The Bible Battles, Chapter 2
The II. CHAP. Of the warrs of God with man.
WArre is the oppoſite to peace, and is by the Prophet called evill; beingEſa, 4 5 7 Lev, 26, 25. the fruite of ſinne, the puniſhment for ſinne, yea ſo fearefull, as David once put to his choice, deſired rather2 Sam: 24. the peſtilence, then the ſword of an enemy: It bringeth with it for the moſt part innumerable evills, even as well to the Conquerours, as to the Conquered.
This warr is either of God with man, or of man with man: before I ſpeake of the latter, I thinke it very fit to ſay ſomething of the former in the firſt place; that men may conſider of another kind of warre, then vſually they dream of.
God hath warre with man, yea he hath ſome where ſworne; that with ſome ſorts, hee will hauehave warre from one generation to another, even for ever; there is no peace toEx 17, 16. Eſay 57. 21 Ex. 15, 3. the wicked; God therefore is pleaſed to be called vir belli a man of warre, the Chaldee expreſſeth the title thus, the Lord and victour of warres; he cauſeth warres, and maketh an end of them, at his owne will.
Hence it is, that he is ſayd to be armed, Rev. 19, 11 Iudg. 5, 8. Pſal. 46, 9Eſay 59. 17. and to hauehave his Armorie, which he openeth, that hee bringeth forth the weapons of his indignation, the Chariots and horſe, the Army and power, that he rideth vponupon horſes and charets, that he muſtreth Hoſ. 2. 18. Ier. 50. 25. Eſai. 43. 17 Hab. 3. 9. Iudg. …. 4. Eſay 13. 4. 2 Ch. 25. 8 Eſay 46. 10. 11. Pſ. 24. 8.his hoaſt, and marcheth againſt his enemyes, with aſſured victory: for he hath power to help himſelfe, and to caſt downe ſuch as will reſiſt him, his councell doth ever ſtand; what he purpoſeth, that he can bring to paſſe, and he will doe all his pleaſure: for hee is ſtrong and mightie, even the Lord mighty in battell.
Therefore hath hee the title of King of Kings, of King of glory and the Lord of Hoaſts, a name given him by Eſai and Ieremie, aboue an hundred times, and mentioned in the old Teſtament aboue 240. times, ſo did the Lord, in thoſe times, (if I may ſo ſay) giuegive himſelfe to warres and thereby vexed the Nation… and deſtroyed2 Ch. 15. 6 them for their ſinnes.
Now Gods hoſt or army is either more generall or more ſpeciall. The more generall, conſiſts of foure Regiments. The two firſt fall vponupon his enemies covertly, ſodainely and at vnawares; but the other openly in the view of the eye.
The firſt is of good Angells, calledGen. 32. 2 Luk. 2 13. 2 K. 19 37 2 Ch. 32. 21 for the great numbers, Gods hoſt for their quality heavenly ſouldiers, of which (ſuch is their power) even one was able to ſley, in one night, 185000. and amonge them all the mighty men of valour, leaders, and Captaines, in the campe of the Aſſirians.
The Second Regiment is of bad Angels, Pſ 78. 49.with which hee plagued the Aegyptians, amonge whom he ſentIud. 9. theſe wicked & evill ſpirits. By one of theſe he vexed and ſet at odds Abimilech 2 Ch. 29. 23. 1 Sam. 14. 20and the Sichemites to ſeeke by a furious and bloudy rage the vtter ruine, and deſtruction of one another: And by theſe it is very like, he wrought the deaths of greatIud. 7. 22. Armies, when they ſlew one another, the Lord ſetting eueryevery mans ſword againſt his owne fellow, throughout the hoſt.
