A LETTER written by Mr. Henry Holden Doctor of the faculty at Paris, touching the prohibition at Rome of Mr. Blacklow's Book, intituled, Tabulae suffragiales.
To the Reader,
HAving had the advantage and honour of a long acquaintance with Mr. Blacklow, whom I take to be one of the learnedst men of our Nation, I received some scandal at the hearing his Book was condemned at Rome, in which I was the more concerned through the censures given thereon by several of my acquaintance, more knowing then my self in such matters; yet out of my love and esteem of his person very unwilling to believe [Page 2] there was just cause for this censure, I thought fit to enquire of Doctor Holden, from whom I received this following Answer; which as it hath rectified my ignorance, so may it perhaps doe the like of others, who as I are acquainted with Mr. Blacklow; and may be worth the reading of all men who care to inform themselves of such prohibitions, and actions of that nature, proceeding from the Inquisition at Rome, wherefore I have caused it to be printed.
Sir,
I received your long Letter of the 10th. of October [...]657. and whereas amongst other things you ask me what do I now say to Mr. Blacklow's doctrine since the Pope's last Decree against it? why, Sir I say, I am still of the same opinion I was, specified in my last [Page 3] unto you of the first of Aug. And that you are mistaken in the nature of these Decrees from Rome, I have seen the Prohibition, and it is of several smal treatises named in it, dated the 6. of September last, by the way of an addition to the Index of forbidden books. And the very last of those flying sheets there mentioned is the name of one of M. Blacklow's works, entituled, Tabulae suffragiales.
Now Sir, That you may not be too easily carried away with the vulgar ignorant, and take a Prohibition for a condemnation of heresie; And a Decree of the Congregation of Cardinals and others, called, the Inquisition, for a Bull of the Pope himself, I will tell you as a friend, and as (I suppose) not versed in these businesses, what understanding and truly Learned men do think of these Prohibitions. With this Caveat nevertheless, [Page 4] that however easie a thing it is to get any private man's writings put into the Index of forbidden books amongst others: Yet ought not any Catholike to contemn or slight these Decrees, since they bear the name of a supreme Superiour. I will therefore inform you in a word what these Prohibitions are, and upon what grounds they are generally given.
First, they are only acts of a particular Court or Congregation in Rome, Though put out in the Pope's name, as all other acts of the several Courts of that City usually are. And therefore do not oblige, nor are commonly held to be of any force out of the Pope's territories; unlesse some other State or Bishop receive and publish them. Nor are these kind of Decrees ever admitted in France, but often rejected by the Parliament of this Town, the most famous [Page 5] and learned Seat of Judicary in the Christian world.
Secondly, we see these Decrees proceed from two causes, or rather in two cases. First, when the forbidden book contains any thing contrary to the common, though only tolerated, custome of the Church; or to the ordinary practise and pretentions of the Court of Rome. 2. When such books are of that nature, as that the more ignorant or weaker sort of men; or the more irreligious and looser liv'd, may there find, or thence easily gather whereat to be much scandalized. Which to prevent belongs to the zealous solicitude of a general Pastour and common Father. Not that such forbidden books do always contain something contrary to our Catholike faith (which then are particularly specified as such, and branded with the censure of [Page 6] heresie) but that they are judged by the Inquisition to be obnoxious and apt to beget evil conceits and opinions in the peoples fansies; or at least prejudicial to some greater good then their divulging could produce.
Hence we see many books forbidden (as in this very Decree) nothing relating to the revealed points of our Christian belief; Yea some undoubtedly containing the true grounds of all Christianity, as the Bible it self in vulgar tongues. So that the Inquisition doth principally attend in these Prohibitions, what may be the effect of such books through the ignorance or malice of their readers, without examining what the particular doctrin of the book may be in it self. And here I must confess, that M. Blacklow's unusual expressions & his exotick opinions are not fit in my judgment to be [Page 7] expos'd to the view of every ordinary man, or envious malevolent. For his doctrine, being both profound and obscure, is beyond the reach of every common reader. Who, if he chance to be proud and self-conceited (as it often happens) and have a tooth against the Author, he forgeth as many heresies in his own brain, as there be passages he understands not. Experienced and learned men know how many famous books written by the R. R. f. f. of the society of Jesus, of several Nations, have been forbidden in this kind. And some of our French Jesuits volums highly condemned by the Inquisition of heresie; others for maintaining the Gallican priviledges prejudicial to the Pope and Court of Rome's pretentions: which notwithstanding the Authors themselves have caus'd to be reprinted [Page 8] in this Town the year immediately following their Prohibition. And of the Spanish Jesuits books some have been cleared and approved by the Inquisition of Spain, after they had been censured and condemned by the Inquisition of Rome. This I say not, as either disrespecting the Inquisition's Decrees, or disapproving these R. R. f. fa. proceedings. Who am I? that I should doe either? every man defends his own right. I only aym to let you understand the nature of these Roman Prohibitions. And not only they, but even the Pope's own personal Bulls are not held to be of any obligation in France, until they be allow'd of by the King, verified in Parliament, received by our Bishops, and published by our Parish Churches. It is true, we see that now and then some factious spirits make use of these Decrees [Page 9] of the Inquisition to cry down with clamours their Adversary's reputation amongst the credulous vnlgar, and procure them to this effect. Which were it done out of pure zeal, though indiscreet and without knowledge, yet were it pardonable. And therefore you must not always condemn such as may perhaps out of an innocent respect to this Prohibition, blame Mr. Blacklow's doctrine.
