Tertullian presents another argument for toleration. He recalls Jesus who (according to Matthew 12:18–20) follows the exhortation to ‘proclaim justice to the nations’ in a peaceful way: ‘He will not quarrel or cry out; no-one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.’ This is one of the passages in the Bible which was often cited as an argument for toleration, and it was interpreted in such a way that the deluded sinner (‘the bruised reed’) will likewise enjoy the grace and mercy of Christ.16 Excursus: This is an appropriate juncture to examine the relevant statements in the Bible, in particular those in the New Testament,17 for they are of central importance not only for the Church Fathers but also for the entire European discourse of toleration. A salient feature of the latter is that, well into the modern period, it is also a discourse about Christian tolerance (and Christian intolerance), and many of the arguments draw their support from biblical sources.18 Two points are especially important in this regard, namely, the role of conscience and the two-kingdoms doctrine.