The Bible Battles, Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX. Of vſing religiouſly the Ʋictorie.
WHen God hath given vsus the victory, wee ſhould doe as did the Lords people in old times.
They did ſee and acknowledge the2 Cro: 20, 26 2 Mach: 15 29 Gen: 14 20 Exod: 15. 2. 10. Ioſ: 10. 12. Iudg: 5. 4. & 15, 18 hand of God therein, and together bleſſed him for it; Melchiſedech ſaid to Abraham when he was returned with victory, Bleſſed be the moſt high Go…, who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. So did Moſes aſcribe all to God▪ likewiſe Ioſua, Deborah, Sampſon, and David. And this their acknowledgment and thankefulneſſe they expreſſed many wayes; to ſhew it to bee true, heartie and vnfeigned.
I. They made rehearſall of the2 Sam: …. 18. 30 40, 41. 48 & …. …0. Iud: 5. 11. righteous actes of the Lord in particular. 2. They framed Pſalmes, and pious ſongs of deliverance, as did Moſes, Miriam, Delorah, David, and the valiant men of Machabeus 2 Mach: …0 38.company. 3. They would ſomtimes put a remarkeable remembrance vponupon the place where the victory was gotten giving to it a name, as David 2 Sa: 5 20.did, calling it, Baal Per…zim, where he overcame the Philiſtims: So Iehoſopnat called the valley, in which2 Chro: 10 26. they bleſſe God for the victory gotten, Beracah. 4. They would doe outward worſhip and ſervice to GodExod: 17. 14, 15. Ioſ: 8. 30. Iud: 21. 4 Moſes built an Altar. vponupon the ouerthrow of Amalek. Ioſua did ſo when he won Ai, and ſo did the Iſraelites when they vanquiſhed Beniamin, built an Altar whereon they offered thankſ-giving; They gave the Altar ſometimes a name, as Moſes called2 Cron: 29 26. his Iehuva Neſſe, that is, the Lord my banner. 5. They would repayre to the Temple with great ioy and reioycing: as did Iehoſophat and the people1 Mach: 4. 26. & 5. 54. 2 Mach: 8. 27. and he before them; ſo did Iudas and his army, carefully keeping the Sabboth, yeelding exceeding prayſe and thankes vntounto God. Yea, the heathen Philiſtims would after victorie honour their Idols, and had their Prieſts to make ſpeeches thereof, as we now doe ſermons vntounto the people in their Temples. 6. They by their1 Sa: 30. 9. victories were the more mooved to advance true Religion, and to roote out Idolatry, (marke this.) Thus did Aſa and Iudah with him, vponupon the victory obtained againſt Zerah the Ethiopian;2 Cro: 15. and after the Sermon preached by Azariah the Prophet the ſon of O…ed, they put away the abhominable Idols, they entred into couenant to ſeeke the Lord, and confirmed it with an oath; and that with great ioy, and vprightnes of heart, Aſa hereupon put downe Ma…chah his mother from being Queene: becauſe ſhe was an Idolatreſſe, whoſe Idol in a grove be cut down ſtampt it, and burnt it in the fire, ſo dealt Dauid with the Images2 Sa. 5. 21. of the Philiſtims after his victory; he did not fooliſhly as Amaziah 2 Cro: 25did, who having ſubdued the Edomites, tooke their Idols and ſet them vp inludah to be worſhipped, both to his owne ruine and the deſtruction of the people. 7. They tooke of the preyNum: 3 50 and ſpoiles, and thereof firſt offered part vntounto God for his ſervice; the Captains of thouſands and Captaines of hundreds, in their great victory over the Kings of Midian, gave freely, beſides 700 and odde head of cattle, of gold, jewels, eare-rings bracelets, rings and ſuch like, to the value ofA ſhekel is 2 … 6…. 16750 ſhekels. Ioab Dauids Generall dedicated ſomething vntounto God, and ſo other valiant worthies offered of2 Sa: 8. 11. the ſpoiles. So David gave to God very much of his victories. In likeGen. 14. 20 manner did Abraham vntounto Melchiſedech, the Prieſt of God. Thus theſe valiant warriours reſpected Religion and Gods ſervice, and therefore offered for the maintenance thereof. As alſo for the Lords Prieſts and for the places wherein God was ſerved, and not herewith contented, wee may reade what care ſome had of the poore, for Iudas Machabens gave of2 Mach. 8. 2…. the ſpoiles to the maimed, to widdowes and Orphanes; ſo theſe valorous worthies ſpent not all they got vponupon themſelves in braverie of apparell, much leſſe any of it in gluttonie, drunkenneſſe, whoring, nor did they baſely hoord vp all to enrich themſelves. To theſe courſes valiant1 Mach. 7. 48, 49. ſpirits in thoſe dayes were very ſtrangers. 8. And laſtly, they kept ſometime a day of ioy and reioycing vntounto the Lord for their victories obtained, and kept it yearely; for we may andPſal: 58. 10 Pro: 11. 10. Rev: 18. 20. Ier: 51: 48, 49, ought to reioyce ouer our enemies ſubdued, and with ioyfull triumphing praiſe the Lord our God. And thus ſhould we vſe religiouſly our victories.