ABSTRACT
God more often than once commands princes to rescue the poor and raise the oppressed, but often that is less likely to happen without war; therefore, it is not alien to piety to wage it. Nor is there anyone who denies that it is praiseworthy to do a good deed for someone and cure his ills, but wars help the miserable and remedy their injuries, as is apparent from this passage when Lot was liberated and the people of Sodom were freed from tyrannical oppression by their kings. The holy kings of Judah often piously waged wars for this reason. Other just causes for war include the promotion of good things, the rooting out of vices, supporting the oppressed pious, and on the other hand suppressing the impious. Finally, moderation is to be observed when fighting so that the matter is conducted without too much cruelty and one desists from war as soon as the vanquished.
