The Bible Battles, Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII. Of ſome things concerning thoſe that be vanquiſhed, & how they ſhould demeane themſelues.
IT is an excellent praiſe in ſuch as be put for the preſent to the worſe, not to loſe their wiſedome nor valour.
Their wiſedome in flying muſt …each them to watch advantages given by the purſuer, to marke his, it may be, over haſty following, or diſorder therein, or ſcattered companies or too ſuddenly, or vntimely turning to the ſpoile; or the ſlacke purſuit, giving them that fly leaue to breath, and to gather together, that by ſome of theſe advantages, they may make head vponupon the purſuers; and ſo, perhaps turne the courſe of preſent loſſe and defeature, into an vnexpected victory over the Victorers.
Their wiſedome muſt alſo teach them, when they hauehave eſcaped by flight, ſeeming farre enough, yet then not to be ſecure and careleſſe, as not yet out of danger of an hot purſuing enemy, who may follow them farther then they would imagine; as Gideon did the two Kings of Mid… an, Zebah and Salman…ah, whom heIudg▪ 8. 10. followed to Karkor, where they and their hoſt of fifteene thouſand remained ſecure, which he vtterly▪ diſcomfited, and tooke the Kings Priſoners, who might hauehave eſcaped, had they not beene over careleſſe, not fearing any other purſuite of them after the ſlaughter of Oreb and Zeb, and 120000 with them that drew ſword.
As they may not loſe their wits; to be as men amazed, diſtracted, and without vnderſtanding; ſo may they not loſe their valour, nor be daunted when they be taken, and fall into the Conquerours hands: Baſe dejection of ſpirit befitteth not a ſouldier; the truly noble heart will not debaſe himſelfe below his worth; drunken Benhadad fooliſhly proud in his proſperity1 Kings 20. 16. 31, 32. did ſlaviſhly in adverſity humble himſelfe, in ſending his ſervants clothed in ſackcloth, with ropes about their heads in his name to begg life. King Perſeus being taken by Paulus Aemilius, fell downe very baſely on his face before him, held vp his hands and as one of a womaniſh heart with teares cryed forgiueneſſe; vponupon whom Aemilius did looke with a ſterne countenance, and tolde him, that he was a miſerable man, indeed, and more worthy to be a Captiue, then a King, holding himſelfe without glory in conquering ſo vnworthy an Adverſary, and one of no worth. Ioſephus tooke a Romane Captaine belonging to V…ſpaſian, and commandedWarres of the Iewes. both his hands to be ſtruck off, and he ſent ſo to the enemy: but the Captaine ſaid to Ioſephus, I beſeech thee my Lord, let me loſe but one; for which ſuite Ioſephus and his ſouldiers laughed him to ſcorne, and judged him to be therefore no valiant man, nor of a haughty courage.
The chiefe Commanders taken Priſoners ſhould be of vnconquerable ſpirits, like King Po…us▪ that wouldQ. Curti… not acknowledge himſelfe vanquiſhed by Great Alexander, though he had loſt the field, and almoſt wounded to death: Or like Cato▪ who being perſuaded to ſubmit to Caeſar, ſaid, it was for the conquered and delinquent ſo to doe, but Cato had not behaved himſelfe ſo in all his life as one ever either conquered or taken; Its recorded of Fra…ci… the firſt, that being taken Captiue by Burbou, yet he ſhewed ſuch inbred maieſty in his countenance, ſpeech, and behaviour, as made his very enemies honour him no leſſe, then, as if he had beene in the top of proſperity; ſuch great courage and magnanimity of heart ſhould be in a ſouldiers breſt.
They may not loſe their quiet patience, which is not a ſtupidity or ſenſeleſneſſe of the preſent miſery; but a willing conſtant bearing of the burthen: They may not poyſon themſelues as Mithridates did, nor like a▪ cowardly Saul, (as Ioſephus held him▪ for that act) nor as his Armour-bearer) ſlay themſelues; nor rage and ſweare, and curſe, foaming out the filth of their furious natures, blaſpheming heaven it ſelfe for the overthrow, as ſome hauehave done: Nor by quaffing downe the cups, and potts of ſtrong drinke to make themſelues ſenſeleſſe of their calamity, nor as Valence the Emperour, flye vponupon his religious and valiant General, one Traian, with baſe termes of cowardize; nor as Iſraelites murmure againſt1 Sa: 4. 3. God, and ſay, why hath the Lord ſmitten vsus this day, before the Philiſtims? As if God had not juſt cauſe ſo to doe. Nor as Cato, foyled by Caeſar, to ſay that a great deale of miſt was over the eye of divine providence. Impatiency of loſſe ſhould not make men guilty of ſuch blaſphemy. Chriſtian ſouldiers ſhould be religious, as before is ſhewed, and in their overthrow they hauehave need of it, to worke this royall vertue of patience, and to manifeſt other graces in their defeature and overthrow; For now religion requireth,
I. That they ſhould acknowledge their overthrow to be the very hand of God; as the Scripture teacheth,Amos 3. 6. 1 Sam: 2, 3, Iud: 4. 2. 1 Sam: 4. 3. Eſay 42. 24 Ier: 18. 17. & 12. 7. Lam: 2. 3. 1 Kings. 20. 23. as the Lords people hauehave acknowledged; as God himſelfe ſaid hee would doe; and did vntounto them: They are not to aſcribe their loſſe as the Syrians did to the hills; nor to the diſadvantage of the place; nor to mans raſh attempts or overſight, nor to this mans ſloath, and negligence, nor anothers treachery, nor to their ſmall number, nor to any ſecondary meanes whatſoever, which yet no doubt may all concurre therein; but vntounto Gods hand vponupon them. TheyBel. G…l. may not with Caeſar aſcribe it to fortune, nor to chance as the Philiſtims did, nor to deſtiny as the Stoicks, nor to Planets, as idle ſtarr-gazers, nor to any power, but Gods from heaven. When Xerxes with his ſo huge an hoſt was overthrowne, Mardon…us the Perſian his Generall aſcribed it to Gods will, and ſaid, what God would hauehave done, none was able to avert.
