The Bible Battles, Chapter 16 – Chapter 17
CHAP. XVI. Of a convenient armie, and of neceſſaries prepared aforehand to maintaine the ſame.
VEgetius exhorteth thoſe that purpoſe to begin wars carefully Li. 3▪ ca. 3.to weigh and conſider their ſtore and charges: And prouiſion is to be made long before: for in action then to prouide will be too late. The Kings of Iudah made2 Ch 14 8▪ & 17 2: & 26. in the dayes of peace great preparation for warre, and had ſouldiers in readineſſe to withſtand ſudden invaſi…s. As may be ſeene …n the reigne of Aſa, Iehoſophat, Vzzi…h, and other Kings. It is the ſaying of one, That Long a praeparatio belli celer…m facit victoriam, Long preparation by good deliberation maketh qu…cke diſpatch in the execution, and ſpeedily getteth the vi…tory.
In going to warre, firſt the numberNum. 31. 3▪ …. Ioſ. 8. 1. convenient to be employed, is to be conſidered of: both for horſe and foot, for powers both by ſea and land. The number is vncertaine; ſomtimes Moſes will appoint but twelve thouſand, the leaſt number ſent foorth to ſpeed well; ſometime Ioſua muſt take all the ſtrong men of warre to fight with the enemy as need is, ſo muſt be the number.
The heathen in former times had ever mighty hoſts, ſome hundred thouſands: the Midianites, PhiliſtimsIoſ. 10. & 11. 4. Canaanites, Ethiopians, Hol…phernes hoſt was an hundred and ſeventie thouſand, and twelve thouſand Arc…ersIudg. 6. 5. & 7. 2. 2 Chro. 14 Luk. 14. 31 on horſebacke: now according to the power of the Enemy, ſo muſt we goe out againſt him, if we bee able, as Chriſt reacheth in his parable.
To ſubdue enemies it is ever very neceſſary to have a full army if wee looke for victory: for
Touching a handfull or ſmall number 3 or 4000 theſe doe rather injury themſelves then the enemy, they rather kindle and nouriſh warre, then end it; and doe rather hearten the enemy, then ſtrike him with feare: anger him, then hurt him. What got Iſrael vnadviſedly by ſending a ſmall number 2 or 3000 againſt Ai? It was but loſſe to themſelves, and encouragement to the Enemy. The Lacedemonians could do no good againſt the Ath…nians as long as their numbersThuci…. 1. were ſmal, but did hurt to themſelves. But now for a full power, and to vſe our beſt ſtrength to obtaine the victory many reaſons may perſwade.
1. God taught Ioſua to doe; when his ſmall number was overthrowne, he commanded him to take all the men of warre.Ioſ. 8. …. T…ucid ….
2. The heathen Oracle conſulted with, by the Lacedemonians, before the Peloponenſian warre, to know by what meanes they might beſt prevaile, gave this anſwer, that the meanes to overcome was to vſe their full ſtrength.
3. Thus ever did Sa…l and alſo David, and other Kings in Iſrael and Iudah: when they went againſt an enemy,1 Sam. 11 8. & 15. 4. 2 Sam. 10. 7. they led out mighty forces, Saul againſt the Amaleki…es conducted an hoſt of 310000: David ſent againſt the Ammonites all the hoſt of mighty men, which were many thouſands.
4. The Romans in their warres ſent forth ſtrong Armies againſt their enemies 50 thouſand, or 24 thouſand the leaſt, 15000, or 12000, as their ſtories ſhew.
The benefit of a ſtrong Army is great, it ſtriketh feare where it commeth, and if not preſently reſiſted, it enricheth it ſelfe with ſpoyles; if it get the victory, it will maintaine it ſelfe vponupon the enemy, and abide without feare. Caeſar maintained his warres in France vponupon the French nine yeares; Hannibal his Army vponupon Italy ſixteene yeares; Scipio his hoſt vponupon Spaine all the time of his ſtay; a ſtrong power prevailing gets confederates, to giuegive ayde and to help with ſupplyes; yea through feare it gaineth from the enemy, many falling off from him to the ſtrongeſt ſide as the Kings which were ſervants to Hadarezer did, when Davi… overcame2 Sam. 10, 19. his hoſt. One victory got with a full army is the winning almoſt of a Country. Caeſars victory at Alexia, drew almoſt all France to him: The French by one victory recovered the Kingdome of Naples. Its neceſſary therefore to put to our ſtrength in warre, if we hope to prevaile, and not da…ly with our Enemy, to our owne hurt: but yet we muſt avoide two evils.
