I Received yours of the 10th Current (Stilo veteri) and canot but smile to see you seem so much concern'd at the Papers, you say, are frequently transmitted from hence; for I assure my self, you know the World better than to be really startled at such petit efforts: However, since you are pleased to Command (for under that Character I must ever receive the least Intimation of your desires) my mean Sentiments on that Subject, I shall deliver my Thoughts with all the freedom due to our old Friendship, and the Secrecy of a Private Letter, for such I hope your Prudence will make it, as fore-seeing how much it may otherwise redound to my Prejudice from some, that will neither speak Truth themselves, nor endure to hear it from others.

You are not ignorant that the best Princes, and even for their best Actions, have been traduc'd and scandaliz'd by lavish Tongues, the petulancy of mis­imploy'd Wit, and mercenary malitious Pens. There­fore the best advis'd Statesmen, have always thought such Invectives worthy none of their passions, but scorn and neglect; Augustus never spoke more like himself, than in that Expression to Tiberius—Noli hâc in r [...] indagare, & nimium Indignari Quempiam esse qui de me loquatur Malé, satis est enim si hoc habe­mus, ne quis malé facere possit.

I need not give you the Character of the Instru­ments that chiefly contrive and promote the Libels you complain of; What may not be expected from Persons defeated in their Nefarious Attempts? Fru­strated of their Ambitious hopes? Acted by Malice, Envy, Want and Despair? I believe you never knew many of them much Celebrated at home for any extraordinary strict Piety or Moral Vertue; and I can assure you, we do not find by their general Con­versation here, any great Inclinations they have to live Saints, or die Martyrs. What Notorious false Stories? What gross Forgeries (under the Notion of Intercepted Letters, &c.) have they not Industriously advanc'd and spread abroad? Nay, some of them have attempted to abuse Heaven it self, and suborn the Stars to Countenance their Impostures, whilst they divert themselves over a full-crown'd Rummer, in boasting how many silly Souls in England they have bubled with these fulsome Shams—Yet these are the men that are so wonderously transported with Zeal, for the Preservation of a Religion, which they al­ways were, and continue to be a scandal to.

But if (over-looking their immodest Reflecti­ons, &c.) you consider the main scope and design of these Papers, is it not altogether to support the Penal and Test-Laws, and to prevent the free Exercise of Religion being setled among you? And on what To­picks do they proceed, but little Sophisms, adapted on­ly to Amuse and Inflame the Vulgar? And begging the main Question, [viz. Taking it for granted, that if those Laws be removed, there will not, or cannot be other sufficient Security for the Protestant Religion established in their stead] which as it is altogether a mis-stating of the case; so it seems somewhat unac­countable, that the very same Persons, who e'er while complain'd so much of Oppression for matters of Reli­on, or at least the fears on't, and were so fond of Liberty of Conscience, that to obtain it, they broke through all the Bounds of Duty and Prudence, and ventur'd upon a desperate Rebellion (apparently threat­ning the utter Ruine of their Native Country) should now on a sudden be so extreamly averse thereunto, when 'tis freely offer'd to be setled by Law to all Poste­rity, under as firm Security as the Wisdom of a Nation can invent?

Therefore, thô I know Peoples Passions have a strange Byass on their Judgments, yet a Wise Man may be tempted to suspect something more in this case, and that the Humour is fomented and encouraged by the secret Influences of some powerful Interest; for 'tis That commonly moves the Wheels, though Re­ligion may be made the pretence: What's the reason so many cry'd out against Matchiavel? Not so much perhaps, for the badness of his Maxims (since they are every day practised by such as declaim loudest a­gainst 'em) but ill Politicians were angry that he should divulge their Arcana, and make those Mysteries com­mon, which they designed to engross to themselves for the support of their own Grandeur. I intend no more by the comparison, than only to say, That it is no Miracle, if one that finds some Expedient very advantagious to himself, shall endeavour to divert o­thers from the use and benefit of it. Even the Philoso­phick Adepti, thô they pretend to the most Flaming Charity, deliver their Precepts under such perplexing Aenigma's, as if they designed to lead men into Error. [Page 2]and the destruction of their Fortunes, rather than Il­luminate them to the Discovery of the boasted Elixir. That Interest will not lye, is as certain as any Pro­blem in Euclide; Nor is the Jealousie of State less violent than that of Love; none enduring a Rival to his Courtship, if he can prevent it.

