The Saints Sacrifice, Section 124
§. 124. Of Gods late mercies to the Low-Countries.
FRom reformed Churches in France we will paſſe to the Low-Countries who are of the ſame profeſſion.
In recounting Gods late mercies to them (which is the taske that we have undertaken: thereby to ſhew what great cauſe we now have to ſet out the praiſes of the Lord) it would be too farre a digreſſion to begin with thoſe extraordinary deliverances which they had when firſt they recovered their liberty againſt the cruelty and tyranny of Duke D' Alva.
Later mercies are theſe that follow.
1 A ſtrong faction of Arminians being raiſed up and diſperſed thorowout all their provinces, whereby the truth and purity of religion was much corrupted, and the tranquillity and ſecurity of their State put into great hazard, a Nationall Synod, not without the counſell and conſent of our royall Defender of the Faith, King IAMES, was aſſembled at Dort, whereunto moſt grave, learned, and judicious Divines out of all the reformed Churches in Chriſtendome came; who all with one unanimous conſent determined ſundry fundamentall points of our Chriſtian Religion againſt the contrary errors of the Adverſaries of Gods free grace. A mercy not to be forgotten.
2 The enemy having gathered ſuch an army as made him maſter of the field whereby he ſo ſtrongly beſieged Breda, (a frontier town, of great command every way round about) as no ſuccour could be afforded it, but it was forced to yeeld, at which time alſo Grave Maurice, Prince of Orange, their brave Generall, died, great feare there was of much miſchiefe, if not of utter ruine, to befall that State. But by Gods Providence, their great enemy Spinola was called into another country, and a ſupply made of the loſſe of their former Generall, by ſubſtituting in his roome his owne brother, whoſe prudence and proweſſe ſucceſſe hath crowned: ſo as they are now better ſecured then they were before.
3 Spaine provided an exceeding great treaſure for the fore-ſaid States, which it never intended to them. The whole fleet of gold, ſilver, and other rich merchandizes which the Spaniards by the helpe of the Weſt-Indians had beene ſundry yeares gathering together, the Nether-landers tooke on a ſudden: whereby their enemies were much diſfurniſhed, and they themſelves ſo plentifully furniſhed, as they were the better enabled, not onelyonly to defend themſelves, but alſo to offend their enemies.
4 The States being now well prepared, they quickly become maſters of the field, and with much reſolution attempt that which the enemy little feared they ſhould attaine: namely to take in the Boſche, a very ſtrong frontier towne: well fenced, well manned, and every way well prepared and provided for. But they ſo beſiege it, as no reliefe can be afforded to it: they ſo aſſault it, as there is no ſtanding out againſt them. They take it, and keepe it.
5 While they lay at this ſiege, another booty falls into their hands. Weſell the magazin of their enemie, wherein all warlike proviſion was in great abundance ſtoared up, ſending out ſome of their garriſons abroad, notice thereof comes to the armie of the States in ſiege at the Boſche. They forthwith ſend ſome troupes to ſurprize Weſell on a ſudden. They come to it unexpected, and quickly take it. Thus are the States againe furniſhed with their enemies proviſion. They take a ſtrong towne of great conſequence, which is as an inlett for them into the Palatinate. And by this meanes an enemy that with a great army was entred into their country, and burnt and ſpoiled all before him, was forced backe againe.
6 This laſt yeare while the army of the States is quiet at home, the enemy having plotted ſome miſchievous deſigne againſt them, unexpectedly ſends an army by water into their territories, which (like a flocke of fooliſh birds) flew into nets that were not laid for them: and were taken.
What can we thinke, but that the finger of God hath beene in the ordering of theſe ſucceſſefull matters for the better ſecurity of them who profeſſe and maintaine the true religion againſt the profeſſed enemies thereof.