CHECK: OR, INQUIRY into the Late ACT OF THE Roman-Inquisition: Busily, and pressingly dispersed over all ENGLAND by the JESUITS.  JOS. 7.1. 
Praevaricati sunt mandatum, & usurpaverunt de Anathemate.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year of our Lord 1662.   

Check: OR, Inquirie into the late Act of the Roman Inquisition.  
ME thinks it should be time to speak out, with as little care as we have need of apologizing, when the orderly Discipline of the Church, the just right of the Civil Magistrate, the privilege of immediate Ecclesiastical Superiors, and the common good of Catholics, now in hand are at once attaqu't. I only declare this resolution at my first setting Pen to Paper (which really springs from the conceit of my own unworthiness) that if, while I am writing this, I understand any other bends his endeavours to prevent the mischiefs threatened, I shall withdraw my hand, and wholly rely on his; But if I hear of none, 'tis my hope, the Motives I have mentioned are abundantly sufficient to engage any honest and courageous heart without any further congèd'escrire, to attempt the hindrance of such ruinous effects. To the point then:  
Mr Thomas White, whose eminent learning may justly expect to be blustered at, and overthrown too, if its Basis be not proportionably solid, and its structure well compacted, had published divers Treatises, attempting the rigorous rationality of Philosophical and Theological Truths: The tenor of his Doctrine ran thus.  
For Faith, he endeavoured to advance its growth by lopping off all excrescencies of erroneous opinions, how general soever interest or mistakes of Probablists had made them; and to render it not only defensible, but infallibly victorious, by separating uncertain opinions, from the certain Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, pledged to us as such by Universal Tradition. This was apt to anger those who drove a great trade in decrying all for Heretics, who were not of their mind; that is, indeed who advanced not those Tenets which made for their Politic Interest.  
For Christian Practice, his way was to place no goodness in external actions, but as they conduced to interior perfection, and advanced charity; which was apt to spoil all Pharisaical cleansing the outside of the platter, as also all superstitiousness, and superficial devotions; the gainful trade of too many.  
Was not this enough think you to set on fire a world of biased men, and all those weak (though good) persons too who were apt to be led by their cry? Or do we wonder after all this, the general noise should be against him, and only learned and unpassionate Examiner's on his side? To proceed.  
Subsuming under this method, he cast his eye on that point of Faith which concerns the Church's government by the Hierarchy, and saw that under a speciously-pious show of making the Pope infallible in defining, and omnipotent in acting; all Episcopacy in the Church, but his, was destroyed, and only the bare name left. He saw also that General Councils were all at once cast out of doors; For to what end should those assemble with such trouble to themselves and the whole Christian world, if the Pope alone could define Faith and appoint Discipline as certainly and efficaciously as with them? Nay, be infallible even in matters of fact; with which new mad Heresy, the Jesuits (whose flattering Policy is now come to direct blasphemy) are endeavouring to possess all the ignorant or timorous, or ambitious in France. Hereupon, to give the most natural, that is, the most advantageous growth to the ordinary or true Authority of the Pope, as constituted by our Saviour, inherited from S. Peter, and claimed by the Title and Tenor of Universal Tradition; and to make it more defensible, he was obliged to separate it from the opinionative point of the Pope's Extravagant Authority, lately introduced by flatterers or the human policy of that Court; and also, that he might maintain dispersed Episcopacy, to oppose the engrossed one, which was inconsistent with the former.  
Beginning then at the root (as his way is) he confuted, and (in the quality of a private Divine) censured that dangerous Principle of the Pope's personal Infallibility, as Heretical and Arch-heretical. Hence, his Sonus Buccin● which censured it, and his Tabulae Suffragiales, which proved at large the justness of that censure, by all imaginable Arguments a Catholic Divine could use, were both condemned indeed, but neither of them confuted, which done, the angry rod of Condemnation was laid by a while till of late a Jesuit opposed his Middle State. Mr. White answered the three years' Labour (for so long I am sure 'tis at lest since the Jesuits began to write against that Book) of that Author, and in likelihood of the whole Society, in three weeks. Must their credit sink, and any one thrive that presumes to be learneder than they? No; If Reason refuse them her Patronage, Authority shall step in and maintain them in despite of Reason. And indeed 'tis well known they neither love nor care to defend themselves by Evidence of Reason: Authority is their best weapon; and the more blindly and confusedly it is carried, the better for their turn. If they with any sleights can get some great Men, or a multitude of inferior folks to say as they do; your Arguments are answered; and they protect themselves by crying up those great Few, or small Many, for Infallible. Instead of Reason then, out comes from the Roman Inquisition a Condemnation of all his Books together, good and bad, Printed and Manuscript, examined and unexamined, seen and unseen: And this, brought in huggar-muggar, into England, is pressed by the passionate men for Faith to their weak Adherents; who are made believe that they are forbidden under heavy Censures to read his books, nay perhaps bound to hold him an Heretic, or what else they list to propose to their blindly-obedient Subjects. This, (abstracting from the truth or falsehood of Mr. Woite's Doctrine) is the subject of my present complaint: In preferring which to all Candid lovers of Truth, and good Subjects to our English Laws, I make this  

