The Bible Battles, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Of laying good grounds aforehand to ſpeede well, and of a peaceable and a lawfull proceeding againſt an Enemie.
THere is nothing more deſired in making war then to proſper in the enterpriſe: This all wiſh, and without ſome hope of his, who would adventure to enter battell? Therefore men ſhould ſtudy aboue all other, this point chiefly. Now to ſpeede well the way is,
I. To hearken to Gods voice, and ſerue him. For, ſaith the Lord, OhPſal. that my people had hearkened vntounto mee, and Iſrael had walked in my wayes, (marke now what would hauehave fol…owed) I ſhould ſoone hauehave ſubdued their Enemies, and turned my hand againſt their Adverſ…ries.
II. To hauehave him with vsus, and to2 Cro. 13 12. fight for vsus; Abijah ſaid, beholde, God himſelfe is with vsus for our Captaine: And it was Hezekiah his comfort,2 Cro. 32. 8 with vsus is the Lord our God to help vsus, and to fight our battells;Exo. 14. 14 Feare not, ſtand ſtill, ſaith Moſes to Iſrael; and why? For the Lord, ſaithDeut. 20 4 he, ſhall fight for you: He goeth with you againſt your enemies to ſaue you: when God went out before David againſt the Philiſtims he ſmote their hoſt and ſubdued them.
Oh but it will be demanded, How… Cro. 14. 23 36. may we hauehave God with vsus, to fight for vsus, and giuegive vsus victory?
Surely if 1. the warre be of God, … and warrantable: in this warre he2 Cro. 5. 20. helped the Reubenites, and other Tribes, and caſt downe their enemies. 2. That it be taken in hand with good adviſe, and be eſtabliſhedPro: 20: 18 by counſell. 3. That ſuch a holy preparation be made, and ſuch duties performed, as before is ſet downe in the laſt chapter; for ſuch proſpered. 4. That they reſt vponupon God, truſt in him, relye vponupon him, and goe out in1 Cro: 5: 20 2 Cro: 14. 11. & 16. 8 & 13. Heb: 11. 33 his name againſt the enemie; for who ever truſted in God and were confounded? Its ſaid that by faith the valiant ſubdued Kindomes; So much is aſcribed to confidence in God. To this, and for reſting vponupon God the Scripture aſcribeth the happy ſucceſſe of Aſa, of Abijah, of the Reubenites, and other, againſt their many and mighty Enemies.
But if men will needs goe to war, and God not with them, the warre vnjuſt, the attempt raſh, as in the Iſraelites,Deut: 1. 42 in Amaziah, yea and in loſias; the wicked ſonnes of Eli in the2 Cro: 25. & 35. hoſt, drunken, whoring, profane Prieſt, ſacrilegious Achan vnpuniſhed for his ſacriledge; and no pious preparation vntounto ſo weighty a work, wherein ſo many thouſand liues doe lye at the ſtake; But open prophaneſſe, b…aſting of our owne ſtrength, vaunting of our valour, reſting on the Generals wiſdome, the courage of Captaines, diſeſteeme of the Enemy, as Benhadad did of Ahabs army; to goe poorely provided with ſmall proviſion, with a Company of raw and vnexperienced fellowes, but ripe enough in wickedneſſe, without order, without government, what good ſucceſſe can be looked for? How can God goe out with ſuch rebels againſt him, ſeeing he hateth iniquity, and abhorreth preſumptuous Tranſgrellours.
If good grounds be laid as aforenamed, then may an hoſt goe forward with good courage; but yet before the force of Armes and hoſtility be ſhewed, God (who h…teth vnneceſſary bloudſhed, and abhorreth men of violence) commanded Iſrael Pſ. 5. 6. Deut 20. 10 2 Sam. 10. 18, 19.to offer peace firſt; for it may be the matter may be ended without bloudſhed: The Iſraelites before they went againſt … and Beniamin, ſent to hauehave the ſonnes of Belial delivered to them to be puniſhed, if they could hauehave obtained it. Iephtah before the warre began ſent meſſengers againeIud: 20. 12 13. Iud: 11. and againe to the King of the Ammonites to prevent bloudſhed, if it could hauehave beene prevented.
In ancient time thoſe that firſt began warre vſed to ſpeake before they did ſtrike, and ſhewed the cauſe of1 Mach: 6, 48. their taking vp armes. Machabeus deſired paſſage through Echron firſt. Caeſar minding to aſſaile Arioviſtus, Lib. de Bello Gal. 1.ſent him a defiance aforehand; the Lord himſelfe in…eading to puniſh rebellious mankinde, alludeth to this courſe, and acquainteth them with his determination, to come againſt them; and therefore he ſpeaketh as a man of warre, commanding to blow the Cornet in Gibeah, and theHoſea 5. 8. Trumpet in Ramah, and to cry aloud at Bethaven. Becauſe the A Exod. 17. 8malekites came ſtealing vponupon Iſrael, to fight with them, the Lord revengedDeut: 25. 17, 18. it ſeverely vponupon them, and would hauehave a booke of remembrance written againſt them, to hauehave vvarre with them for ever.
Its wiſedome to demaund right, and to propound coneluſions of peace, with a prepared hoſt. Thus proceeded Iſrael againſt Beniamin, & Ieptah againſt Ammon; for if ſo, peace take place, it is well, if not, the party wilfull may conſider what he certainely may expect: yet in honeſtly intending peace, take heede of circumvention, in dealing with a diſhoneſt and ſubtill Adverſary, who vnderunder ſhewes of treaties of peace intendeth nothing leſſe, as did Scipio with Syphax, and Metellus with iugurth, Liv. 29.and the falſe hearted Spaniard Saluſt.with the vpright minded Queene Elizabeth. By his treaties hee onelyonly ſought to make her ſecure, and to diſtruſt nothing, till he had ſuddenly invaded her land; He that eateth with ſuch a divell had neede of a long ſpoone: while plaine-meaning Abiiah was ſpeaking honeſtly to Ieroboam, he craftily laid an Ambuſh in the meane ſpace, for to overthrow him; whence note, that an idolatrous Politician, is a very Machivilian, and not to be truſted. He that vponupon policie frameth his religion, and maketh that a cloake, for getting and keeping an earthly ſtate, he is no more to be truſted then a divell.