The third is of all other his creatures, except man, this is a very mighty ſtrong and vnreſiſtable Armie: with theſe hee goeth forth in battell; He ſet the ſtarres in theirExo. 9. 23, 24. 34. 1 Sa. 7. 10. Ioſ 10, 11. Pſal. 11. 6. courſes to fight againſt Siſera: with thunder, lightning, raigne and haile mingled with fire, he ſet vponupon the Egyptians: with great ſtones from heauen hee ſlew the Canaanites, Iob 38. 22 23. Amos 4. 9. Hag. 2. 8. Num. 16. 35. 31, 32. 1 Sa. 14, 15which haileſtones he reſerueth in his treaſury againſt the time of warre, with bl…ſting windes, with fire, with Earthquakes he conſumeth, ouerthroweth and deuoureth vp his enemies: He ſhooteth out his arrowes, hot thunderbolts: with theſe hee ſmites them through; yea ſaith the Prophet, with thunder, earthquake, great noyſe of ſtorme and tempeſt,Pſ. 18. 14. Eſa. 29. 6. & 30 30. Ioel 2. 25. 2 Kin. 17. Deu. 32. 24 with the flame of deuouring fire he will riſe vp againſt them; and ſhew the lighting downe of his arme, in the indignation of his anger, with ſcattering and tempeſt and haileſtones. Hee commeth foorth with his great hoſts, as Ioel calleth them Canker-wormes, locuſts, Cater-pilpillers, and palmer-wormes: He armeth the teeth of the beaſts and Lyons to fight for him, and vſeth the poyſon of ſerpents to vexe and ſlay his enemies. Hee ſendeth outIoſ 24. 12. Exod. 8. frogges, flyes, and very lice to plague his enemies, and hornets to driue them away before him; ſo as he wanteth no meanes to annoy, no power to worke the deſtruction of ſuch as hee ſhall arme himſelfe againſt.
The fourth Regiment is of men outIoel 2. 11. Eſa. 10. 5. & 13. 4, 5. of his Church; theſe are his armie or campe, as they be tearmed, as alſo the weapons of his indignation. Theſe he calleth forth and muſtereth them; ouer whom he hath appointed his generalls, as once oue the Babylonians his Lieutenant and ſeruantIer. 25. 9. Eſa. 45. 1, 2, 3. Nebuchadnezzar, and ouer his hoſt of Medes and Perſians his Lieutenant and annoynted Cyrus.
Theſe his armies of men hee imployeth diuerſly as he pleaſeth; Sometimes ſeuerall Nations of them one againſt another, as the Babylonians againſt the Aſſyrians, Egyptians, and other Countries: the Medes and Perſians againſt theſe, the Grecians againſt them, and the Romans againſt all: So hee armes the Turke againſt the Perſians, and ſo to fight one againſt2 Ch. 15. 6. another: for when Nations riſe againſt Nations, and Cities againſt Cities, Gods hand it is that vexeth them, ſaith a Prophet.
Sometime hee letteth them agree together, euen ſeuerall Nations and Kings, to gather together againſt the Church, and then ſends an ill ſpirit among them to fall together by the eares one with another, and vtterly to deſtroy one another, as the2 Ch. 20. 23. Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites did.
Sometime the Armie of one and the ſame Nation he ſets at oddes, and the ſword of eueryevery man againſt his owne fellow, as fell out in the great1 Sam. 14. 20. Iud. 7. 22. hoſt of the Philiſtims, and thoſe enemies againſt which Gideon went forth.
But this his hoſt he doth not thus onelyonly imploy one againſt another, their owne ſelues, but he vſeth them againſt his owne people, as appeareth by many examples in ſacred ſtorie; Note this, and heerein conſider.
1. That though theſe enemiesIoel 3. 11. ſeeme to come of their owne accord, or are gathered together by ill inſtruments, ſuch as the vncleane ſpirits like frogs be in Reu. 16. 14. or by the diuell ſet on as Gog and Magog.Reu. 16. 16 Ioel 3. 2. Iud. 4. 7. Reu. 20. 8. yet know wee muſt, that God alſo gathereth them together, where and whither he will. He did draw Siſera with his Charets and multitude to come forth to the riuer Kiſhon; Gods hand (though the enemie thinkes not ſo) is in their conduction.
2. The number of the enemie is not at their own will to come forth,Eſa. 13. 4. but the Lord numbereth and muſtereth them, and ſo knoweth, to a man, how many hee ſendeth forth againſt his people.
