ABSTRACT
The phrase in Matthew 26: 52 that ‘he who has taken up the sword, shall perish by the sword’ is said about him to whom God does not give the sword, that is he who abuses the sword for the sake of killing when no superior or legitimate authority commands it. It is licit against foreigners who have no authority over us. In fact, it is licit against that part of the commonwealth that wants to overturn this religion if this church has been accepted by the public consent of the estates of the commonwealth. John the Baptist has established these laws for common and garrison soldiers as they make their way across the fields of allies or innocent people in Luke 3: 14: ‘Do not attack anyone. Do not accuse anyone falsely and be content with your wages’.
