a_o plea_n for_o toleration_n of_o opinion_n and_o persuasion_n in_o matter_n of_o religion_n differ_v from_o the_o church_n of_o england_n ground_a upon_o good_a authority_n of_o scripture_n and_o the_o practice_n of_o the_o primitive_a time_n show_v the_o unreasonableness_n of_o prescribe_v to_o other_o man_n faith_n and_o the_o evil_a of_o persecute_v differ_v opinion_n humble_o present_v to_o the_o king_n most_o excellent_a majesty_n by_o john_n sturgeon_n a_o member_n of_o the_o baptise_a people_n act_n 5._o 38,39_o and_o now_o i_o say_v unto_o you_o refrain_v from_o these_o man_n and_o let_v they_o alone_o for_o if_o this_o counsel_n or_o this_o work_n be_v of_o man_n it_o will_v come_v to_o naught_o but_o if_o it_o be_v of_o god_n you_o can_v overthrow_v it_o lest_o haply_o you_o be_v find_v even_o to_o fight_v against_o god_n london_n print_v by_o s._n dover_n for_o francis_n smith_n at_o the_o elephant_n and_o castle_n near_o temple-bar_n 1661._o a_o plea_n for_o toleration_n of_o opinion_n and_o persuasion_n in_o matter_n of_o religion_n differ_v from_o the_o church_n of_o england_n may_v it_o please_v your_o majesty_n i_o have_v have_v strong_a impulse_n upon_o my_o mind_n for_o some_o day_n to_o present_v this_o paper_n to_o your_o majesty_n and_o i_o humble_o hope_v it_o will_v not_o be_v make_v to_o suffer_v much_o under_o a_o evil_a resentment_n upon_o its_o presentation_n to_o your_o hand_n because_o it_o bear_v a_o testimony_n about_o it_o of_o the_o author_n good_a affection_n to_o your_o royal_a self_n for_o my_o witness_n be_v on_o high_a that_o i_o do_v not_o write_v this_o paper_n because_o i_o love_v you_o not_o because_o i_o honour_v you_o not_o because_o i_o own_v you_o not_o in_o your_o royal_a capacity_n of_o magistracy_n and_o civil_a power_n god_n know_v that_o you_o have_v not_o any_o subject_n more_o christianly_o real_a or_o cordial_a unto_o you_o and_o i_o humble_o beg_v that_o your_o majesty_n will_v be_v please_v so_o far_o to_o deny_v yourself_o as_o to_o read_v it_o with_o patience_n and_o to_o judge_v of_o it_o as_o you_o shall_v see_v cause_n i_o beseech_v your_o majesty_n to_o consider_v that_o it_o be_v one_o of_o the_o sovereign_n and_o high_a concernment_n of_o your_o soul_n to_o understand_v and_o to_o be_v acquaint_v with_o the_o counsel_n and_o mind_n of_o god_n and_o to_o find_v time_n to_o search_v thorough_o into_o those_o worthy_a mystery_n which_o the_o bless_a angel_n those_o great_a prince_n of_o heaven_n judge_v it_o no_o way_n beneath_o they_o to_o pry_v into_o and_o when_o they_o who_o be_v god_n by_o institution_n shall_v narrow_o and_o with_o delight_n contemplate_v the_o real_a excellency_n of_o his_o glory_n 12._o who_o be_v a_o god_n by_o nature_n they_o must_v needs_o be_v transform_v into_o his_o likeness_n according_a to_o that_o most_o observable_a passage_n of_o the_o great_a apostle_n but_o we_o all_o with_o open_a face_n behold_v as_o in_o a_o glass_n the_o glory_n of_o the_o lord_n be_v change_v into_o the_o same_o image_n 18._o and_o when_o the_o god_n on_o earth_n shall_v be_v change_v into_o the_o same_o image_n with_o the_o god_n of_o heaven_n not_o doubt_v but_o blessedness_n be_v come_v on_o a_o pace_n upon_o the_o world_n now_o if_o your_o majesty_n be_v please_v to_o look_v into_o the_o excellent_a proceed_n of_o the_o king_n of_o king_n and_o lord_n of_o lord_n towards_o man_n he_o do_v not_o take_v away_o his_o favour_n or_o withdraw_v his_o grace_n from_o all_o man_n because_o some_o abuse_n it_o &_o render_v themselves_o so_o fearful_o wicked_a as_o not_o only_o to_o sin_n against_o the_o law_n of_o commandment_n but_o against_o that_o glorious_a gospel_n of_o grace_n seal_v and_o confirm_v by_o the_o blood_n of_o ever_o bless_a jesus_n 20._o nor_o will_v he_o punish_v the_o innocent_a for_o the_o guilty_a but_o the_o soul_n that_o sin_n shall_v die_v the_o father_n shall_v not_o answer_v for_o the_o son_n nor_o the_o son_n for_o the_o