FIRST DEMAND.  
SUpposing this Condemnation be no personal Act of the Pope's, as Bulls and Breves are, but only an Act of the Roman Inquisition, which of course bears the Pope's name, as all other Acts of the Courts of Judicature in Rome do, where the Pope is both Spiritual and Temporal Lord; whether it be not most absurd, preposterous, and dissonant even to the distinctive procedure of the Roman Court, to confound and equalise those two sorts of Actions, which 'tis known the Church and that Court look upon with so great a difference?   

SECOND DEMAND.  
Were it indeed a Bull or Breve, or, (which is a thousand times more) a Decree of a Council, belonging to Discipline, yet whether it at all obliges till legally sent or brought into the Country where they pretend to bind; either by the domestic Bishops, who assented to it, if it be a Councils Canon, or by known officers of the Court of Rome appointed for such purposes? Certainly, if in any cases, Orders be to be observed, it should in those which are to be obligatory, lest excuse of ignorance be left to cloak the Subjects disobedience; and consequently we ought not to think any private Traveller, or common Carrier, much less a Jesuit (who is not only a particular Enemy to the party condemned, but has not the least Authority in the Church, nor can have, as such, no not so much as of a Pastor of a Parish) we ought not I say to think such a one a competent Officer to enjoin the duty of acceptance; no more than the bare being of it in print, a sufficient promulgation. And what speculation assures necessary, the practice of the Court of Rome confirms, which has its Nuncio's in several places to signify their Pleasure and Commands in their respective Districts, where they think it prudent, that is, where they hope they shall obtain to be obeyed. Let then the spreader or presser of those Decrees, and much more of an Act of the Roman Inquisition, be asked by what Authority he promulgates them; demand his Patent or Order; and if he know none, he is convinced to be a busy fellow, 
16 Ric. 2.  and (his Action being opposite to our Catholic English Laws,) a deeply punishable Offender to boot.   

THIRD DEMAND.  
WHether any of the three Decrees last mentioned, even though legally sent, be held obligatory in any Catholic Province till accepted by the Civil and Ecclesiastical State? Experience teaches us the contrary in the most Authoritative of these three, Canons of Councils; since 'tis known those of the Council of Ternt oblige not in some Catholic Counties, and the reason constantly rendered, is because they were never received: We see also that Roman Decrees are frequently disaccepted by Catholic Counties, and even Nuncio's, if they too zealously press them, forced to fly and hide their heads for acting against the just Right of the Civil Magistrate, as of late years the busie-Jesuited Internunce of Brussels, was by the Senate of Brabant. I presume than I may give a Negative Answer to this Demand: I am sure no French Subject durst, nor truly Loyal English one ought to say the contrary.   

