A Modest Answer To a Printed Pamphlet, Entitled, A SPEECH Lately made by a NOBLE PEER OF THE REALM.  
JUst and Worthy (with all Commendations to be Recorded to Posterity) are the Endeavours of the Honourable Houses of Parliament, and many other true Patriots, to deliver this, and succeeding Ages, from that unsupportable Yoke of Slavery, which that State-Policy called Popery, imposes on all its Devoto's.  
I do not at all question but this was the main Design of a Speech lately made by a Noble Peer of the Realm: Yet if I endeavour to show that the means which he adviseth are ineffectual to obtain this End, I hope I shall not be accounted a Papist in Masquerade, or guilty of Scandalum Magnatum, since the Noble Peer hath been pleased to make this Challenge, If any can answer or oppose Reason to what I say, I beg they would do it: Wherefore, to gratify this Noble Peer's desire, I (in all humility) offer to some of his Propositions, a few modest Answers.  
Truly I think the Noble Peer is very unfortunate in the Precedent of Henry the 4th, (whom he is pleased to style a Wise and Magnanimous Prince;) and yet in this Reign it was, that Fire and Faggot were first used against Dissentérs in Religion: But however, the Chronicles we (of the meanest Rank) use, do not afford this Precedent. Baker indeed tells us, That he connived at the Impeachment of the Dukes of Aumarle and Exeter, The one was accused for speaking against his Title to the Crown; the other for murdering his Father: And he adds the Reason, Because he had professed Enemies enough, and had no mind to make such of them, who (at the least) pretended to be his Friends:  
But to grant what the Noble Peer desireth:  
Was there ever any Prince since the Conquest, that hath oftener changed his Ministers of State, than our present Gracious King? And this some men knew to their sorrow, who, when they were at the Helm, thought it very unreasonable that every Month should produce new Statesmen; For by this method before any one could understand the Arcana Imperii, and able to give Counsel, he shall be sent discontented into the Country; and the ill consequences of discontented Statesmen, who is ignorant of?  
After our Noble Peer hath passed a very witty and smart Reflection on the Ladies at Court, he passes to the next Paragraph, where we have these words, We must neither have Popish Wife— nor any new Convert.  
What is meant by the first I cannot guests, unless with our New State-Officers, we are to have a New Model of Religion; If by New Converts be understood such, who abominating the Superstition of the Church of Rome, are come over to our Church; I much wonder this Noble Peer, who is esteemed a great Patron of the Protestant Religion, should forget what great Influence, Reputation, Honour and Rewards (in this Life) have upon the minds of men, and how hard a thing it is to persuade a man to forsake these, though it was to embrace a true Religion, where by one Party he is disesteemed, disrespected by his Prince; by the other Party be loaded (though falsely) with the Ignominies of an Apostate; Schismatic, and what not? Is this the way to gain Converts to the true Protestant Catholic Religion? That is, The Religion of the Church of England as at present it is Established by Law.