Indulgence and toleration considered in a letter unto a person of honour

The sole Question is, Whether God hath Authorized, and doth warrant any man, of what sort soever, to compel others to Worship and serve him, contrary to the way and manner that they are in their Consciences persuaded that he doth accept and approve. God indeed where men are in Errors and Mistakes about his Will and Worship would have them taught, and Instructed, and sendeth out his own Light and Truth to guide them, as seemeth good unto him.

The sole Question is, Whether God hath Authorized, and doth warrant any man, of what sort soever, to compell others to Worship and serve him, contrary to the way and manner that they are in their Consciences perswaded that he doth accept and approve. God indeed where men are in Errours and Mistakes about his Will and Worship would have them taught, and Instructed, and sendeth out his own Light and Truth to guide them, as seemeth good unto him.

But to affirm that he hath Authorized men to proceed in the way before mentioned, is to say, that he hath set up an Authority against himself, and that which may give control to His.

But to affirm that he hath Authorized men to proceed in the way before mentioned, is to say, that he hath set up an Authority against himself, and that which may give controule to His.

These things being so, seeing Men are bound Indispensably not to Worship God so as they are convinced and persuaded, that he will not be Worshipped; and to Worship him as he hath Appointed and Commanded, upon the Penalty of Answering their Neglect and Contempt hereof with their everlasting Condition at the last day; And seeing God hath not Warranted or Authorized any man to enforce them to Act contrary to their Light, and that persuasion of his Mind and Will which he hath given them in their own Consciences; nor to punish them for yielding Obedience in Spiritual things unto the Command of God as his mind is by them apprehended, if the things themselves, though mistaken, are such as no way interfere with the common Light of Nature or Reason of Man-kind, the Fundamental Articles of Christian Religion, Moral Honesty, Civil Society, and Public Tranquility: especially if in the things wherein men acting, as is supposed, according to their own Light and Conscience in difference from others, are of small Importance, and such as they probably plead are unduly and ungroundedly imposed on their Practice, or Prohibited unto them, it remains to be considered whether the grounds and ends proposed in Exercise of the Severity pleaded for, be agreeable to common Rules of Prudence, or the state and condition of things in this Nation.