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Show DifcffJJer {hall i" the feque/1 pluc~ojf ar the J!lb.tn covering of an Image (ar he calletb it) we !hall fun her dttend htm, Difculfer. ,z, I obferve from the Scripruret he quoteth for thi1 Toleratim(Phi/.3' Rom. 1 4·) hew clojely (Jet I hope unadvife~ly) _he maf:!th the. ~hu~chu of Chrijl at Philippi,<nd Rome,aU one w11h tJJe Cutes of Phthppt,and Rome&c. Defender, No fuch mJtter :I never thought thefe Scriptures to belong a! all to the Cities of Philippi or Rome, Paul writeth to both the Churches not only to tolerate,but to receive their weake brethren, who diffent from them in matters oflefTe moment : but to the Cities, I never read any Epiflle of his. Who would everimagine, the Difcu§er !hould be fo farre tranfported beyond all bounds, ei· ther of reafon, or truth, OF candor, as to furmife the Anfwerer !hould conceive, That what thofe Clmrchu muJI not tolerate in their holy cummuniun, that the Citiet of Philippi and RomemuJl not tokratewithin the compa.ffe oft he Ci!J, State, and JurijiJi8ion, Difculfer. 3· F'rom tbu Toleration ofperfom holding but leffir error!, I obferve the unmercifulneffe of(ucb DoUrinet and Heart/ ,that he,tbat it jleight• !J and but a little hurt fhaU bt [ujfered,& meanet vuuchfafod for hit cure: but the deep-wounded ftnner, the Leprout, alfd Vlcerom &c. mufo not he foffered,umiUperadflenture God may give them Rtpentance &c. Defender. And why doth he not afwellobferve the unmercifulnelfe of fuch States and Lawes, as fuffer petty theivcs, and liars to live in their Townes & Cities :but will not fuffer willful murthereu. & violent robbers to live among{! them ? fuch as are tainted ~ith Ieifer Errors, and it may be, whet them upon others, they are but a! petty thcives, and lyars: butfUch as after convi8:ion doe goe on to fubvert the Foundation of ChrHiian Religion and to fubvert and dellroy the foul<s of Gods People, and lloutly robb them both of the meanes ofGrae< here, and of the inheritance of glory hereafter, they are worfe then will full murderers, or violent robberr. Th< Holy Gholl fpeaketh offalfe Teachers,as bringing in damna· ble Herefies, 2 Pet. 2, 1, as overthrowing the faith offome 2 Tim. 2. JS.asfubverting theirfoules, tA81 15.24- makingmerchan· - ili* Of thehotdit;g fortb of Error with an Arrogant Spirit. 3J dize of Gods Peoplo Pet. 2. 3· which being fo, methinkes, fuch as do more m;fchiefe,are leffe tolerable, then they that doe lelfe. It is true, they that are more d<eply wouncied-finners, are more to be pittied,fuFpufe the depth 1f their wounds reach none but themfelves; but if they be infecbuus,and L<prous,and h•ve Plague fa res running upon them, and thinke it their glory to infttl: othm; Ic is no want of mercy, and chariry, to fet fuch at a dillance : It is a mercilelfe mercy, to pi tty fitch as are incureably contagious, and mifcheivous,and not to pi tty many fcores or hundreds of the foulu of fuch , as will be infel:l:ed and dellroyed by the toleration of the other. CHAP· 17· .A 'R..§ply tohif fevenmnth Chapte~ : touchin,~ the holding forth of Error wtth a boifterous and arrogant. Spirit, Difculfer. lt if {aid by the Anfwerer, He that holtktb fort.h .Errorwiih a boijle, out and arrogant JPirit to the dijlurbaNce of the Czvz/1 Peace , he ought to be punifhed. To thir I have JPo".!n toa, confeJJmg that if"") man commit ought of thoft thingt, which Paul,.,,. accufidofAl.t:s 2).J.J, He ought not to be fiared: yeA he ought not in foch ca{et to refufe to dze. Defender. I would not fay, That every man that holdeth forth Error in a a boillerousand arrogant fpirit co the dillurbance of Civill Peace, ought to be puni!hcd with death. This is too Rloudy a Tenet,u?lelfe the boillerous Arrogancy were fu~h as did dillurbe the Civil! Peace to the dellrul.t:ion of the lives and foules of men. Difcu!fer. But ifthematter be of a Spiritua/1 and Divine nature, 1 hav: writ~m before, in many cafe!, and might in m•ny more, that the r:orjhzp whzch 11 State /"'ofojfeth, may be contradiUed ~nd preached agamp, and jet no breach o{Civi/1 PoJace,&c. F 2 Difender, |