mplated in their own minds, cannot follow the dictates of
other men. It is unalienable also, because what is here a right towards
men is a duty towards the Creator. It is the duty of every man to
render to the Creator such homage, and such only, as he believes to
be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time
and in degree of obligation, to the claims of civil society. Before
any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must
be considered as a subject of the Governor of the universe; and if
a member of civil society who enters into any subordinate
association must always do it with a reservation of his duty to the
general authority, much more must every man who becomes a
member of any particular civil society do it with a saving of his
allegiance to the universal Sovereign. We maintain, therefore, that
in matters of religion no man's right is abridged by the institution
of civil society, and that religion is wholly exempt from its cognizance."
"Because, finally, the equal right of every citizen to the free
exercise of his religion, according to the dictates of conscience, is
held by the same tenure with all our oth
