A LETTER from a GENTLEMAN in the Country to his FRIEND in the CITY.  
My Dear Friend,  
THe Miscarriage of Sham-plots in the escape of my L. S. we perceive is now to be revenged on the F. party, for Orders it is said are issued out for their prosecution with you in London, and our Tools are all a whetting for the same work here. The ancients were wont to say, Quandoque delirunt Reges, plectuntur Achivi, and the Fs. are still sure to be the Achivi here, upon whom we see every Delirium of the Government must be put. But for Gods sake, my Friend, was it the F. that put the Government upon trying the E. of S. upon such Evidence that a man could hardly have salved his Conscience, to have hanged a Cat on theit Testimony? Or were they Fs. that were of the Jury? Nay you see they have gotten a trick to except against, and suffer no Fs. to be in such Jurys; but how Legal such exceptions are, let them take care to justify that are concerned in them. In the mean while, since the Fs. have no hand therein; how comes it to be charged so solely, or indeed at all upon their Accounts?  
Why the Fs. rejoiced at his deliverance, 'tis true they did, and so did every honest, true and hearty Protestant in England as it was their Duty to do. For they rejoiced, not only that my L. of S. was delivered, but that the whole Protestant cause and interest was delivered with him. So that had my L. of S. been but Colledged, the joy of the other Party had been the same, and in this respect, the deliverance of the Protestant Party was so great, and every way worthy that rejoicing, which was expressed thereat, that I do believe in my Conscience, that if they had not more seraphic ways of showing their joys in Heaven than we on Earth, the Saints and Martyrs in Glory would have made all Heaven rang with that Days Joy.  
But it seems the poor Fs. must do Penance for it, and that their Joy at the burning of the Pope, and my L. of S. deliverance must be expiated by a fresh persecution on them. Well, what cannot be hopen must be abiden, and I hope will be to, with such a Christian peaceable and becoming carriage, as will quiter spoil their design, who would fain force them by their Oppressions to make a Disturbance. But if this be the way to get a Tory P. as some, who have the Art of looking into a millstone do judge, is one meaning in this new run on the Fs. I confess I am utterly out in my Methods of thinking. For if I understand the Fs. aright, they are a People much easilier to be lead( and I was about to say be milled too) than driven, a large, if not a too large experience, whereof you had in the choice of your present Lord Mayor.  
Ay, but we must not call the punishing Fs. a persecution, for they are rebellious forsooth, and suffer but by lawful Magistrates, and but such punishment as the Law appoints. No more did the Martyrs in Q. Marys Days, wherefore if these be Rebels so were they, for they could not comform to those Laws of Worship, that the Magistrate commanded then, no more can these now. Nay our blessed Saviour, and his holy Apostles suffered by Laws and Magistrates also; and yet I do not think that any good Christian, reckons them rebellious against the Laws or Magistrates either.  
Our fops indeed keep a huge coyl for their Religion established by Law, as if we had no other fund for our Religion than Statute Law, or that the Verity thereof depended upon human Sanction; whereas I hope there is no rational man thinks that the Christian Religion was worse in the Apostles days, and in the Primitive time, when it had no National Laws to support it, than it is now: And therefore, if we will take our Religion from off the Authority of the Gospel, and found it only upon the Authority of human Laws, we shall be too like that Fool in the Gospel that left the Rock, and laid his Foundation in the Sand.  
For if we make the only Test of our Profession to be the Municipal Laws of the Land, Popery will have a far greater Vote for its Verity, than the Protestant Religion. For who knows not that France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and many other Countrys have established Popery by the Laws of their Land: And yet I believe, no body thinks that Popery is any whit the better, because of that Establishment. Wherefore, if we had no other Testimony to support our Protestant Religion than the Laws of the Land, I doubt we soon shall be brought by the Lee.  
Our spiritual Infantry, the lesser Fry of Clergy wiggle about merrily, wag their Tails, and are mightily pleased with the News of falling upon the Fanaticks. But the middle sort of Clergy, who are generally the most moderate, seem troubled at it; for it is in Church as it is in State, when you are past Lords, and a few new made Sir reuerences, you must fall to Tapsters and fiddlers, for all betwixt those two extremes, God be thanked are on the other side, and would willingly enjoy peace and properties themselves, and as a means thereto are all for Moderation.  
What success will attend this fresh attempt to disturb the Dissenters I cannot tell; but I can tell you what the Country say. They say these Bishops will never leave till they have brought the Kingdom into blood and confusion again. And I should be of the same opinion, but that I observe, God Almighty hath ever yet, when they have been engaged in this work, thrown in something or other that has disturbed and took them off from their intentions, quiter besides their expectation.  
One of our Prelates discoursing D. Y. concerning the reason of his abanddoning our Church, was answered, that he liked not that Religion, where one Party persecutes another, and I'll assure you that the Fanaticks hope, that the same kind Providence will still appear on their behalf, and render this effort as in effectual, as any yet have been before it. However, we are hearty glad to hear that there is such a continued kindness shown to the French Protestants, even whilst there is such a quiter contrary usage to our own, which makes us doubt in the Country, that it is more their being English Men, than Fanaticks, that makes them to be thus run upon, and that if our Dissenters would but turn French, they might have their Liberty too, as well as they.  
We cry out upon the Emperor, and French King, because they suffer themselves to be lead by their Jesuitical Councils to persecute their Protestant Subjects: But if it be condemnable in them who are Popish Princes, and as such under a greater tie to be severe to their Protestants to promote and indulge their own Profession; for Gods sake my Friend who shall find out a justification for Protestant Princes, when they practise the same on their Protestant People, which they condemn in Papists?  
Besides, you find none of the Popish Governments fall upon their catholic Subjects, and persecute them, because they differ in opinion or dissent from one another tho all read-men know, that the differences between the Jesuits and the Jansenists, the Dominicans, and the Franciscans are greater both in Doctrine and Principles, and managed with greater heats, than any among the Protestants. No they thank you, tho they worry you, yet they are not so much worse than Wolves, as to worry, devour, and destroy one another too; that's a strain of folly and madness, beyond any that the Church of Rome ever arrived at, and a Barbarism fit only to be acted by such Protestants, whose practices in all things else as well as this, shows them worse than Papists. For the Papists could never destroy the Protestant Church so to rights, as these vermin do; for these like Wolves in sheeps clothing lying among us, and being reckoned of us, have greater advantages, and opportunities to ruin us, than the public professed Papists have; and therefore are as much worse than they as a Renegado is worse than a Turk.  
Wherefore, if the Government would please, now their hand is in, if it were but for the bets sake, to prove this kind of Protestants a little further, who are the forwardest and fiercest in this Persecution-work by declaring for Popery. If the whole pack of them did not leave the Protestant Profession, and fall in full cry with such a Declaration, I would be content to lose my life on the wager; for they are such branded Beasts, and of such a dapple kind, that they can make as good a black as white, and as wicked Papists as they are Protestants. But it is high time to tell you that I am.  
Your Humble Servant Christmas Eve.