And why doth he not aswell observe the unmercifulness of such States and Laws, as suffer petty thieves, and liars to live in their Townes & Cities: but will not suffer wilful murderers, & violent robbers to live amongst them? such as are tainted with lesser Errors, and it may be, whet them upon others, they are but as petty thieves, and liars: but such as after conviction do go on to subvert the Foundation of Christian Religion and to subvert and destroy the souls of Gods People, and stoutly rob them both of the means of Grace here, and of the inheritance of glory hereafter, they are worse then wilful murderers, or violent robbers. The Holy Ghost speaketh of false Teachers, as bringing in damnable Heresies, 2 Pet. 2.1. as overthrowing the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18. as subverting their souls, Acts 15.24. making merchandise ⟨p. 35⟩of Gods People 2 Pet. 2.3. which being so, me thinks, such as do more mischief, are less tolerable, then they that do less. It is true, they that are more deeply wounded-sinners, are more to be pitied, suppose the depth of their wounds reach none but themselves; but if they be infectious, and Leprous, and have Plague sores running upon them, and think it their glory to infect others; It is no want of mercy, and charity, to set such at a distance: It is a merciless mercy, to pity such as are incurably contagious, and mischievous, and not to pity many scores or hundreds of the souls of such, as will be infected and destroyed by the toleration of the other.
And why doth he not aswell observe the unmercifulnesse of such States and Lawes, as suffer petty theives, and liars to live in their Townes & Cities: but will not suffer willful murtherers, & violent robbers to live amongst them? such as are tainted with lesser Errors, and it may be, whet them upon others, they are but as petty theives, and lyars: but such as after conviction doe goe on to subvert the Foundation of Christian Religion and to subvert and destroy the soules of Gods People, and stoutly robb them both of the meanes of Grace here, and of the inheritance of glory hereafter, they are worse then willfull murderers, or violent robbers. The Holy Ghost speaketh of false Teachers, as bringing in damnable Heresies, 2 Pet. 2.1. as overthrowing the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18. as subverting their soules, Acts 15.24. making merchandize ⟨p. 35⟩of Gods People 2 Pet. 2.3. which being so, me thinkes, such as do more mischiefe, are lesse tolerable, then they that doe lesse. It is true, they that are more deeply wounded-sinners, are more to be pittied, suppose the depth of their wounds reach none but themselves; but if they be infectious, and Leprous, and have Plague sores running upon them, and thinke it their glory to infect others; It is no want of mercy, and charity, to set such at a distance: It is a mercilesse mercy, to pitty such as are incureably contagious, and mischeivous, and not to pitty many scores or hundreds of the soules of such, as will be infected and destroyed by the toleration of the other.