Since therefore the bottom of your Enquiry seems to reach at thi [...], what advantages a secure Establishment of Liberty for Tender Consciences in England may be attended with, in respect of the Trade and Civil Happiness of that Nation? And how far it may pro­bably on that account Affect some of its Neighbours? I shall apply my self to give you the best satisfácti­on I can, wherein that I may not run into Notions meerly speculative; I shall insist on matter of Fact; for what effects it has produced, it may do again (caeteris paribus) and much greater, if accompanied with other more advantagious Circumstances; Nor need I step out of my present Lodging for an In­stance.

'Tis well known, that the free Exercise of Reli­gion was the best Swadling-Band of this Infant Com­mon-Wealth; for by their Original Constitution, the Ʋnion of Ʋtrecht 1579, it was provided, ‘That every man should remain free in his Religion, and none be examined or entrapped for that Cause.’ And the steady adherence to that Maxim has mainly contributed to cherish and support them under all difficulties ever since, so that 'tis one of the Funda­mental Principles of our Policy; the firmest Pile that bouys up our Magnificent Stadt-House. 'Tis That to which we owe our Populousness, and consequently our Trade, Riches and Strength; the Engine where­by we have at once D [...]ained other Nations, and moun­ted our selves to such an Ascendent of Opulency and Power, as to vye with the most plentiful Kingdoms and tallest Monarchs.

And the Reasons thereof are no less Evident than Ʋniversal: For,

1. As Persecution tends to depopulate; so Liberty of Conscience naturally draws a vast Conflux of Peo­ple; for as nothing can be more grievous to Honest Men, than to be restrained in this World from what they believe conductive to their Eternal Happiness in the next; so thô all have not the Fortitude actu­ally to suffer in such cases, yet few want the Prudence, if they have the opportunity, to remove to a place of shelter, where they may freely enjoy those Priviledges which they are denyed at home; and for sake thereof, prefer Wildernesses and Boggs, before the most fertile Soils, or pleasantest Climates. Hence these Provinces (thô little befriended by Nature) are so full of People, that they are Calculated to have at least six Souls for every Acre of Land.

2. The People thus kept at home, or invited from abroad, by publick permission of Liberty of Consci­ence, are not idle Drones or Spend-Thrifts, but ge­nerally the most Sober and Industrious of any Coun­trey: None being more diligent in their Calling, or careful to husband their Time and Parts for publick Benefit and Improvement, than such as make Con­science of their Duty towards God; as knowing that Sloth, Gluttony, Drunkenness, Debauchery, Vain­pastimes, or Trifling Divertisements, are no less in­consistent with their Profession, than prejudicial to the Interest of any Nation.

3. Hence 'tis observed, That the most part of those Refugies consist of Merchants, Artifficers, or Labori­ous Tradesmen, that like Bees, wherever they come, bring in Honey to the common Hive, by Teaching New, or improving Old Manufactures amongst those where they reside. How often has the grand staple of Trade been Transplanted from one place to ano­ther meerly on this occasion? The French and En­glish Persecutions about 130 years ago, carried it to Antwerp; the Fury of the Duke of Alva forced it into these parts, whereby Amsterdam from a poor Fishing Dorp, is raised to one of the Richest Cities, in the Universe; the severity of some of your Clergy, about half a Century past, adding not a lit­tle thereunto.

Nor want there Instances of a fresher Date; 'tis not above four of five years since several Families from the West and other parts of England, harrassed and wearied out with Excommunications and Forfei­tures of 20 l. per Month, for Nonconformity, &c. came and planted themselves amongst us at Lewar­den in Friezland, and others went higher unto Lunen­burgh, offering to set up the English Manufactory for Cloth, Stuffs, Sarges, &c. At both places they were entertained with all the Kindness imaginable; having Houses allotted them Gratis, and great Privi­ledges granted for their Encouragement. And more of their Countrymen after Monmouths Rebellion (a main ground of which, as we heard here, was pre­tended to be for Liberty of Conscience) flying over, and joyning with them, they became considerable; forty Looms at least, being daily kept going at Lew­arden, and a Fund of 20 or 30 thousand Pounds pro­posed to be advanc'd for carrying on the work: where­by we promised our selves no small advantages; for what with Wool privately Stoln from England, and what with another sort of some of our Upland Neigh­bours, and the plenty of Spanish Wool which we have here. They had got a knack of mixing it to as great advantage as yours; which skill our People would soon have been Masters of; and that could not fail of giving a fatal Blow to your Clothing Trade; and your Hamburgh Company began to sear, if not to feel the Consequences, especially from Lunenburgh, by reason of its Commodious Scituation to Intercept their Markets.

