The most important major concerns of writing a play are coming up with characters and deciding on a conflict.
The legislative branch creates the laws. The executive branch executes the laws. The Judicial branch explains the laws.
I would say that most likely he was once a member of the military to use such a figure of speech, but also meaning that discretion would be the better part of valour to proceed with doing something positive for the community and win their hearts that way and perhaps influence their religion that way.
