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Rev. Seth Whittle,
Rector of St Tida's in Bellaghy was one of the key leaders in
Londonderry
during the 1689 siege by the forces loyal to the deposed King James
Seth Whittle,
rector of St Tida's in Bellaghy, preached a sermon before the garrison
in the extremity of the siege, taking as his text, "For behold, I have
made thee this day a defended city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls
against the whole land, against the priests thereof, and against the
people of the land. And they shall fight against thee, but they shall
not prevail against thee, for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver
thee." (Jeremiah, 18-19). Applying the text to the circumstances in
which the garrison found themselves shortly before the relief came the
preacher said;
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"We have been
surrounded in this poor city for divers months, beleagured by a
multitude of merciless and implacable enemies, opposed to danger,
without ceasing or intermission; we have been deserted by those who came
to our relief; tempted by parlies, and spacious terms of capitulation;
undermined by treacherous contrivances among ourselves; exercised with
all the varieties of terror and amazement; the small shot has hath
poured upon us like a shower of hail, the great guns, like thunder, have
shaken our walls; and the bombs like lightening have ruined our houses;
we have seen death in all its horrible shapes, and we are every moment
entertained with spectacles of misery and mortality; sickness and
disease are entered within our Gates; and pale famine is visible in
every countenance; the fond mother hath not a morsel of bread to appease
the languishing cry of her starved infant; the grateful son hath not the
wherewithal to sustain his aged parent; and friend looks upon another,
and sees his misery but cannot prevent a lingering death; he that
formerly had his table covered with variety of dishes knows not where to
satisfy nature with one wholesome bit; we cannot refresh ourselves with
such scraps and morsels as we formerly allowed to our dogs; nay, we are
constrained to eat of such things as at another time nature would
nauseate and abhor."
" Nevertheless,
God has made us this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen
walls against the whole land . . . we are to expect the utmost trials
that their hatred can inflame and prompt them to. But let this be your
comfort, though they shall fight against us, they shall not prevail
against us. For the Lord is with us, the Lord is on our side, we will
not fear what man can do unto us. Let them trust in princes and boast
of their horses, but we will put our trust in the Lord."
"Wherefore, my
beloved, let me exhort you to be steadfast in your duty, to be
importunate to God in your prayers, to cast your care upon Him, with
lively hope, and well grounded Faith, to rouse up your wonted courage,
to arm yourselves with your accustomed resolutions, to fall upon the
enemies of God and religion, the destroyer of your estates and country,
the inhuman murderers of your friends and brethern."
"Proceed with a
steady assurance of success and victory, for the Lord is with you and
will deliver you."
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