Oh then help the Lord against the Mighty with all manner of help within your power 1 Yeeld spirituall help by Repentance disarming and killing sin and by Prayer awakening setting God on work This day is set apart for this purpose think not much with it though a Market day if it be imployed in humbling and prayer it will be better in regard of soule and safetie then a fayre-Fayre-day Improve then this day for the bewayling of thine owne sins and the sinnes of others Pray God for the pardon of Englands and Irelands sinnes to sanctifie their sufferings and tryalls for refining that sinne this day may be vanquish'd and then the work is the better-half done Play the Israelites this day deserve the title of the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 by wrastling this day even to prevayling over God Take from him the burthen of your sinnes Jer. 14.9 Psal 62.11 that make him as a man that cannot save Oh if you thus behave your selves God will be grieved for you and deliver you Power belongs to God His will over-rules all and this is the way to rule with our God If the work be not done this day other Fast dayes will succeed and when they come remember then that they are part a chief part of the help of the Lord against the Mighty See you doe not dare to be weary of them or neglect them for feare of the Curse of Meroz 2. Help the Lord with your purses You will be called on ere long for gift or loan to Ireland Remember when that comes it is to help the Lord against the Mighty And then can you dare you be sparing Is it not the Lord that gives all keepes all blesseth all and can blast all or take away all and dare you be hand-bound If you look no higher then poore Ireland you know what the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 3.17 He that hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion how dwelleth the love of God in him Would not this move you But it 's to help the Lord in Ireland against the Mighty Will you not be glad of an Opportunity to expresse Bounty It s the Lord who hath not made you Proprietaries but Stewards of what you have that calls now to you to lay out for him in Ireland Can you be slack and not unfaithfull We reade 1 Chron. 29. of a voluntary Contribution and it was a mighty one and when it was effected the people rejoyced and especially David and blessed God most affectionately that gave them first substance and then hearts to offer Now there 's as much Necessity in this offering as Excellency in that and should not we be as forward as they Reade and studie that Chapter and it will enlarge your hearts or fill your faces with blushing by your forwardnes in this to give your Soveraign and Parliament occasion to rejoyce in you to blesse God for you as they did to David Nay you of this place have one peculiar way of helping your Brethren in Ireland without hurt it may be with benefit to your selves For behold here an Ordinance of Parliament for such as carry any provision into divers ports of Ireland to receive their mony for it in convenient time out of the Chamber of London And therefore let this incline you to traffique that way to help your Brethren in want and your selves at once 3. Help with your Persons You that are prest or may be prest or may have friends in that service see it is to help the Lord our great Soveraigne our best friend He is in distresse in Ireland in his members withdraw not goe cheerfully doe valiantly You see rather then the Lord should be deserted Deborah a woman would goe forth to Warre Judg. 4.8
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.