But the Truth is, the King of Great Brittain was no sooner advertised hereof, but he dispatch'd neces­sary Orders to his Ambassadour, then at the Hague; by whose Directions, one Everart (or some such Name) was imployed, to Treat with the Principal Ʋnder­takers, and by assuring them, of an intire Liberty of Conscience at home, and Free Pardon to such as wanted it, prevailed with them to withdraw their Stocks: And so the Design at both Places fell to the ground; which though we may in Interest resent, yet none can but in-Justice, applaude His Majesty's Conduct therein, as a Testimony of his Prudent Watchful Care, for the Welfare of his Kingdoms and Peo­ple; who otherwise might have felt, the Ruina­ting Effects of this Accident, to after Generations.

On the other side, whereas till of late, we bought vast Quantities of Druggets, Gawzes, and other les­ser Manufactures and Knick-knacks from France; since such Numbers of Protestants have been forced into these Provinces, from thence: We have made them here so plentifully, as to furnish the Markets, where there is Occasion: Nor is it probable, that France will ever recover that Trade again, where­by it got, perhaps more than a Million per An­num.

4. A Fourth Advantage of this Religious Liberty, is, That it incourages the Inhabitants of any Coun­trey, to be more Industrious, and more freely to venture their Stocks in Trade, being freed from Vexatious Prosecutions, Imprisonments, &c. And as (I have heard that) most of your Corporations in England, did not a little decline from their flou­rishing Condition some years since, when many of the sobrest, and most, Publick-spirited Inhabitants, were by the Imposition of Oaths and T [...]sts, debar­red from all share in the Government; and by se­vere Prosecutions, forced to give over Trading: So the Influence thereof, we Apprehended, would have quickly affected the whole Nation, had not His Ma­jesty's Wisdom interposed his late Declaration for Liberty; of which, (whatever Sentiments our Mi­nisters of State may have of it) I doubt not, but you do already feel the Happy Effects, and would to a far greater Degree, if the same were once Esta­blish'd by Law; and the Fears, Jealousies, and Di­stractions of Peoples Minds, fully Cured: For which, That seems to be the Soveraign Remedy, and only means, to make your King the Great Arbitrer of Europe. For,

5. Granting Liberty of Conscience secures the Go­vernment, and renders it easy; takes away all Co­lour for Faction or Rebellion: Nothing binds more firmly than Interest, and no Interest is more strongly obliging, or more beloved than this Freedom; and therefore ties all the Inhabitants where they have it, into a strict Fidelity to that Power which grants it, and brings every part to an intire Dependance there­on; whereas, when only One Perswasion is Caressed, and others (altogether as good and useful Subjects) Exposed to Losses and Punishments, for their Reli­gion; such a Government is seldom Quiet, and ne­ver Safe: Nor does it less appease Feuds and Ani­mosities, between the different Sects, amongst themselves; no man having Cause to be offended, at another Man's Liberty, because he enjoys the same himself.

The Happiness of these Province [...], in this Respect, I have seen Elegantly Express'd, by an Eminent Statesman of yours, formerly Ambassadour here. —In this Common-Wealth (says he) no Man ha­ving Reason to complain of Oppression in Conscience, nor any Hopes, by advancing his Religion to form a Party, or break into the State, The Differences in Opinions, make none in Affections, and little in Conversation, where it serves but for Entertainment and Variety: They argue, without Interest or Anger; They differ, without Enmity or Scorn; and they a­gree without Confederacy: Men live together like Citizens of the World, associated by the common Tyes of Humanity, and Bonds of Peace, under the Impartial Protection of indifferent Laws; with equal Encouragement of all Art and Endustry, and equal Freedom of Speculation and Inquiry: The Power of Religion, where it is, lies in every Man's Heart; and where there is only the Appearance, it has not however so much of the Hypocrite, and nothing at all of that Fierceness, as elsewhere. But rather, is like a piece of Humanity, by which every one falls most into the Company, or Conversation of those, whose Customs and Humours, whose Talk and Dis­position they like best. And as in other places, 'tis in every man's choice, with whom he will Eat or Lodge, with whom to go to Market, or to Court; so 'tis here, with whom he will Pray, or go to Church, or Associate in the Service and Worship of God; nor is any more Notice taken, or more Censure past, of what every one chuses in these Cases, than in the other.

