3. The Secular ruler must take heed that he deals justly with evil doers.
sleep. Remember the old proverbs, which are the sure fruits of experience: "A careful master makes a good horse," and "The master's footsteps make a fruitful field" — that is, if the master does not look after things himself, but depends upon counselors and servants, things never go right. God also will have it so, and causes it to happen, in order that the lords may be driven of necessity to fulfill their office themselves, as everyone must fulfill his calling and every creature must do its work; otherwise the lords will become fatted pigs and a worthless lot, of no profit to anyone but themselves.
3. The Secular ruler must take heed that he deals justly with evil doers.
Here he must be very wise and prudent to mete out punishment without injuring others. I know no better example of this than David again. He had a captain, Joab by name, who played two wicked pranks, in that he treacherously murdered two loyal captains, whereby he justly merited death twice over. Yet David did not put him to death during his lifetime, but commanded his son Solomon without fail to do so, because he could not punish him without great injury and disturbance. (2Sam 3:27; 20:10)1 A prince must punish the wicked in such a way that he does not step on the dish while picking up the spoon; and for the sake of one man's head plunge land and people into want, and fill the land with widows and orphans.
(1Kng 2:5 f.)2 Therefore he must not obey the counselors and fire-eaters who incite and provoke him to begin war, and who say, "What, must we suffer such insults and injustice?"
He is a poor Christian indeed, who for the sake of a single castle would make an armed camp of the whole land. In brief, here one must hold by the proverb, "He cannot rule who cannot wink at faults."
Let this, therefore, be his rule: Where wrong cannot be punished without greater wrong, there let him waive his rights, however just. He must not regard his own injury, but the wrong which others must suffer as a consequence of the penalty he imposes. For what have the many women and children done that they should be made widows and orphans in order that you may avenge yourself on an idle tongue or a wicked hand which has injured you?
You ask, But shall not a prince go to war, nor his subjects follow him into battle? I answer,
That is a far-reaching question, but let me answer it very briefly. To act here as a Christian, I say, a prince should not wage war against his overlord — the king, emperor, or other liege — but he should let him who takes, take. For one must not resist the government with force, but only with knowledge of the truth; if it is influenced by it, then it is well; if not, you are innocent, and will suffer wrong for God's sake. But if your opponent is your equal, your inferior, or from a foreign government, then you should first offer him justice and peace, as Moses taught the children of Israel. If he is unwilling, then use your best strategy and defend yourself by force against force, as Moses well describes it all in Deu 20:10.3 In doing this, you must not consider your own interests and how you may remain lord; but consider your subjects, to whom you owe help and protection, so that all may be done in love. For, since your entire land is in peril, you must take the risk, so that with God's help all may not be lost.
1 2Sam 3:27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. 2 Sam
20:10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 1Kng 2:5 "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet., etc.
3 Deu 20:10 "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.