1. Not to preſume of our great ſtrength againſt a weake enemy, as Benhadad the king of Syria, and his1 K. …0 32. Kings with him did, when he came againſt Ahab: which great hoſt of his was overthrowne; ſo was Zerah with his ten hundred thouſand.2 Ch. 14. Anno 1588 … Mach. 3 16. And how ſoone was the Armado of Spaine called invincible, ſcattered and brought to naught here in our coaſts? For victory ſtandeth not in the multitude of an hoſt, but ſtrength commeth from heaven.
2. Not vtterly to deſpaire if we be inforced to fight with a ſmall power againſt a proud boaſting enemy▪ For in ſuch caſes God ſtrangely giveth victory, as ſhall be declared, Chap. 18. Thus much for the number.
Now when an Army of men, for the number is reſolved vponupon, neceſſaries muſt be provided anſwerably thereto.
I. There muſt be great ſtore of armes▪ ſuch of Zebu…un, Reub… God, 1 Ch. 12. 33. 37. 2 Ch 26. 14.and Maniſſes, as came to helpe David, were furniſhed with all inſtruments of warre for battle. King …zz…a… provided for his men of warre throughout their hoſts weapons of warr…, ſuch as were then vſed, ſpears, ſhields, bowes, ſlings, and other Armes. Gorgius hoſt was ſtrong and well harneſſed, as the ſtory relateth. Scipio going into Africke againſt the1 Mac. 4. 7 Liv. 29. Carthaginians any made exceeding prouiſion of Armes.
II. Proviſion of victuals, Of thisIud. 20. 10 the Iſraelites had care, before they warred vponupon Gibeah; Holophernes Iud. 2. 17, 18.his great hoſt had plenty of victuals, and carriages for all proviſion; that they might not want, for, indeede hungry bellies can neither fight, nor obſerve order. Saul by his raſh reſtraining of his Armie from taking food, made them to faint, and after through hunger to flye vponupon the1 …am 14. 24, 30, 32, 33. ſpoyle, and by eating bloud, to ſinne againſt God, Fames ſeverior eſt bell…, Hunger is more ſharpe then the ſword. Alaſſe, how can they have courage, that pine with hunger? How can they ſtand againſt an enemy, that want ſtrength to goe, vpright? Good leaders ſhould take to2 K. 3. 9, 10 heart the diſtreſſe of their companie in ſuch a caſe, as even Idolatrous lehoram did. But ſome are like the1. Sam. 30. 13. Amalek…e, who left his poore weak Egyptian ſervant to helpe himſelfe, or to dye for hunger. Alas what ſervice can poore hunger-ſtarved ſouldiours doe? or how can they bee made obedient when belly hath noBel. Gal: Liv. 29 eares? Therefore famous Generals have ever ſeene to this. Caeſar would not once moove towards the Enemie, before hee had proviſion. Scipio landing in Afrike, had his ſtore-houſes filled with proviſion. Cyrus in his expedition againſtXeno…h. ex…. Cy… 1. his brother had, beſides his ordinarie Carts, foure hundred Waggons, loaden with victuals, not to be ſpent, but in time of neceſſitie. Where proviſion is not to prev…nt famine, there the hoſt is overcome without dint of the ſword: To have victuals, bring ſtore, be moderate from the firſt day in the vſe, give free & ſafe pa… ſage to Marchants and Victuallers to bring, and make ready payment; what is gotten from the Enemy, ſtore it vp, procure from confederates fauour …o make ſupply in this kind; and to ſummon, as a ſtrong Army goeth along the Townes and Villages to bring in victualls and proviſion, vnleſſe they would be ruinated.