FOURTH DEMAND.  
Whether the Ecclesiastical Governors either dare in prudence, or will in Loyalty receive an Act of this Nature without leave of the civil Magstrate? And whether it be ever likely such reception will be yielded to? This I know, when the intolerably scandalous Apology of the Casuists put out by the Jesuits, was about to be condemned by the Sorbon, and that the blow was judged unavoidable, the Jesuits endeavoured to get this Clause inserted against the Provincial Letters, Quas non probat facultas, utpote quas audivit Romae damnatas, Which the faculty approves not, because it heard they were condemned at Rome: And though this were but an occasional glance, and imported only a non-improvement, yet because they mentioned the Roman Inquisition Act as the reason of their non-Approbation, see how tender the State of France were of it. The Advocate General men's. Talon sent for some prime Sorbon Doctors, rattled them sound, and told them that that Clause was contrary to the Custom of the Kingdom, that it could not be used without acknowledging the Inquisition, and that it would not be suffered: And can we think we owe less obedience to His Sacred Majesty and our English Laws, than they in France to theirs? Or do we conceive it less illegal to bring the Roman Inquisition into England, than 'tis in France to bring it in thither? In France none, without the Prince's leave, may receive any Act of the Roman Inquisition upon this Motive, because it is theirs, or express their non-approvement, because that Tribunal has done so. In England quite contrary, these disloyal men tell their Adherents none dare refuse such Acts, or hold them unobliging, and upon this sole Motive, because they proceed from that Inquisition. The Laws of our Catholic Ancestors strictly forbid the extolling the power of the Bishop of Rome, that is, debar his extraordinary Authority; these men and their followers go farther, and presume not only to extol beyond measure the Pope's power, as Head of the Church, but even that far lesser one of the Roman Inquisition, and make it domineer over the English Subjects without the Magistrates licence. Thus encroachment would come in by inches, and invading the just rights of the Civil Power, advance towards that proud and scandalous Doctrine of deposing Kings, which the Roman Court of late times by its Decrees, has too much and too often abetted; and hence is this bustle of the Jesuits to preserve this principle alive, though they see it not seasonable now to press it home to the Conclusion. But they meet with honester and better principled spirits among all but their own party, as the loyal-hearted Catholic Clergy, the ancient Religious Order of S. Bennet, and other Regulars, whose perfect submission to the Laws of their Country in what touches not Faith, is incapable of the least blemish, other than what is imputed to them by occasion of the Society of such false brethren, against whom they do not publicly enough declare, and so are sometimes mistaken by strangers to hold their Opinions: Taking then the Negative of this Demand for granted, I advance to my   

FIFTH DEMAND.  
Whether it appear not to be most unseasonably illegal, and even aiming at the ruin of all the hopes of mitigation now endeavoured, to attempt and press at this time, as the Jesuited party does, the slavery of English Catholics to the Roman Inquisition? I conceive the Fact and the terms evince it so plainly that it needs no proof.   

six DEMAND.  
Whether it be not the height of Passion and Unchristianism to urge such Decrees, as matters of Faith? 'tis known some Divines, among whom is S. Austin, place the Rule of Faith in the diffused body of Christians, and make their acceptation the last and best Test of even a General Councils Infallibility in Faith-Definitions: Many deny a Council without a Pope to be infallible; more a Pope without a Council, or the Pope with an inferior Council; Almost all an inferior Council without the Pope; but none till our unhappy days had ever the audaciousness to say that an Inquisitions Decree touched faith, either as to its constitution or dissolution, or had the knack of personal infallibility annexed to it; nor, God be praised, dare they now say it, but in corners among their abused Bigots, from whose mouths you hear the Echo of their deluding Instructers.  
'Tis known that Inquisition goes to work like prudential men, he understands very little of that Court, who imagines the Pope or Cardinals trouble themselves with reading all those Books that are proposed to their Censures: Their way is, to commit the Perusal of them to some Divines, who (as the world has gone for these few late Years) are either Jesuits or Jesuited, that is, inveterate enemies to the party we treat of; upon what score I told you formerly. Their Information given, they trust it, and proceed upon it, but yet very gingerly and abstractedly. In common, that Court sees that Mr White opposes their Paramount Authority, by which they project the domineering over both Princes and Hierarchy, this is enough to make them think fit to blemish him; If then those good Divines tell them, that he has Erroneous or Heretical Propositions in his Books, [and what will not they call so, if against their Interest] all the branding words shall in; but you may sooner squeeze water out of a Flint than get these Divines determine which are erroneous only, and which heretical, for fear Mr White should prove the better Divine, and justify the points to be both Catholic, and needful to be spoken, which would quite spoil all.   

