The Bible Battles, Chapter 7
The VII. CHAP. Of the chiefe authority mouing to war; and of Kings going out with their Hoſts, very vſuall in ancient ages, but yet ever arbitrary.
VPonUpon mature deliberation, and well aduiſed iudgment, the iuſtice of warre being approoued, as alſo that the ſame is neceſſary (leaſt men embroyle themſelues in needleſſe vſe of the ſword, to their owne ruine) then is to bee conſidered in the next place by what authority this warre is to be vndertaken; for a neceſſary and iuſt warre doth not warrant everie one vponupon their owne heads to make warre, though they be able to gather a power together; but the firſt moover thereto muſt be the ſupreame authoritie in the State, whether it be Monarchicall, Ariſtocraticall, or any of the reſt, by which the people of that ſtare is governed.
The warres which God allowed, and ſo iuſt, which he alſo commanded,Exo. 17. 8. Num. 31. and ſo neceſſary were made ever vnderunder, and by the authority of ſuch as he ſet ouer his people. Thus the warre againſt Amalek was commanded by Moſes; ſo was that againſt Midian; in like manner Iſrael warred under the command of Ioſua, after vnderunder the Iudges, and then vnderunder Kings, as vnderunder Saul, David, and the reſt, who did in their owne perſons goe into the warres.
And this ſame was vſuall in all former ages, even from the beginning of warrs mentioned in holy writ, that Kings themſelves went out to…o. 14. 2 Ch. 12. & 35. 20. 1 Kin. 20. warre, as the foure Kings againſt the fiue in Gen. 14. Pharao in his owne perſon purſued Iſrael, Shiſhak King of Egypt came with his hoſt againſt Iudah, and ſo Pharao Nech… went foorth with his owne forces, Benhadad the Syrian came himſelfe, and with him thirty two Kings into the field.
All the Can…anitiſh Kings cameIoſua 10. Num 21. themſelves with their hoſts, ſo the two mighty Kings Sihon King of the Amorites, and Ogg the King of Baſan. And thus did all the Kings of Iſrael and Iudah: Saul went into the field continually; David was often there in perſon; ſo was Ieroboam, Rehoboam, Abiiam, Aſa, Iehoſophat, Amaziah, and the reſt; yea by the appointment of God ſome were appointed to order the battell themſelves, as was Ahab againſt Benhadads hoſt; This was the cuſtome of great Monarches ſubduing the world to goe out in perſon; as may appeare in Salmanezer, and Senacherib the Aſſyrian1. K. 20. 14 2 K. 18. …. …3. Kings in Nebuchadnezzar the Babilonian, in Alexander the Macedonian,2 Ch. 36. 6. Ier, 39. 5. in Cyrus, Darius, Zerxes, the Perſians, in Iulius Caeſar, and other Roman Emperours▪ in Tamberlaine the Tartar, and Baiezet the Grandſiegneour; in Charles the great, Emperour of Germanie. This made Princes famous, their warres to bee maintained, the battells to be fought with more courage even to the vtmoſt; and ſo a more ſpeedy diſpatch one way or other to make ſome end, and to bring peace, the good and bleſſed concluſion of all iuſt warrs.
Though it ſeemed expedient vntounto Kings in thoſe dayes to goe in perſon with their Armies; yet no doubt care was had of their ſafeties, that they ſhould not bee ſuffered to expoſe themſelves raſhly into the battle,1 K. 22. 3… 2 Ch. 35. 22. 2 Sam. 21 17. 1 Sam. 26. 16. as Ahab did, and Ioſias, which coſt them both their lives; For the valiant Captaines would expoſe themſelves▪ deſperately when they ſaw their Kings in danger, as Abiſhai did, who reſ…ued Dauid with great hazard to ſave his life from the ſt…oke of Iſhbi-benob the Gyn… ▪ He are upon it was, that Dauid held Abn…r and2 Sam. 18. 3. others about Saul wo…thy of death, becauſe they had not kept more ſafely the King. Faithfull Subiects eſteeme the life of a good King, more worth then ten thouſand of themſelves; Princes may bee in the field,2 Sam. 21. 17. but its not neceſſary to goe into the battle, leaſt (as Davids ſervants ſaid of him) the light be quenched, and1 K. 22. the people be ſcattered, as vponupon Ahabs death.
Whether they goe forth, or ſtay at home (which is free vntounto them, and may be done according to their own pleaſure) yet is this ſoveraign authority that which muſt firſt moove to make warre; People may not if they would gather together to warre againſt an open enemy of their owne heads, for God hath puniſhed ſuch attempts as may be ſeene in the preſumptuous Iſraelites arming themſeluesNum. 14. 40. 44, 45. Deut. 1. 1. Mach. 5. 56. 60. 61. 67… without command from authority, and were overthrowne by the enemy. Such was the attempt of one Ioſeph and Azarias, who in a vaine-glory to get a name, would gather troupes to fight againſt the Heathen, and obeyed not I…das Machabeus; and therefore were overthrowne: and ſo were certain Prieſts ſlain…, vponupon ſuch a vaine vndertaking. Among the Romanes thoſe that thus offended, by their lawes were in caſe of treaſon. People muſtF. ad L. …ub. maitſt. & L. vine C. vt arm… rum vſus. therefore have warrant; for otherwiſe even to ſpoyle or kill an enemy is theft, and murther; and the battle on their parr no better then a fi…ld of bloud; and their doings, but diſorder and confuſion; except it be to repreſſe a ſodain riſing of Rebels, or to withſtand a violent and ſodain comming in of an open enemy. Otherwiſe none are to bee acounted publike enemies in warre, but thoſe whom publike authoritie ſo declareth to be: yea, and if any riſe vp in rebellion, if authoritie know it, the Captaines are to await for command, before they gather power againſt ſuch rebells: as may be manifeſt in Abiſhai and the reſt, who mooved not the rebellion of Bichri, 2 Sam. 20. 1-4. 6, 7.till Dauid, who knew it, gaue command to follow him: But when men have ſuch warrant, then let them obey readily, and be as ſerviccable toIoſ. 1. 16. to their Leaders, as the Iſraelites promiſed to be to Ioſ…a▪