Sentence:  For ſince the affairs of the world have in them the varieties and perplexities beſides, it happens that in ſome caſes men know not how to govern by the ſtricteſt meaſures of religion, becauſe all men will not do their duty upon that account; and therefore laws are not made [...] with exact and pureſt meaſures, but in compliance and by neceſſity, not always as well as they ſhould, but as well as they may: and therefore the Civil power is forc'd ſometimes to <WSD>connive</WSD> at what it does not approve. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  "Often followed by" '''(at)''': to pretend to be ignorant of something in order to escape blame; to ignore or overlook a fault deliberately.