SEVENTH DEMAND.  
Whether it argue not that the passion and Interest of these men is above their love of maintaining Catholic Religion to blast not only the name of an Author who has written so advantageously and solidly for Faith, but even those very Books which so incomparably defend Faith and its Rule? Let rushworth's Dialogues, Apology for Tradition and Controversie-Logick be examined (to omit others) and see whether ever the Heterodox party were either so solidly confuted, or Faith so radically stated; yet are these Books condemned too with the rest, what more disgrace to our Cause could even a presbyterians heart wish?  
Consider how manfully the Catholic Controvertists, who have followed those Principles, have defended Faith, and triumphed over opposite Errors; and then judge whether it be consistent with these men's pretended zeal for Religion to sacrifice the best champion and strongest fortresses of our Faith, as controverted, to their politic Interest; and to endeavour the overthrowing such rampires of the Pope's Faith-taught, ordinary and lawful power, that they may flatteringly advance his opinionative, unlawful and arbitrary one; On the other side, look on the pitiful Defences these men substitute in stead of those solid ones; evidenced infallibility of Authority shall be beat down, and all Faith finally resolved into a blind afflatus, a hole as dark as the worst fanatics private spirit. Solid reason shall be laid aside, and airy quibbling in a wordish Testimony taken up in its stead, which can conclude nothing: What miserable tossing of words too and fro, to the extreme prejudice of the Catholic cause, is found in Schism unmasked; yet (considering their way) we have reason to believe that the nerves of their whole Body were all swelled by their most vigorous spirits, to advance so feeble a stroke. Nor can any see how we may expect better helps from their Principles, which tend to the disgrace of Universal Tradition, and fix their best hopes on personal Infallibilities. Knots voluminous Encounter with Chilling-worth, and Fishers with B. Land, remain sad Instances of the Catholic cause, left dangerously exposed, not through want of grounds, but by a voluntary desertion of Catholic Principles, to follow those of Interest and Flattery.   

EIGHTH DEMAND.  
What is to be said of those, who when they list get any thing condemned at Rome, to blast Catholic Writers that oppose their trampling down the Hierarchy, then press that Condemnation hotly, and advance it as highly as it were a young point of Faith; and yet when it lights on themselves (which happens sometimes, though not so often as they deserve) they slight and vilify it, as nothing worth? Poza a Spanish Jesuit, that fine fellow, who made that excellent Creed printed before the Mystery of Jesuitism was commanded both by the Popes and his General's Orders to appear at Rome, (which by the way Mr. White never was yet) and legally cited too to answer there for some extravagant Tenets; He flies for refuge to the King's Council, and got his cause, already overthrown in the Roman Inquisition, to be reveiwed by that of Madrid; and there found Defence without either his or the State's, or the Madrids Inquisition, scrupling at all to cast off the heavy burden of obedience to the Roman Inquisition, which the Jesuits, when 'tis for their turn, use to lay upon other men's shoulders. That abominable Apology for the Casuists, set out by the Jesuits, after it had been most deeply and particularly censured by almost each Bishop in France, and his Diocesan Assembly, was, for fear of too manifest shame, condemned at Rome, and yet was printed by them afterwards, and defended both in France and England. Stubrochius, the disguised Jesuit, gives you the full allowance of the force such Decrees are to have in these words. If nothing (says he) be particularly condemned, but the Book only in general forbidden, no wise man can deny, but that the only reason of its Prohibition is, that it was published against the rules of the Council of Trent. Si nihil prorsus in ●o singillatim configatur, sed prohibeatur generatim; nemo sapiens neget eo duntaxat nomine prohibitum fuisse, quod contra Regulas à Concilio Tridentivo praescriptas editus sit; which Rules (though in themselves excellent) are so unsuitable to the present circumstances of England, that very few Catholic writers can observe them: so that almost all the Catholic Books in English are subject to the censure of the Roman Inquisition, as well as Mr. White's, were there any peevish Informer uncharitable enough to prosecute 'em.  
But you must think it was the Jesuits own case, else he had not been so candid; so that you see they deal with their Believers, as men do with little Babies, or Jackdaws, they propose things for Bug-bears, or Scare-crows, which themselves fear not at all, but only set up to fright others.   