father_n but_o every_o soul_n shall_v bear_v the_o burden_n of_o his_o own_o sin_n o_o that_o your_o princely_a mind_n may_v be_v eluminate_v or_o enlighten_v by_o this_o heavenly_a instance_n that_o your_o majesty_n action_n to_o all_o your_o subject_n from_o the_o peer_n to_o the_o poor_a may_v be_v guide_v by_o that_o rule_n which_o god_n himself_o have_v be_v please_v to_o lay_v before_o you_o i_o shall_v humble_o take_v leave_n to_o mind_v your_o majesty_n of_o the_o liberty_n of_o tender_a conscience_n which_o your_o majesty_n declare_v to_o indulge_v in_o your_o declaration_n from_o breda_n for_o which_o many_o thousand_o do_v in_o all_o humility_n bless_v the_o most_o high_a god_n who_o put_v it_o into_o your_o majesty_n heart_n to_o declare_v your_o resolution_n to_o provide_v in_o that_o particular_a that_o such_o as_o do_v vot_o disturb_v the_o peace_n of_o the_o kingdom_n may_v worship_n god_n according_a to_o their_o light_n and_o that_o no_o man_n shall_v be_v molest_v or_o disquiet_v for_o differ_v opinion_n in_o matter_n of_o religion_n who_o can_v not_o join_v in_o the_o public_a service_n of_o worship_n yet_o in_o regard_n of_o some_o rebellious_a person_n in_o the_o city_n of_o london_n who_o pretend_v to_o the_o like_a liberty_n of_o worship_v god_n apart_o from_o the_o parochial_a assembly_n who_o make_v insurrection_n and_o commit_v murder_n under_o groundless_a pretence_n of_o fight_v for_o the_o kingdom_n of_o christ_n whereupon_o your_o majesty_n by_o proclamation_n have_v forbid_v all_o meeting_n whatsoever_o in_o private_a house_n or_o house_n build_v or_o purchase_v for_o the_o use_n of_o prayer_n and_o other_o ordinance_n of_o god_n worship_n whereby_o the_o innocent_a suffer_v for_o the_o guilty_a and_o many_o of_o your_o majesty_n loyal_a and_o obedient_a subject_n be_v question_v and_o public_o suspect_v to_o their_o great_a prejudice_n in_o their_o reputation_n the_o consequence_n whereof_o be_v very_o mischievous_a to_o they_o and_o their_o family_n i_o can_v imagine_v how_o your_o majesty_n can_v be_v unsatisfied_a as_o to_o the_o innocency_n of_o the_o baptise_a people_n and_o other_o purpose_n who_o have_v not_o only_o disclaim_v the_o wicked_a rebellion_n of_o the_o say_a person_n but_o they_o have_v press_v their_o innocency_n from_o the_o very_a thought_n or_o imagination_n of_o any_o such_o wickedness_n if_o your_o majesty_n please_v to_o consider_v that_o in_o case_n three_o or_o four_o of_o your_o domestic_a servant_n shall_v have_v commit_v or_o do_v foam_n unworthy_a act_n whereby_o they_o have_v incur_v your_o just_a displeasure_n upon_o which_o your_o majesty_n shall_v have_v discharge_v all_o your_o servant_n from_o any_o further_a attendance_n in_o your_o royal_a court_n although_o they_o never_o have_v any_o thing_n to_o do_v with_o the_o offender_n or_o their_o way_n it_o may_v be_v suppose_v that_o the_o innocent_a will_v have_v think_v this_o a_o very_a severe_a act_n i_o shall_v humble_o 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olive-branch_n of_o liberty_n of_o conscience_n viz._n your_o declaration_n that_o grant_v we_o toleration_n for_o no_o law_n be_v make_v against_o our_o meeting_n by_o that_o parliament_n which_o your_o majesty_n term_v the_o heal_n and_o bless_a parliament_n now_o if_o your_o majesty_n see_v reason_n to_o suspend_v the_o execution_n of_o those_o law_n they_o be_v hurtful_a and_o pernicious_a to_o man_n of_o tender_a conscience_n then_o there_o be_v the_o same_o reason_n for_o your_o majesty_n to_o suspend_v they_o still_o out_o of_o tenderness_n to_o all_o such_o as_o have_v in_o no_o wise_a abuse_v your_o clemency_n and_o grace_n to_o they_o vouchsafe_v in_o that_o particular_a and_o whoever_o have_v or_o shall_v move_v your_o majesty_n to_o continue_v your_o proclamation_n against_o meeting_n to_o worship_n god_n or_o to_o take_v occasion_n by_o those_o law_n to_o grieve_v and_o afflict_v poor_a man_n and_o woman_n who_o have_v