The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Chapter 20 – Chapter 21
CHAP. XX. VVar eſpecially requireth Councell.
OBSERVE in the third place, the obiect of warre, which is the ſubject of Councell, and reaſon will inforce us to walk by councell. Muſt not the Generall know his own forces, and his enemies; both for nature, power, furniture, and number, as neer as he can? Should hee not know how to diſpoſe of his own, whether horſe or foot; to take the advantage of the ground, to diſadvantage his enemie all that he can, and by all lawfull Stra agems, to conquer his enemies at the loweſt rate that is poſſible? Beſides all theſe to be conſidered, there is a further end, namely, the averting of all evill, and the procuring of all good that can be thought on. Doth not goods, liberty, wiues, children, lands, liues, countries, Crowns, Religion, and Gods glory, (which is worth all the reſt) lye at the ſtake? yea, and on ſuch a hazard often, that if the firſt be loſt, there is little or no hope of playing a ſecond game. All theſe cry for counſel; which, under God, is the onelyonly wiſe diſpoſer of the aforeſaid meanes, and obtainer of the end. If for other things of leſſe moment, wee doe not caſt the dice (as we ſay) but with great care, watchfull forecaſt, and deliberate counſell, we labour to effect them, what ſhould bee done in this, where the adventure is ſo great, the iſſue ſo doubtful, and the leaſt errour may caſt all away?
As the ſpirituall warfare of a Chriſtian is the matter of greateſt moment under the heaven; ſo next unto it, in my judgement, is the bodily warre. If men of all ſorts that profeſſeth the name of Chriſt, would but take this to their conſideration, it would make them in the firſt place, take up the controverſie that is betwixt them and God, that hee might be on their ſide; ſecondly, the weight of the ſubject, and worth of the object, would make them look to the laying of every ſtone, for making ſure the building; laſtly, having got a ſtout reſolution, from advice wel grounded, and the object wel thought upon, they would ſtand faſt, quit themſelues like men, and eſteem ſo high a prize worthy of their deareſt bloud, deſiring rather to die with honour, then to liue with diſgrace.
Fourthly, I come to the utility, The utility of counſel. Prov 2.11. Lib 8. Apotheg.or good of counſell that enfues upon it. Diſcretion, or counſell (ſaith the Wiſe-man.) ſhall preſerue thee. Eraſmus citing that ſaying of Furipides, that one good counſell may overcome many forces, giveth this comment upon it. It is not of ſo much waight to carry many forces into the field, as to hauehave the Commanders of forces, men of counſell; becauſe wiſe counſell, and wittie skill is of far greater moment, then ſtrength voide of counſell. As war without counſell, is as a Citie without walls; ſo counſell in war, is both wals and munition, it affoordeth both invaſiue and defenſiue Armes. Counſell (ſaith Caeſar) is the ſame to me against mine enemie, Fame potuis quam ferro ſuperandum boſtes.that the Phiſitian is againſt ſickneſſe; which he haed rather overcome with fasting, then with phyſick; ſo had I rather overcome with famine, then with ſword. As this Counſell hath often more prevailed then the ſword; ſo is it grounded upon good reaſon. Firſt, Fames intrinſecus pugnat, & vincit ſaepius quam ferrum. li. 3 cap. 9.famine fighteth within, as Vegetius vvell obſerveth, and therefore it prevaileth oftner then the ſword. Secondly, if the Defendant hauehave to doe with a humane enemy, he may ſaue himſelfe by capitulation. Laſtly, the forces of the aſſaylant are without hazard. If you look but on the good ſucceſſe of counſell; yea, even then when forces hauehave fayled, the utility of it ſhall further appear. Was not Romes Commonwealth advanced by the counſel of Q. Fabius? Cato in his Oration againſt Catiline ſaid, that their Anceſtors made themſelues great, eſpecially by good Counſell. Was not the State of Hungaria, and Bohemia advanced and maintained, to the diſhonour and damage of their enemies; the one by the counſell and dexterity of that renounmed Hunniades; the other by the counſel and proweſſe of that admirable Siſca, againſt the two moſt potent adverſaries of the world? Amongſt all inſtances of this kind, there is none more remarkeable then that of the State of France, under the government of Charles the Wiſe, vvho comming to the Crown, found a ruinous State ful of confuſion and calamity: for all Guyan, part of Normandy and Picardie were poſſeſſed by the Engliſh, through the great overthrow of Phillip of Valois, vvith eleven Princes, and tvvelue hundred Knights and Gentlemen, given by King Edward himſelfe at the battell of Crecy, and by another given by Prince Edward at the battle of Poiteiurs, wherein King Iohn was taken, and his ſon Philip, with many Princes and great Lords ſent priſoners into England, beſides thoſe two ſore defeates, one on the neck of another, whereby the foundation of France was ſhaken, and nothing left but the ruines of a Kingdom. Theſe reliques were all on fire by civill diſſentions. Notwithſtanding all theſe, the aforeſaid Charles Leſage (ſo called for his gravitie and wiſdome) comming to the government, did with ſuch prudencie and counſell compoſe and order the affaires of that troubleſome ſtate, that he firſt quenched the civill diſcord, and after, in time, recovered a great part of that, which the two former Kings had loſt, and that not without wonder: for he was not ſo brave a warriour as his father King Iohn, nor his grand-father Philip. Againe he had to doe with as wiſe a Prince & as great warriour, as happy & valliant a Generall, as euer Europe had; yet for all theſe, neceſſitie made him wiſe, and he tooke a contrary courſe to the former, undertaking and managing Armes with great advice and counſell, without which he would not moue one foote; it had indeed an anſwerable ſucceſſe, beyond the expectation of his adverſary; who ſeeing