NINTH DEMAND.  
Whether to press the obligatorinesse of this Inquisition's Act be not Schismatical in those pressers. For, since where a legal order is not observed in sending, accepting and enjoining observance of Decrees, 'tis not to be expected all should act alike, it will follow that the more zealous and credulous, who think every foppery Faith, will quickly take fire and accept it, and discharge their zeal by spreading it to others, and railing at the Author and the Readers of his Books; The more solid, discerning and intelligent persons, who know how to distinguish things; will carry themselves as formerly towards both the Author and the Books. Hence difference in actions and mutual animosities are apt to arise, and fierce ones too; in regard one party is made foolishly to believe all is Faith which their interessed Governors tell them: the other party conceive as high an indignation to see the Sacredness of Faith made ridiculous by such a blundering and confounding zeal in the simple believers, and paltry interest in the Teachers. Now, who sees not that the explication of this matter of Fact, and it's immediate consequences, speak direct spiritual breach, distance, difference, and disunion of minds, affections, words and actions, which sound schismaticalness enough in all Conscience.  
The Result of all hitherto is this, that since this Condemnation is neither legally sent nor accepted, nor yet acceptable as the case stands; since it neither concerns Faith in the least, nor aught to concern England's since the thus pressing it is illegal breaking Order, and so Seditious, Schismatical, and disgraceful to our Faith, by rendering it ridiculous, 'tis evident that the pressers of it (and according to the degree of their knowledge their Followers who accept it) are neither good Christians, loyal Subjects, nor solidly Prudent Men; But desperately pursuing their own ambition, by flattering the Roman Courts in what ever precipices they engage themselves and others. And, if they be such, and it be not like they will amend, unless they and the world be told publicly they are such, I know no reason, why both Justice and Charity oblige me not to do it.  
All hitherto is spoken in case the Condemnation has indeed issued from the Inquisition of Rome: But, what if any one should object that in all likelihood it is none of Theirs, or at least a Surreptitious one. All I could say is, I have yet heard it only from private hands; which though I am not bound to credit, yet it breeds in me a suspicion of some such thing.  
As for the Terms of the Decree itself should any except against them, that because the two Phrases, Heretical and Erroneous in Faith, signify the same thing, one of them must needs be superfluous, and so not likely to proceed from that Court: I could answer, that, as among Scholars, Tautologies are blamable, so among Lawyers (such as the Cardinals for the most part are) nothing more ordinary than Sinonamas and Repetitions. Should he go on, and object the inconveniences of a Dis-junctive censure, as that it neither condemns nor absolves any point in particular, and so the world is never the wiser for it. I could reply, that where the Judges have too much work (as they must needs have who draw to their immediate cognisance almost all the spiritual business of the world) it saves a great deal of labour to forbid a Book in general, without undertaking the trouble of giving a particular reason for it, and though it would be a great happiness to be determinately instructed in the points for which an Author is censured; yet as to the common people, it sufficeth their Governors say, there are Erroneous Opinions in him, and therefore, unless you have permission to read prohibited Books, let him alone.  
Should he again insist, That probably this Decree was not Authentic, because (in the Copy printed at Rome) the Author's Name is miswritten, as Blachei and Wilhi; I could excuse it with saying, Italians are not well acquainted with the hard names of us Tramontani; Or should he urge the mis-spelling some Latin words, as Quarela, Bucins, Aucthore, Texerae, I could think it might happen by the hasty zeal of the Solicitor, without imagining the barbarous Goths had sacked Rome again. But should he say, there's false Latin in it, and offer to prove it by citing these suspicious words P●pe for Papa, Institutiones, for institutionum, Joannem for Jona; and then produce Authority that false Latin vitiates the Pope's Letters. Literas Papae invalidat falsa Latinitas: De Rescript. c. Add audientians. Quia per tot manus trans●unt, ut nullus in iis, si sint verae, debeat error superesse. I should be apt I confess to follow this known Rule rather than an Extravagant Copy of an inquisitionary Sentence; For though the Pope's Letters and his Decrees in the Inquisition be not rigorously the same thing, yet the same inconvenience rising from either, (that is, a diminution of respect due to the Pope) the same Law is to govern both: Nothing being more common among the Canon Lawyers than ubi cadem ratio, ibi idem jus. In this mind therefore I shall presume to continue, till the all knowing and all-commanding Society shall propose to the World, as another new Article of Faith, that the holy Inquisition, (where the Popesits, and in a Chair too) cannot err in points of Latin.  
