The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 5
II. SAM. Chap. 2. from the 17. verſe to the 26.
COncerning the enſueing battle, we have to reſolve, whether warres are Lawfull, or unlawfull? we anſwer that publick warres undertaken by publick authority are Lawfull, as that anſwer of the Baptiſts to the ſouldiers, Chriſts direction to give Caeſar that which was Caeſars, the commendation of the centurion, the Laws of warfare ſet down by God himſelf to the Iſraelites, Deut. 20.the practiſe of their godlieſt Patriarches, Judges and Kings, the title of God himſelf, the Lord of hoſts, that which is ſaid, 1 Sam. 25. 28. And the Apoſtolick Canon of the Magiſtrates ſword, all do teſtify, providing they have theſe four cauſes and caveats, the matter be puniſhment of vice, the forme, right proceeding, the efficient, Lawfull authority, and the end, that peace and piety may be obtained. The Anabaptiſts hold the contrary, becauſe it is forbidden (ſay they) to revenge, or reſiſt evil, and it is againſt Chriſtian patience, recommended by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, as alſo againſt the nature of Chriſts Kingdome, Iſa. 2. 4. Micah. 4. 2.
To all this it is anſwered, that private revenge is onelyonly forbidden, and in that place of the Prophets, he ſpeaketh not againſt publick Lawfull warres, but ſheweth how the hearts of the godly ſhall be affected one to another, albeit of divers nations, which peace and love ſhall begin and grow here, but be perfected hereafter. And in ſome ſort too even private warres in defenſe, or reſiſtance are Lawfull, when by circumſtances, the Magiſtrates help cannot be implored for protection, in which caſe (as one of the ancients affirmeth) the Magistrate ſeemeth quietly to conſent to the deed, and which is called, inculpata tutela.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 17. A ſore battle enſueth on this former combat, whereby we ſee that of ſmal-provocations, and infortunate beginnings, great troubles oftimes ariſe, witneſſe the abuſe of the Levites wife,Judg. 20. 2 Sam. 20. and the Benjamites froward anſwer, the event, which was the occaſion of the pitifull overthrow of that whole tribe, which might at firſt (if the like practiſe as that of the men of Abel, had been followed) been wiſely prevented.
2. The ſervants of Abner fall before the ſervants of David, ſo that a right and juſt cauſe may ever ordinarily look for Victory, being proſecuted aright, for as Hezekiah ſaid, concerning the King of Aſhur, 2. Chro. 32.there are more with us, then with him, for with him is the arme of fleſh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, even ſo that ſame protecting preſence, albeit the eye of the body (like Gehezies while it was opened) cannot perceive the ſame, doth ſtill attend and give a happy ſucceſſe to all upright affaires, ſo that if God be with us, who can be againſt us, and if that captain of the Lords hoſte that appeared unto Joſhua ſtand armed on our ſide,Joſh. 5. we need not doubt of Victory ordinarily in any juſt cauſe, and quarrel between us, and any adverſary whoſoever, witneſſe Abraham againſt the 5. Kings. Iſraels deliverance from Pharaoh, their battles under Moſes, Joſhua, and their Judges, David againſt Goliath, and here againſt Abner with ſundry others.
3. Yet Abner here hath the greater forces, eleven tribes againſt one, The arme of man therefore is vain to truſt unto, neither is the race to the ſwift,Eccleſ. 9. 11. nor the battle to the ſtrong▪ but the Victory is of the Lord; who will have the glory of things unto himſelf, and will impart the ſame to none other, therefore albeit Midian be ſcattered like Graſhoppers on the field, yet a barly cake ſhall overturne their tents, and Gidion with a few, having Trumpets and Lamps in earthen Pitchers ſhall ſuddenly make them agaſt. Let Joſhua then truſt in the Lord, and with compaſſing onelyonly Jericho, he ſhall enter the City, whereas Pharaoh truſting in his chariots, or Rabſhaketh boaſting of his invinceable Armado, ſhall periſh, or returne with ſhame to his own place.
4. Vers 19. The confidence that Abner had in his experience and ſtrength, and that Aſahel had in his ſwiftnes and agility, (being ſaid by a hyperbolicall kind of ſpeech to have been as ſwift as a roe, as Saul aud Ionathan are ſaid to been ſwifter then Eagles, Chap. 1. 23.) a…ailes them nothing now, but rather turns to their ruine. So that thoſe things wherein above others, men have gotten a preferment, being abuſed, God turneth them to their confuſion, examples Goliah, Sampſon, Saul, Achitophel, Haman, Abſolom, Iudas, and others, ſuch as Arrius confiding in his ſubtility, Milo in his ſtrength, Cicero in his eloquence, Pompey in his greatnes, and Iulius Caeſar in his courage, as we deſire, to get therefore gifts, or benefits outwards, or inward from God, let us likewiſe, deſire the right uſe of them, that we abuſe not the talent that he giveth us, elſe our bleſſings ſhall be turned to curſes, and at laſt to our own deſtruction.
5. Vers. 22. In Abners dehortation to Aſahel, containing a direction to meddle with any other ſouldier of the hoſt, rather than him, leaſt otherwiſe he repent, and a reaſon of eſchewing further irritation of his Brother Ioab, whereby he ſhewes his unwillingneſſe to kill him. We ſee, as it is a good thing in him to be ſlow in revenge, or loath to ſhed blood, ſo firſt, that it is a very evill thing, to be ſo careleſſe of thoſe that followed him, in making ſo ſmall account of their lives, or ſpoil. Secondly that he ſhould have more thought of this, How he ſhould hold up his face before Ioab, if he killed Aſahel, then how he ſhould hold up his face before God, at the laſt day, thus the fool hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God, or with Pharaoh preſumptuouſly inquiring, Who is God that I ſhould regard him, therefore oftimes the fear of man reſtrains more the wicked, then the terrour of God is a lore unto them, this was Eſaus fear, Gen. 27. 41. But let the godly be contrarily minded.
6. Vers 23. In Aſahels death, who was ſo eager and wilfull in perſuit, we ſee, that it is good to uſe Victory with mediocrity, and not with too great cruelty and eager perſuit of the yeelding and intreating adverſary, by making their minds deſperate and to reinanimate them (as it were) with new courage to aſſault, and ſeeing no courteſy to be had, to hazard that altogether, which otherwiſe they cannot ſave; Therefore it was the wiſe Counſel of that elder Scipio, non ſolum praeparanda, ſed etiam viae munienda Hoſti fugienti.
7. Ioab getteth the Victory, but not without the death of Aſahel his Brother, with others 19. So that in all civil warres the very triumphs are lamentable, and their Victories not without miſerable ſcarres, witneſſe Iſraels lamentation for the deſtruction of their Brethren,Iudg. 21. 2, 3, 6. the Benjamites, and Davids loſſe and lamenting of Abſalom, with ſundry others.