3. Theſe enemies of his Church, yet his hoſt, he gathereth together, he numbreth and muſtereth them, and bringeth them out againſt his people, for ſeuerall ends.
Sometime onelyonly to terrifie his people to make them feare before him to humble themſelues with faſting and prayer, which being performed, he will ſet himſelfe againſt thoſe their enemies, and deſtroy them, as hee did the three Nations2. Ch. 20. which came againſt Iehoſophat: and as he did the proud Spaniards in their great Armado comming againſt Queene Elizabeth in the yeere 88. to their owne ſhame, and the confuſion of their conceited inuincible power.
Sometime its to giuegive his people ſome glorious victory ouer their Enemies, to let them ſee his power, mercy, and preſeruation of them, to ſtirre them vp to a more zealous ſeruice of him, as he did in the dayes of Aſa, when the dreadfull hoſt of Zerah the Ethiopian his tenne hundred2 Ch: 14. thouſand came againſt Iudah, and were vtterly diſcomfited.
Often the Lord hath hardened theſe enemies hearts againſt his people, that thoſe enemies might be overthrowne;Exo: 14. Num. 21. Ioſ. 11. 19, 20. ſo he hardened Pharaoh and his Egyptians to follow after Iſrael, that he might drowne them in the ſea: So delt he with Og, and Sihon, and withall the King of Canaan, that his people might vtterly deſtroy them. In like ſort hee dealt2 Sam 5. & 8. 10. with Dauids enemies who made war with him, but to their owne ruine and ouerthrow, and to the infinite inriching of Dauid and his people the Iſraelites.
But ſome other time he gathereth theſe Enemies to this end, that they may indeede afflict and puniſh his owne people, yea to rule ouer them, making them to ſerue with rigour, cruelty and great contempt; Thus he ſent out the King of Aſſyria, and gaue him a charge to take the ſpoyle,Eſa. 10. 6. and the prey; yea and to tread them downe like the mire in the ſtreetes.
Yet obſerue in this hand of God.
1. That the Enemies preuailing againſt the Lords people, as from GodIud. 3. 8. & 4. 2. & 3: 3. 12. Leu. 26. 36 37. himſelfe: He ſelleth them into the enemies hands, he ſtrengthneth the enemies to get the victorie, and if people be weake, fearfull, fly away, be ouercome & ſpoyled, it is he that doth it; He turneth backe the weapons of warre in their hand, it is hee that giueth Iacob to the ſpoyle, andIer. 21: 4. Eſa 42: 24. Ier. 21. 5. … Iſrael to robbers, for hee fighteth ſometimes againſt them with an outſtretched hand and a ſtrong arme, in anger, furie, and in great wrath.
2. That all this happeneth for ſin; becauſe his people rebell and vexe his ſpirit, doe euill in his ſight, andEſa, 63. 10 Iud. 3. 12. Leu. 26. 14 15, with v, 17, 36, 37. will not obey nor hearken to his commandements. For Idolatry and deſpiſing Gods meſſage by his Prophet was Amaziah ouerthrowne in battell: Rehoboam for his Idolatry was ſpoyled by Shiſhake King of Egypt; for Ioaſh his Apoſtacie and his murther of Zacharias was a very great hoſt deliuered by God intoEſai 42. 34. 2 Ch: 25. & 12. 2 Ch: 24. 2… the hands of the Sirians a ſmall company; For his wickedneſſe was Ahab brought low, and at length Iudah led into captiuity by Nebuchadnezzar.
3. That although the Enemies be thus the rod of Gods anger, and hisEſai 10. 5. indignation, the very ſtaffe in his hands to puniſh his people, for their hypocriticall ſeruice; but not to deſtroy them vtterly: yet becauſe the enemies thinke not this, that theyEſai 10. 13. are onelyonly Gods rod and ſtaffe; nor that their power is from him, becauſe his people hauehave ſinned; but are proud, glorying in their owne wiſedome and ſtrength, and intend in their hearts to deſtroy the Lords inheritance, he will at length turne his wrath vponupon them.
