Indulgence and Toleration Considered in a Letter Unto a Person of Honour.

Written in 1667 amid the persecution of Protestant Dissenters under the Clarendon Code, this letter makes a passionate and principled case for religious toleration. Drawing on natural law, early church history, and the practice of European nations, Owen argues that coercing conscience is both morally wrong and politically counterproductive. He contends that uniformity enforced by law ruins families, empties prisons, and ultimately fails — while genuine indulgence would secure loyalty, trade, and peace across the nation.