III. There muſt be ſufficient money to helpe every way all wants; money is the ſinewes of warre. Holophernes with plenty of food, had veryIudeth 2. 8 2 Mac. 3. 28 much gold and ſilver. King Anti…ch…s opened his treaſure, and gaue his ſouldiers pay for a yeare; Souldiers well payed have the better courage; councell and money prevaile where force cannot effect. By gold Tacius the Captaine of the Sabines got the Capitoll of Rome, Aſdrubal with money Celt…ber…ans from the Romans. Mony may hire ſouldiers, buy victuals, and ſupply what is wanting for the moſtHow to make proviſion for money, reade Dr. Sutchſſ his booke of war., ca. 2. pa. 18. part; therefoer wiſe warriers were not in this careleſſe, the Carthaginians had in their new Carthage in Spaine a treaſure to ſerve for the wars there. Caeſar had for his ſtore in Noviodunum, For his warres in France.
But though there be ſtore of mony, yet muſt the Generall ſee to it, that poore ſouldiers be paid, the fraud in Officers muſt be prevented, and ſeverely puniſhed; money is not to be turned into provand, of which deceitSee Sr. I…h… Smith preface to hi… booke o… this couſenage. Liv. 28. & 2 a skilfull Commander hath written at large. Neither ſhould Captaines be paymaſters to ſouldiers, leaſt they be, as they have beene notoriouſly▪ abuſed, Scipio in Spaine paid his ſouldiers man by man; Porſena Commander of the Hetruſcians ſtood by while every ſouldier tooke his owne pay, and ſo were they ſuch that every one had his due; ſee what evils hauehave hapned by non-payment, or ſlacke paying ofPa. 74. ch…. 4. part. 9. ſouldiers in Dr. Sutcliffe his booke.
CHAPTER. XVII. Of meanes abroad to be vſed before the warres begin.
ON Prince, nor Nation, may preſume vponupon their owne ſtrength, worth and power; The Kings of olde time making warre, had beſide their owne, ayde from othere,Gen. 14. 1: 24. and had confederates ioyning with them: Chadelaomer had Kings with him: Abraham alſo had Aner, Eſchal, and Mamre, aſſiſtants with him in his warre. The Kings of Canaan did helpe one another; and the Ammonite procured helpe of the Syrians to fight againſt David. The Syracuſans Ioſ. 10. 3. & 11. 1. 2 Sam. 10. 6: Thucid 5.by the helpe of the Spartans withſtood the Athentans. Yea, the Romans themſelves ſought for helpe of others againſt Philip of Maced… nia.
But here let not an Amaziah take2 Ch. 25. ayde of Idolatrous Iſrael, leaſt they be his ruine; nor let a Iehoſophat help an2 Ch. 19. 2. Ahab for it pleaſeth not God; ſecondly, let not wiſe men reſt vponupon the helpe of Confederates, but have evermore of their owne, both to reſiſt the enemy, and command ayders▪ as Tullius Hoſtilius had; for confederates may prooue Cowards and falſe▪ the Switzers which came to ayde Lewis Forze, ſold him at Navarra into the hands of Lewis the twelfth.G…i…ca….
Next is to make peace with ſuch as may be iniurious, when we goe to warre with others. Iſrael in their hot warre againſt the Philiſti…s, had Peace with the Ammonites. This is neceſſary, leaſt while wee ſet vponupon one, we be invaded by another,1 Sam. 7. 14 Eſa. 37 9. as it happened to Senacher…b, who whileſt he invaded Iudah, had Tirh…kah king of Eth…opi…, comming foorth to make warre with him.
The third thing is, to entertaine intelligence from the Enemies friends and ſubiects, to gaine them from them, to cauſe diviſion betweene them. The Romans before they tranſported their forces into Africke, they aſſured themſelves of the Kings of Numidia. Before they ſet vponupon Philip of Macedonia, they cauſed a revolt of many from him The diſioyning of the hearts of ſuch as be at one with the enemie, is a great weakning of his power, and a way more eaſily to get the victory.
To make a rebellion, and to cauſe civill warres, is the ruining of the Enemies ſtate, and a ready paſſage to attaine our owne purpoſes; for they that ſtand for their owne ſafetie at home, cannot well agree to reſiſt the attempts of forreigne powers. They may like the ſeditious Captaines in Ieruſalem ioyne together to fight againſt the Romans, but by ſlaying afterwards one another the Enemy ſhal at length prevaile, and they come to deſtruction.