and admiring his wiſe courſes, whereby he dulled the edge of the Engliſh forces, (looſing ground they could not well tell how) King Edward gaue this teſtimonie of him, Froyſord lib. 1. cap. 132.that he never knew king that uſed armes ſo little, and yet made him ſo much adoe. For as by miſſives he effected much buſineſſe (ſo ſaid he) he makes me more a doe with his Pen, then his father, or grand father did with their forces and Armes. By this his Counſell he brought his Kingdom from being a field of war, a triumph of ſpoile, a map of miſerable povertie, to be peaceable, plentifull and rich. In theſe inſtances I could be larger then the treatiſe will ſuffer, but I will ſhut up all with one, not unknowen, namely, of the ſtate of Spaine. What I pray you is the roote of his over ſpreading in Europe and other parts? Is it his proweſſe & valour? No, the few Spaniſh warriours of note upon record ſheweth the contrary. It is then their counſell and ſlight, (eſpecially ſince it hath been fed with a fountain running under the ground.) In this their craftie diſpoſing of themſelves, they are not unlike the Hedghogge running with the Hare. Let the race be through the hedge, the Hedghogge is too good for the Hare (for what ſide ſoever he be on, he is alwayes before.) But that the Spaniard ſhould not be proud of this, let Alva his Trophees ſtay his boaſting. If he had beene a man of as much counſell as crueltie; he might hauehave ſaved a ſea of bloud, his Maſter a maſſe of mony, and prevented Spaines greateſt loſſe, which I hope he ſhall never reedeeme. What is it but the wiſedome and counſell of a Prince, aſſiſted by his privy Councell, that commendeth himſelfe, & commandeth others? It is not any perſonall indowment, nor the Princely perogative of place without this, that ever will advance his glory, or his ſubjects good, neyther can he without this, procure his ſubjects continuance of obedience in love, nor cauſe his name to ſmell like a precious oin…ment. What made Severus to be beloved, feared and obeyed but his prudent counſell? Witnes that exemplary act of his, when his ſouldiers mutined; becauſe he was carryed lame of he gout in his Horſe litter, the… would hauehave his ſonne Basſianus to governe. He called the Commanders together, and after a grave and wiſe remonſtrance made to the Army, he cauſed the chiefe mutiniers to be beheaded, giving this item to the reſt, that they should know, that it was the head and …ot the feet that commanded; meaning, thereby, that it is counſell and wiſdom in the Superiour that commandeth, and not any gift of the body.
CHAP. XXI. The evill of evill Counſell, or want of good Counſell.
THe laſt ground for uſe of counſell is taken from the evill that doth accompany the want of Counſell. Becauſe I hauehave many things to handle, I would be as brief in every thing as I could. God himſelfe telleth us what an unhappy ſtate that people is in (whether in peace or warr) that want counſell. When Iſraell had provoked God ſo highly, that he had reſolved to make their remembrance ceaſe, Deut. 32.26. What was the cauſe of this wrath of God and fearfull deſolation? furely their ſinnes as you may ſee in the Chapt; which the Spirit of God reduceth to two heads, waxing fat in the abuſe of Gods bleſsings, and fo…ſaking of the living God to follow Idolls. The ground of this their fearfull condition the Lord layeth downe in the 28. verſe, namly, want of Counſell, They are a nation, ſaith he, voide of Counſells in the plurall number, that is, there is never a whit at all amongſt them, & there is no underſtanding in them. Where you ſee what a vvoefull caſe that people is in, that is void of counſell.
And if effects demonſtrate cauſes, Application.and poyſonable ſprings ſhew corruption of the fountaines head; then let us behold our nation, overgrowen with fatneſs, in the abuſe of Gods bleſſings, our kicking with the heele againſt him, and provoking him to jelouſie, with the abhominatiō of ſtrange Gods, and theſe ſhall cry aloud to the ſhame of our faces, that wee are void of counſell, let ſome talke what they will to the contrary. Though this be by the way; yet it is not beſide the way. For to our hearts griefe, you may ſee, what ground I goe upon. But I proceed. Tully (though ſpeaking lyke a heathen) hath for the matter a divine poſition; Lib 3. Rhetor.that a man that runneth and rusheth upon attempts, he cannot expect any helpe from God. Belluae & pueri non ſunt participes conſilij. lib. 3. Eth. cap. 2. foreign. 'Chap. 28.28.Yea without counſell what better is a man, be he never ſo great, then a child or a beaſt, which as Ariſtotle ſaith; doe not partake of counſell. It is obſerved both by divines and humaniſts, that it is a fearfull token of Gods indignation, when a man looſeth his counſell. Yea, it is the very finger of God taking counſell from him; becauſe he hath a purpoſe to bring ſome great miſchiefe upon him, or to deſtroy him. God (ſaith Appianus) hurting his mind, or taking counſell from him, calamiti… is not far of. The Lord doth threaten the ſame to the diſobedient in Deuteronomy: 'The Lord shall ſmite thee with madnes, and with blindneſſe, with aſtonishment of heart, and thou shalt be groping at noone day; which as it is one of the heavieſt puniſhments, as Flaminius wel obſerveth, that God layeth upon man; So it is juſt that it ſhould be ſo; God ſending them ſtrong deluſions, that they may beleeve lyes, becauſe they would not beleeue the truth. 2. Theſ. 2.11.12.Becauſe they would not be ruled by counſell (ſaith the ſame Author) God giveth them up to their owne luſts, and to follow their owne counſels, which proveth their bane in the end, even then when they leaſt looke for it. The man thus groping for counſell where there is none, but deſtruction inſteed of counſell, is well compared by Plini unto the Polypus or manie-feet, which thinking to catch the Oyſter, is often caught in the Trap; ſo the Blindman is often caught in his owne ſnare.