II. In acknowledging it to beeLam: 3. 3…. Num: 1. 42 43. Gods hand, they muſt confeſſe it to be for ſinne; For otherwiſe, God doth not afflict, nor grieue willingly▪ any of the Children of men. ThereforeEſay 42. 24 ſaid Eſay, the Lord gaue Iacob to the ſpoile, and Iſrael to the robbers, becauſe they had ſinned againſt him. When Valence the wicked Emperour▪ blamed Trai…n for the foyle, Traian Niceph… Eccle. Hiſt.was bolde to tell him, that it was his warring againſt God, in perſecutingDe…: 28, 25 of good Chriſtians that gaue his enemies the victory. God threatens overthrow in battell for ſinne.
III. In confeſſing of it to be for ſinne, religion teacheth them to humble themſelues for their ſinnes; to acknowledge2 Ch…on… 12. 6. God to be righteous, as did Rehoboam, yea and as did the cruell Canaanitiſh King, Ado…ib…z…k, who ſaid, that as he had done, GodIud. 1, 7 had rewarded him.
The people of Iſrael vponupon theirIud: 20: 23 26. loſſes received, humbled themſelues with faſting, prayers, and teares, ſo often as they had the foile: yea thatIoſ: 7. 6, 7 moſt renowned worthy valiant Ioſua, when the Iſraelites were chaſed by the men of Ai, (though the loſſe was ſmall, only thirty men ſlaine) yet he tooke it to heart, fell to humbling of himſelfe, to faſting and prayer for the ſame, with the Elders of Iſrael, and when he knew the ſinne for which God was offended, he found out the party and rewarded him with death, that had cauſed by his ſinne; the death of the ſlaine, and the Enemy to get the victory. Thus ſhould worthy Generals doe; Eſay reproveth it asEſay 42: 25 an evill in the people, when the ſtrength of the battell was againſt them, and they beaten▪ that they did not lay it to heart. Alas for our times, where in too many mock at ſuch humiliations, ſcorne with diſdaine to be ſo caſt downe, for the liues of men. They know not, that this is in them, great contempt of Gods diſpleaſvre: Its not ſo much the loſſe of men, which thoſe Valiants bewailed, as for ſinne, the cauſe of the defea…e; for Gods abſence from them in his anger, giving them into the power of the Enemie; for the Enemies pride and triumph over Gods people; for the diſhonour which commeth to God therby: for theſe things, Ioſua 2 Sam. 1. 11. 17-26.mourned, David wept, and other very valiant men lamented; and not onelyonly for the death of the ſlaine. And yet in their ſorrowes they neglected not to thinke of theſe as David did, even of his Enemy Saul, and his ſons, with his faithfull friend Ionathan; being much grieved for the rejoycing of the Philiſtims, Gods Enemies when they ſhould know thereof: This did he lay to heart; as we ſhould the Enemies of God, his Church, and his people, glorying over vsus, at this day, as if God had vtterly forſaken vsus.
But there is hope, if we will ſeeke Gods favour, cut off ſinne, repent, and be reformed; for doe we not reade, how after Ioſua's humiliation,Ioſ: 8. God was with him in the victory; and wee may find vponupon the Iſraelites true repentance, their deepe ſorrow, with abundance of teares, their putting away of Idols; and preparing of their hearts to ſerve God; after their1 Sam: 7. 3 miſerable overthrow, and the great ſlaughter of the people; when Hophni and Phineas were ſlaine, the Arke taken, and 30000 put to the ſword; how graciouſly did God looke vponuponCap: 4: 10: …. them tooke Iſraels part, and thundered with a great thunder vponupon the Philiſtims, and ſo diſcomfited them,Cap▪ …: 10 that from that time they came no more into the Coaſts of Iſrael.
Therefore to make a concluſion, Oh you valiant hearts, you truly v…lorous, you ſonnes of the worthy, you vndaunted ſpirits, yet religious, yet faithfull, yet chaſt yet juſt in your man i…eſſe▪ yet full of humanity, even to the enemie, and truly reſpectfull of your owne companions, yea, and common ſouldiers, fellowes in affliction▪ doe well, bee reconciled to God▪ craue his aid and he being with you, goe forth with confidence, and proſper. Even ſo Amen.
FINIS.