If you come to the sight of this Decree, you will clearly see the Inquisition's intention is to take away an occasion of scandal to the weak and ignorant. Thinking it better to suppresse those bold and contentious, though never so learned, pieces, then to expose many thousands of infirm and unlearned men to the danger of being disedified.
First, you will see forbidden [Page 10] the 18 Provincials Letters (whereof I doubt not but you have heard) in which there is not a word of any Doctrine proposed by the Author himself, being meer citations of many licentious and scandalous opinions, taught and published (as he says) by the R. R. f. f. of the society of Jesus. And you may wel think, the Inquisition might justly fear it would be a scandal to the Church, if believed, that such a considerable member of it as that company is, should maintain and practise such wicked Tenets. And therefore thought fit to forbid those Letters.
In the next place there is forbidden a slight leaf of a sheet of paper, called, Lettre d'un Advocat touchant la Bulle d' Allexandre 7. Which is only concerning a political point of the Priviledges and liberties of France, against the Introducing [Page 11] of the Inquisition or other subjection into the Kingdome: Which seemed offensive to the Court of Rome, and therefore forbidden.
In the third place there are forbidden divers small scholastical Treatises of the famous Monsieur Arnauld's. Whereof one is his Epistle to me. In all which works his chief drift is to shew that his opinion, concerning efficacious Grace, is nothing different from the doctrine of the antient Fathers, particularly of St. Austin, and St. Thomas of Aquin. Renouncing what ever he may seem to affirm dissonant from them. And sure it would be a scandal to have it thought that the doctrine of those Fathers, honoured and approved by the Church for so many hundred years together, should now come to be censured and condemned. And therefore [Page 12] the Inquisition judged it fit to suppresse those treatises as endeavouring to prove it.
In the last place is thrust into this Catalogue of these forbidden books, Mr. Blacklow's treatise, called, Tabulae suffragiales, with it's Appendix, testerae Romanae evulgatio. Wherein the Author's principal design is to prove that great truth, and essential rule of all Christianity, to wit, that our Catholike faith is to be resolved into universal tradition. As also to demonstrate the antient opinion of our faculty at Paris, That the Pope is not unerrable and infallible in his own singular person. But indeed he goes somewhat farther, and condemns the contrary opinion as improbable, Heretical and Archiheretical. And therefore you need not wonder if the Inquisition have forbidden his book, without specifying his doctrine, [Page 13] being so opposite to their pretentions, though the opinion it self (not censuring the contrary) be a common Tenet of many both of our antient and modern Doctors of Paris.
In fine, the Decree forbids the keeping or reading of any of these or other books written in defense of Jansenius. Yea and of printing any thing (without the inquisition's leave) about the matter of Grace. Which I understand not how they could ever imagine should be observed, at least beyond the limits of the Ecclesiastical state. Can they think that all the learned Divines of Europe, as well Readers and Professours, as others, shall daily study, write, discusse, and teach publickly and privately the hard and ever-disputed Questions of Grace and free will, and none shall print any of that subject? Believe it that [Page 14] will, I am sure it will be otherwise.
There is one word, which perhaps unexperienced men may stumble at, And which the Adversaries to these forbidden Authors will alledge in an evil sense, That is, damnat; Which is an usual word in the style and form of these Decrees, And here signifies not, nor doth the Inquisition intend it should, to condemn of heresie the books they forbid. It were ridiculous to think it, being the greater half of these prohibited books (though the word damnat be common to them all) have nothing in them concerning any point of our Christian faith; but are only matters of morality and discipline, and therefore it is to be taken, for to disallow, disprove, and blame.
Now Sir, as we abroad, versed in the great continent, and living [Page 15] in the open profession of our Catholike Religion, take no notice of these Decrees, I say, in relation to the approving or disapproving of any point of our Christian and Catholike faith; so I conceive the Catholikes of your Island, though now hidden and obscured, living under the yoke of persecution, will in time come to know more exactly the several degrees of respect which may be due to the See and Congregations of Rome. And then at least, they will forbear, as we doe, to censure, upon slight grounds, any particular learned man's singular opinion; wherein if these lines may in the interim prevaile with you, I shall obtaine my desire. Let others doe as God shall inspire them; To whose heavenly Protection I heartily commend both [Page 16] them and you, Resting as ever,