For marke what the Lord ſaith by his Prophet, when the Lord hath performed his whole worke vponuponVerſ. 12. 16 17, 24, 27. Mount Sion, and on Ieruſalem hee will puniſh the fruit of the ſtout heart of the King of Aſſyria, and the glory of his high lookes: And this is Gods manner of dealing, when he hath humbled his people, then to bring vponupon their enemies a day ofIer. 50. 17, 18, 23, & 51. 11. Amos 1. 3, 6 9, 11. 13. vengeance, and a time of recompence as he did vponupon the Aſſyrians firſt, and next vponupon the Babylonians for their mercileſſe cruelty againſt his people.
The Lord now afflicteth heauily his Church, her enemies preuaile mightily, and thinke to deuoure her vp: falſe friends vndermine her wals, open enemies aſſault her and tread her vnderunder foot in many places; but when God hath performed his whole worke, he will take his time to gather them together to their deſtruction, and this he foretelleth vsusIoel 3. 2. 11 plainely in Reu. 16. & 19. & 20. In the meane ſpace, let vsus humble our ſelues vnderunder his mighty hand; bee warned by our former great loſſes, by our breth…ens calamities, by the ſignes from heauen, by the extraordinary ſtormes and tempeſts, winter thunder and lightning ſo often and vnuſuall, by plagues and other puniſhments fallen vponupon vsus; and if we turne and repent, then let vsus beleeue2 Ch. 20. and wait with patience, yea then hearken what is ſaid, ſtand ſtill let vsus not feare, but behold the ſaluation of the Lord which he will ſhew vntounto vsus, undoubtedly in that day; Amen. And thus for the generall hoſts of God, and the armies of his power in heauen and in earth.
Now the other more ſpeciall hoſt, of this Lord God of Hoſts is his trained ſouldiers, the Armie which hee hath in his Church for defence therof,Exo. 12. 41 51. & 14. 20. & 23. 18. & 14. 2. & 15. 27. Num. 11. 10. & 16. or to ſend out againſt their enemies, and his alſo for their ſakes. This Armie was the Iſraelites comming out of Egypt which are called Gods hoſt and Campe who went vp harneſſed; their reſting places were called encampings, and their lodging was in Tents; The Lord cauſed a muſter of them and to be numbered, and found among them to bee 603550. able men to draw ſword all that were 20. yeers old and vpward. Hee ſet them in order in marching, and appointed them ſtandards and the ſeuerall armies to attend the ſame. ThisIoſ. 5. 13. Exo. 13. 21. & 14. 19. Pſ. 77. 20. Eſa. 63. 12. Deut. 33. 5 Pſ. 18. 32. 34. 38. & 144. 1. hoſt was the hoſt of God, Chriſt their Prince and their Conductor: His Lieutenant generall Moſes, who was as a King among them. After Moſes he ſet vp Ioſua to be generall, after him Iudges, then Saul, and David the King, whom the Lord girded with ſtrength to the battell▪ teaching his hands to warre, and his fingers to fight, ſo as by hee could by his armes breake a bow of ſteele. Thus he trained him vp to fight his battels
This Army of his people is called1 Sam. 17. 36. Ioſ. 5. 15. Eſa. 31. 4. Deu 20. 4. 1. Sa. 17. 47 2 Chr. 20. 15. the hoſt of the living God, and the Lords hoſt, with this he taketh part, and for it fighteth as a Lyon; with this he goeth to fight againſt his enemies; for the battell is not theirs but the Lords; and therfore the Lord was for them, to giuegive them many glorious and incredible victories ouer their enemies.
And as the Lord was glorified in victories by theſe, ſo will he aſſuredly be now alſo for his Church in his owne good time. For albeit the beaſt muſt warre with the Saints, and for a time ouercome, Reu. 11. 2. & 13. 7. yet at length ſhall the lambe with his elect, called, and faithfull preuaile, Reu. 17. 14. He ſhall ride vponupon the white horſe with many crownes vponupon his head, the armies of heauen alſo following on white horſes, as triumphing ouer all their enemies, for heReu. 17. 16. is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; And thus of the warres of God with man.