The Saints Sacrifice, Section 125
§. 125. Of the ſeaſonable ſuccour afforded to oppreſſed Germany.
AMong other evidences of the divine Providence towards the reformed Churches, the late ſeaſonable ſuccour afforded to the Churches in Germany is moſt remarkable.
Many yeares together hath Germany beene ſore vexed with inteſtine and civill warre.
Who can without a melting heart, thinke on the much bloud that hath beene ſpilt: the ruines of many faire Cities, Townes, Caſtles, Churches and other edifices that have beene made: the diſtreſſes that many exiles of all ſorts, Princes and Subjects, Noble and Meane, Clergy and Laiety, Male and Female, Old and Young have beene brought unto: the miſerable bondage under which ſuch as have remained in their owne territories and habitations, have groaned: the heavy and undue taxes that have beene laid on ſuch as have not had their titles, dignities, inheritances, callings and liberties by violence wreſted from them: who can without much compunction and compaſſion heare of or thinke on thoſe and many other preſſures and oppreſſions?See the Narration of the Proteſtants Diet at Leipſich. Feb. 8. 1631.
The Princes of the reformed Churches in Germany were forced to put up a joint complaint, and remonſtrance of their grievances, and to conſult about means, at leaſt of ſome eaſe (for their burdens were intollerable) if not of full redreſſe.
But their complaints proved like to the complaints of the Iſraelites put up to Pharaoh for eaſing their heavy burdens. Their ſavour thereby came to be abhorred in the eyes of Exo. 5. 21.Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his ſervants. They were in a worſe caſe then before.
So proud was the enemy by reaſon of the great armies that he had gathered together, and ſo fleſht he was in the conqueſts that he had made, as he regarded no complaints, he feared no revenge. He deemed his power to be invincible.
When thus the reformed Churches in Germany were brought to the loweſt ebbe, and ſo neare to the pits brink, as they were upon tumbling downe to their utter ruine, that mans extremity might appeare to be Gods opportunity, in a moſt ſeaſonable time the Lord raiſed up, and ſent unto them a Deliverer, Guſtavus of Sued, in whoſe title is couched Auguſtus and Deus: Guſtavus, importing by tranſpoſition of letters, Augustus: and Sued read backward, Deus.
If the ſmall army with which he came into Germany, and the great things which he hath done ſince he came thither, be duly weighed, we ſhall ſee cauſe to acknowledge that the Lord of hoſts was with him.
That which is by experience noted of the ſnow, that by being tumbled up and downe, of a little ball it comes to be a great heape that can hardly be ſtirred, is likewiſe by experience found verified in his army.
Iudg. 7. 13, &c.We read of a dreame which a ſouldier of the huge hoſt of the Midianites that for multitude was as the ſand by the ſea-ſide, thus related to his fellow, I dreamed a dreame, and loe, a cake of barley bread tumbled unto the hoſt of Midian, and came unto it, and ſmote it, that it fell and overturned it, that the tent lay along. The interpretation, which in the event proved moſt true, was this, This is nothing elſe ſave the ſword of Gideon the ſonne of Ioaſh, a man of Iſrael: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
A fit alluſion thereunto, which hath likewiſe in the event proved to be moſt true, may be this, The ſword of the King of Sued, a Defender of the true Religion, hath ſmitten the armies of the enemies of the Goſpell: and into his hand hath the Lord delivered his Churches enemies.
Iſa. 45. 1.—44. 28.This King proves to be as another Cyrus, the Lords Annointed, whoſe right hand the Lord hath holden to ſubdue nations before him. He ſhall performe the Lords pleaſure.
Cyrus, the Perſian Monarch, though he were to admiration victorious, yet did he not with ſuch expedition gaine in and bring under his power, ſo many Forts, Caſtles, Walled Townes and Cities, every way well manned, fenced and fortified (no nor that hammer of the world great Alexander) …s this Annointed of the Lord hath done in ſo ſhort a time.
The Enemy ſpent more yeares in ſubduing Cities and Townes in Germany, then this Deliverer hath ſpent moneths in reducing them.
Conquering Caeſar came even into this Country whereinto victorious Guſtavus is come: and with ſuch celerity ſubdued one principality after another, as the Orator is bold to ſay that he paſſed over places by victories more ſpeedily Nec citiu… … quam … qua … &c Cic. Orat. pro M. Ma…el Plut. in vit. Caeſ.then another could have done by paces. This is indeed an hyperbolicall ſpeech: but yet thereby exceeding great celerity is ſet out: which alſo is implied by another hyperbolicall phraſe uſed by Caeſar himſelfe in a letter to his friend, in theſe three words, Veni, Vidi, Vici, I came, I ſaw, I overcame: meaning thereby that ſo ſoone as he came to a place, and tooke a view of it, he forthwith tooke it.
Yet in much ſhorter time hath Guſtavus ſubdued and taken in more townes and cities then Caeſar did: and that after another manner then Caeſar did.
Had Caeſar when he came into Germany ſuch an adverſary as Tilly?
Were there raiſed ſuch armies of men and horſe againſt Caeſar, as againſt Gustavus?
Were there ſuch garriſons, ſuch amunition, ſuch proviſion of all things requiſite to repell an enemy, in the places which Caeſar ſubdued, as in thoſe which Gustavus tooke?
Never did Caeſar at leaſt for the time that he was in Germany meet with ſo ſtrong oppoſition as Guſtavus hath met withall.
Never was that Generall brought unto ſuch hazards as this King hath beene brought unto.
In no part of Germany did Caeſar ever meet with ſuch a duplicate page duplicate page pitcht held, or ſuch a ſet battell, as Guſtavus did on Gods-Aker neare Liepſich. Nor ever was a battell maintained with ſuch prudence and providence, with ſuch courage and conſtancy, againſt an enemy that was ſo ſtrong and ſtout, ſo ſeldome foiled, ſo much prevailing: againſt an army ſuppoſed invincible by reaſon of former ſucceſſes and preſent preparations: againſt all the advantages that an enemie could deſire, as the battell at Leipſich by valorous Gustavus▪ And all this after a great, if not the greater part, of his owne army was put to rout, and the Enemy thereupon made ſo confident, as he cried Victory, Victory, Follow, Follow: but with ſuch ſucceſſe, as the Benjamites had, when in the beginning of the battell they had ſmitten the Iſraelites, and Iudg 20. 32, &cthereupon cried, They are ſmitten downe before us.
On the ſeventh day of September (the Birth-day of victorious Queene ELIZABETH) was this never to be forgotten victory obtained. And on the ſeventeenth day of November (the Coronation day of the ſaid puiſſant Princeſſe) was the high and mighty King of Sued entertained in the Imperiall city of Frank-ford on Main, the city where the Germane Emperor uſeth to be elected.
Since the fore-named incomparable victory at Leipſich all things with very good ſucceſſe have fallen cut.