II. *Lawful war well waged proves prosperous. Many many instances out of holy writ may be produced for proof of the truth hereof: but not one I dare boldly say, to the contrary. We do indeed oft read of many wars, wherein the better have had the worse, and the wicked have devoured men more righteous them themselves. But it hath been either because those better have undertaken wars not warrantable, or else not well waged the same. The war which Jehoshaphat undertook with Ahab, was not warrantable: For, beside that bHe should not have helped the ungodly, ca Prophet foretold him that God liked not that war. dThe war also that Josiah undertook against Pharaoh Nechoh was unlawful. For, Nechoh intended no evil against him. No marvel therefore that the war of the one and other, though otherwise they were good men, was unprosperous. The like may be said of the battle betwixt Amaziah and Joash, wherein Amaziah, who in mere pride without just cause provoked Joash to fight, was overthrown. But ethe war which Joshua waged against the men of Ai, though lawful in the kind of it, was not well ordered, because he did not before he entered the field, search his army to see whether any accursed thing were therein, or no. Nor was fthe lawful war of the Israelites against the Benjamites well ordered, because they went about to punish sin in ⟨p. 290⟩others before they had purged their own souls of sin. hSaul before he entered into that battle wherein he and his sons and many of the Israelites were slain, asked counsel of one that had a familiar spirit and not of the Lord. iZedekiah perfidiously and perjuriously maintained war against Nebuchadnezzar, & was overthrown. If a view be taken of all those wars wherein Gods people have bin foiled by their enemies 9at any time, by diligent search it may be found, that some fault or other in Gods people hath been the cause that they have been given over into the power of their enemies. Such as arms, and horses, and soldiers, and engines could not overcome, sin hath delivered (as bound) to the enemy. But whensoever they well ordered just wars they always prospered.
II. *LAwfull warre well waged proves prosperous. Many many instances out of holy writ may be produced for proofe of the truth hereof: but not one I dare boldly say, to the contrary. We do indeed oft read of many wars, wherein the better have had the worse, and the wicked have devoured men more righteous them themselves. But it hath been either because those better have undertaken warres not warrantable, or els not well waged the same. The warre which Iehosaphat undertooke with Ahab, was not warrantable: For, beside that bHe should not have helped the ungodly, ca Prophet foretold him that God liked not that warre. dThe warre also that Iosiah undertooke against Pharaoh Nechoh was unlawfull. For, Nechoh intended no evill against him. No marvell therefore that the warre of the one and other, though otherwise they were good men, was unprosperous. The like may be said of the batteli betwixt Amaziah and Ioash, wherein Amaziah, who in meere pride without just cause provoked Ioash to fight, was overthrowne. But ethe warre which Ioshua waged against the men of Ai, though lawfull in the kind of it, was not well ordered, because he did not before he entred the field, search his army to see whether any accursed thing were therein, or no. Nor was fthe lawfull warre of the Israelites against the Benjamites well ordered, because they went about to punish sinne in ⟨p. 290⟩others before they had purged their owne soules of sinne. hSaul before he entred into that battell wherein he and his sonnes and many of the Israelites were slaine, asked counsell of one that had a familiar spirit and not of the Lord. iZedekiah perfidiously and perjuriously maintained war against Nebuchadnezar, & was overthrown. If a view be taken of all those wars wherin Gods people have bin foiled by their enemies 9
- *See §. 55. David nunquam nisi consulto Domino bellumadorsus est. Ideo in omnibus victor praelijs. Ambr. Offic. lib. 1. cap 35. Unlawful wars unprofperous.See §. 55. David nunquam nisi consulto Domino bellumadorsus est. Ideo in omnibus victor praelijs. Ambr. Offic. lib. 1. cap 35. Vnlawfull wars unprofperous.
- b2 Chro. 19. 2.
- c—18. 14, &c.
- d—35. 20, &c. Lawful wars not well waged—35. 20, &c. Lawfull wars not wel waged
- eJos. 7. 10, &c.Ios. 7. 10, &c.
- fJud. 20. 21, &cIud. 20. 21, &c
- h1 Chro. 10. 13
- i2 Chro. 36. 13. Ezek. 17. 18.
- 9Quos arma & equi, & milites, & machinamenta capere non potuerunt, hos peccati natura vinctos hostibus tradidit. Chrys. Hom. 7. in 1 Tim. 2. Why wars prosperous.Quos arma & equi, & milites, & machinamenta capere non potuerunt, hos peccati natura vinctos hostibus tradidit. Chrys. Hom. 7. in 1 Tim. 2. Why warres prosperous.