I know not how relishing this Description may be to your coy English Pallates; but as I can assure you, 'tis perfectly true; so to me it seems very inviting, much accommodate to the Civil, Quiet, and Prospe­rity of any Nation; and (if I mistake not) is one of the greatest Charms, as well as chiefest Supports, of this Flourishing Republick.

Now, (to turn the Tables) if the free Exercise of Religion, have been able to yield such excellent Ef­fects in These Provinces; who sees not that the same firmly Establish'd in England, must needs there pro­duce far Greater Advantages?

For not to urge, that this Liberty is advanc'd a­mongst you, from a Nobler and more Christian Prin­ciple, [Page 4]and so may hope for a greater share of the Di­vine Blessing: Ours owning its Birth, only to little Accidents and great Necessity, and continued for Poncy and Reasons of State: Whereas, yours is the Child of Election, I mean, the choice of a well-in­formed National Judgment; drawn Ex puris Na­turalibus, from the Limpid Streams of Primitive Christianity, Natural Equity, and Ʋndisturbed Rea­son; Granted, not as a Conveniency, or an Alms, but a Right; not only, because fit in Prudence, but because requisite in Piety; nor so much for its Ad­vantages, as its Justice: The contrary Practise be­ing declared an Invasion on the Almighty's Prero­gative, as well as a Tyranny over the Souls of Men. Omitting, I say, this more refined Consideration, I shall only offer, That you must needs, in meer Civil Advantages, weigh down the Ballance.

Because England is more aptly Scituate, and Ac­commodated for the same. For (if I may pour a bold Truth into the Bosom of a Friend) your happy Brittain, as she is the Queen of Isles, so seems de­signed by Nature, to be the Sovereign of the Seas, Mistress of Trade, the Grand Magazine of Com­merce, and chief Empory of the World, as Enjoy­ing,

1. A most Excellent Temperate Air, with its Sweet­ness and Salubrity, inviting Strangers to a Climate, where they shall never need Stoves in the Winter, nor Grotta's in the Summer.

2. A large and Plentiful Soil, (England alone be­ing Ten times as big as our United Netherlands) affording all things necessary, or commodious, for the Life or Delight of Man, and able to sustain many Hundred Thousands more of Inhabitants, than she has.

3. Furnish'd with divers Gallant Navigable Ri­vers abundance of safe Commodious Harbors, and bold strong Ports, (therein exceeding all her Neighbours, if not all the Countries in the World.)

4. Stock'd with more plenty of Native Commo­dities, and fit to be improved, into Ʋseful and Ven­dible Manufactures; so that none need want Imploy­ment, if they do not want Industry.

5. Extraordinary Plenty of Provisions, and those of the Best, and Heartiest, and most Substantial of your own Product: For I find it asserted, in Notitia An­glica, That there is yearly, as much Flesh and Beer consumed in England, by over-plentiful Tables, as would serve Three-times the Number of People. Whereas, by Computation, these Provinces are not able of themselves, to yeild Sustenance for above one Eight part of our Multitudes; which, together with the Heavy Impositions to the State, renders all Ne­cessaries dear, and living here, very uneasy and charg­able; your meanest Boors and Porters, Eating and Drinking better than our Burghers.

From these, and many other Advantages that might be Enumerated; 'tis easy to foresee, That if Liberty of Conscience should be once firmly setled in England, it cannot fail to Attract a wonderful Con­course of Strangers, thereby greatly advancing the Rents of Lands and Houses, and the Prices of all sorts of Provisions, and consequently, a mighty In­crease of Manufactures, Trade and Riches.

After I have said thus much, I need not add who, or What People in the World, would find themselves losers on the Foot of the Account. It being mo­rally certain, That Liberty of Conscience Establish'd by Law in England, (adding thereto an Act for Na­turalization of Strangers, and a Registry for secu­ring the Titles of Purchases, one of the greatest De­fects in your Nation) would more mortifie them in seven years time, than a War so long managed against them, with Success. And if you are pleased to be­lieve, that they have so much Wit, as to understand their own Interest, it will appear no wonder, if they make use of all the Arts they can, to prevent such Consequences.

Which, without the help of an Oedipus, may bid fair for the Salving the Riddle of your first Enquiry: But having wearied you with a Tedious Letter, 'tis time I beg your Pardon, and intreat you to take the Liberty I have used herein, as a further Argument, that I am altogether