First of all, the chief and uppermost place must be
given to religion in every camp and garrison: for the Lord himself hath
appointed priests and ministers of true religion to attend and serve in wars.
Secondarily,
let upright laws be of force in camps abroad, as well as in cities at home: let
soldiers live honestly, justly, and rightly, as order and discipline are wont
to require when as they are in the city at home. For that saying cometh not of
God, but of the devil, which is commonly spread abroad, Let laws in war be
hushed and still.
Thirdly, let him that is chosen to be guide and general of
the war be godly, just, holy, valiant, wise, and fortunate; as, among them of
old, were Josue, David, Judas Machabeus, Constantine, Theodosius, and many
more. To all this there must be added a chosen band of tried men: for choice of
soldiers must be made, unless perhaps the army do consist in a troop of
bastards and unskilful men, of perjured and blaspheming knaves, of cut-throats
and rakehells, of drunkards and gluttons, and a beastly drove of filthy swine.
Victory consisteth not in the multitude of men, but in the grace of God and a
chosen band. The proverb is common which saith, “Where a multitude is, there is
confusion.” Great and innumerable armies are a let to themselves very greatly;
as we do learn by daily experience, and as examples of every age do testify to
us. Moreover, loiterers in camps are always reproved. Let the christian
soldier, therefore, be idle at no time; let him ever be busy, and still doing
something: let him be courageous, faithful to his country, ready to take pains,
obedient to his captains, fit to take time when occasion is offered, and
evermore occupied in warlike discipline; no effeminate milksop, but of manly
stomach; not cruel and merciless, but severe and pitiful, as time requireth.
What he may preserve, that let him not destroy.
But, above all things, let him
not forget or think scorn, both in peril and out of peril, evermore to make his
prayers and supplications to God his Saviour. In God's name let him begin all
things; without God let him attempt nothing: in adversity, and when he hath the
overthrow, let not his courage quail, nor his heart and hope forsake him; in
prosperity let him not be puffed up with pride and arrogancy, but let him give
thanks to God, and use the conquest like a merciful victor: let him wholly
depend upon God's helping hand, and desire nothing rather than the defence of
the commonweal, laws, religion, justice, and guiltless people.
Heinrich Bullinger, The Decades of Henry Bullinger: The First and Second Decades, ed. Thomas Harding (The University Press, 1849), 380, 381.
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