The Bible Battles, Chapter 11
XI. CHAP. Of the Officers in VVar.
WHen there is a good wiſe and fit choyſe made of the ſouldidiers, as of men of vnderſtanding, ſtrong active, and honeſt, and alſo trained well, then ſpeciall care muſt be had of appointing ſuch Captaines and Officers for them, as may be worthy of ſuch ſouldiours, able to command in wiſedome, and to rule them well prudently▪
When David had numbred the2 Sa: 18. 1. 2 Ch: 25. 5. people, as likewiſe Amaziah; they placed Commanders ouer them. Of which ſome were ouer thouſands▪ Num: 31. 14. 48 1 Sa: 8. 12 1 Mach: 3. 5ſome ouer hundreds, ſome ouer fifties, and ſome but ouer …ens. They were called Praefecti, or Principes, the Officers of the hoſt, Chiliarchi over thouſands, Centurions ouer hundreds, Pentacouta…chi ouer fifties, and Decurions ouer tens: called they were Captaines and Leaders. The chiefe had command ouer many thouſands, ſome ouer 280000, ſome ouer 30…000. All the ſorts of them1 Ch: 13▪ 1 2 Ch: …7. 14. 15-18. 1 Ch: …2. 8 15: 20. 21: 32, 33 were choiſe perſons, valiant men, men of might, skilfull in vſe of armes, an… fit for battle, tryed ſouldiers in the field, worthy their places. They were wi…e, valiant, and not of a double heart, not traiterouſly minded, not diſaffecting the State, nor the profeſſed religion. They were ſuch as ſet God before them, and in the ſervice of warre, offered themſelves2 Ch: 17: 16 to the Lord, as the learned Tranſlator interpreteth the place, Alacerrimo & promptiſsimo animo ad bella gerenda eius; with moſt luſtie courages, and moſt readily bent to fight the Lords battles.
Though all were worthy praiſe, yet among them ſome excelled other ſome, and were more renowned, as2 Sam. 23, were the ſpeciall worthies of David, and that without pride in themſelves not contemning others, and without enuy of the leſſe famous, for any thing the Scripture ſpeaketh of.
Theſe Leaders, Captaines, and Officers were none of them yong ſtripling, raw and vnskilfull ſouldiers: but all knowne men of might, fit for battle. If a David, a yong man, a youth, a very ſtripling be advanced to bee Captaine ouer a thouſand by Saul, it was extra ordinem indeed, becauſe he was knowne, and had ſufficiently1 Sam. 17 59, 56, & 16. 18. & 17. 34. 50. 51. & 18 13, 14. and often ſhewed himſelfe to bee a valiant man, a man of war, prudent in ſpeech, and wiſe in his actions and behaviour. For he had ſlaine a Lyon and a Bare, and had ouercome the Gyant Goliah before this his advancement. Such youths as he, if any ſuch were, might well bee admitted to command. Otherwiſe, Adrian the Emperour is to be followed, who expreſly forbad beardleſſe youthes to aſpire to ſuch a charge: Alexander Lamprid. in vit… ci….in his expedition againſt Darius, choſe ſuch for his Commanders, as were experenced in his fathers ſervice, and of ripe iudgment. Such as hauehave not attained to the grace of a manly countenance in ſuch manlike ſervices, cannot procure authority ſufficient to command braue ſpirits. And ſuch as procure their Places without deſert, d…ſire to bee remooued. Caeſar being in Africa, diſmiſſed ſome Colonels and Captains with diſgrace, becauſe they had got ſuch places by fauour, and not by iuſt deſerving. Buying and ſelling of places is baſe marchandizing, and ſuch as ſo come in, will ſurely make poore ſouldiers pay dearely for it, if they be not prevented. It were a rare worthy Soveraigne authority that for every place in campe, deſerts ſhould onelyonly aduance all and every Officer, ſuch as be valiant, loyall, diligent, men of skill, and ayming at publike good, true honour; and not chiefly or onelyonly at profit, or at other courſes vnbefitting a right ſouldier much leſſe a ſound Chriſtian. Worth in men advanceth the worke intended, warres by Gods bleſſing will proſper, ſouldiers will be more obedient, and the whole hoſt be better governed.