Secondly, I dare averre, that God doth no where in his word tolerate Christian States to give Tolerations to such adversaries of his Truth, if they have power in their hands to suppresse them....
Not to tolerate things meerly indifferent to weak consciences, argues a conscience too strong: pressed uniformity in these, causes much disunity: _To tolerate more then indifferents_, is not to deale indifferently with God: He that doth it, takes his Scepter out of his hand, and bids him stand by....
Concerning Tolerations I may further assert.
That Persecution of true Religion, and Toleration of false, are the _Jannes_ and _Jambres_ to the Kingdome of Christ, _whereof the last is farre the worst_....
_Frederick_ Duke of _Saxon_, spake not one foote beyond the mark when he said. He had rather the Earth should swallow him up quick, then he should give a toleration to any opinion against any truth of God.
He that is willing to tolerate any Religion, or discrepant way of Religion, besides his own, unlesse it be in matters meerly indifferent, either doubts of his own, or is not sincere in it.
He that is willing to tolerate any unsound Opinion, that his own may also be tolerated, though never so sound, will for a need hang Gods Bible at the Devills girdle.
Every Toleration of false Religions or Opinions hath as many Errours and sins in it as all the false Religions and Opinions it tolerats, and one sound one more.
That State that will give Liberty of Conscience in matters of Religion, must give Liberty of Conscience and Conversation in their Morall Laws, or else the Fiddle will be out of tune, and some of the strings crack.
Experience will teach Churches and Christians, that _it is farre better to live in a State united, though a little Corrupt, then in a State, whereof some Part is incorrupt, and all the rest divided_.
... There is talk of an universall Toleration. I would talke as loud as I could against it, did I know what more apt and reasonable Sacrifice _England_ could offer to God for his late performing all his heavenly Truths then an universall Toleration _of all hellish Errors_, or how they shall make an universall Reformation, but by making _Christs Academy_ the _Divills University_, where any man may commence [graduate] Heretique _per saltum_; where he that is _filius Diabolicus_, or _simpliciter pessimus_, may have his grace to goe to Hell _cum Publico Privilegio_; and carry as many after him, as he can....