And yet all this is easier to deal with, than one untoward objection that still remains; For should any fall upon the last lines of the Decree, and say, It cannot be believed by any who respects the Roman Inquisition, that it so threateningly should command a Man to clear himself, and never tell him in particular, what's his fault; I am sure I should be shrewdly put to it to find an answer. And this is the clause I indeed fear may have been procured by the importunity of some busy Jesuit; who, should he meet with Mr. White, would scarce perhaps be able to bridle his headstrong zeal from running full drive upon him, and with open mouth cry out against him, Mr. White, you are accused and deeply censured, and that by no less than the Roman Inquisition; Clear yourself, why don't you clear yourself? Of what? answers Mr. White; I say, clear yourself, says the Jesuit; 'tis sauciness to ask of what? or to question Authority, you'll chop logic with the holy Inquisition, will you? No, but I would gladly be told my fault, replies Mr. White, that I may know how to mend; and I hope you have so much charity as to wish it, and to put me in a way to it; Say you are sorry for your fault, says the insulting Jesuit, and believe us you are in fault: This is our way of governing both our boys and men too, and 'tis against the best virtue, Obedience, to demand more. I but Sir (says Mr. White) by showing me my fault, I may come to be made see the heinousness of it, and so be more heartily penitent. The very Spirit of an Heretic! cries the Jesuit amain; this man will not think he is in fault, except he be shown it: Infallibility in matters of Faith and blind Obedience have no reverence with him. Here now, were Mr. White one of their Bigots, he might be sorry, though he knew not for what. But yet even that would not serve his turn, or relieve his sad case a jot. He is bid clear himself, and heavily threatened if he do not. Now, since clearing is an Action, and Actions use to light upon particulars (for none can build an house or write a line in common) and in our case this clearing must either be performed by denying the books to be his, which were an open falsehood; or by justifying, or retracting those unblamable Propositions, both which are impossible without knowing first the particular Propositions to be so justified or retracted, 'tis manifest he is commanded impossibles, and yet he is threatened shrewdly unless he perform them. The exacting brick without straw was mild to this. That was possible to be performed by other combustible matter, this impossible to any but a Conjurer. The non-performance of that was threatened with only temporal penalties, this with spiritual: That lighter, coming from the hand of an Heathen and Tyrant; this a thousand times heavier, pretending to come from the Authority of Governors, whose duty 'tis to put the erring into a way of amendment. What a disrespect than is it, towards the Inquisition, and the Pope, in them, who dare impute such an uncharitable procedure to those prudent personages.  
After another fashion were the Jesuits Books, and that in true Latin too, lately condemned; of which I doubt they speak very seldom, and very gingerly to their Devotees: several Lists of particular errors were collected out of their Authors, and diligently conferred with the books themselves, and this in almost every Diocese of France, and at last the whole Apology, written by the Jesuits in defence of those errors, not only condemned by the Bishops and Diocesan Clergy there, but by the Roman Inquisition too, notwithstanding all their power in that Court, which they stretched to the utmost. Some few of these kind of Errors I have here, only to give a taste of the rest, transcribed; As  
That I may kill a man to prevent his giving me a box on the ear, or a stroke with a staff; and if he have struck me, I may kill him though he fly from me.  
That an Ecclesiastic or Religious man may kill him who shall attempt or but threaten to take away his honour by slanders or calumnies.  
That 'tis no Simony to give or take any thing for a Benefice, if it be given or taken as a motive, not as a price.  
That an ginger, if he have only consulted the stars, is bound to restore the money he has received; but not, if he have taken the pains to conjure, and the thing be come to pass by the Devils Art.  
That a man is neither by the Law of nature, nor any positive Law, obliged to restore what he has received to give an unjust sentence, or to commit Murder, or Adultery.  
That to hear two halfs or four quarters of a Mass at once (which is easy where many Masses are saying at the same time) satisfies the Precept of the Church.  
That he who keeps a Concubine is not to be denied Absolution, though he will not put her away; if he say, he pretends not to sin with her, and that the case be so, that without her his life would be but melancholy.  
That probably it is no mortal sin to impose on another a false crime indefence of one's own honour; which of all the rest is in my opinion the most horrible, as stubbing up by the roots all charity, and veracity out of the hearts of all the world.  
These, among many more of the same kind, were particularly condemned and recondemned in France; and lest you should doubt their Apologies being condemned at Rome too, wherein all these are defended, go on and read the Copy.  

Thursday 21 August 1659. In the General Congregation of the Holy Roman, and Universal Inquisition holden in the Apostolic Palace at St. Marry the Greater before his Holiness Pope Alexander 7. and the most Eminent and most Reverend Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, deputed by the See Apostolic Inquisitors General against Heresy in the whole Christian Commonwealth.  
His Holiness Pope Alexander 7. by this present Decree prohibits and condemns the Book entitled Apology for the Casuists, etc. and wills that it be held for condemned and prohibited. And his Holiness farther commands that none of what degree or condition soever, though dignifyed with special or even most special Qualfication keep or read the said book; nor presume to print, or cause to be printed, as well under the Penalties and Censures contained in the Holy Council of Trent, and in the Index of prohibited Books, as others to be inflicted at the will of his Holiness: But whoever now hath, or shall hereafter at any time have the said Book, shall under the same penalties be bound to deliver it up to the Ordinary, or the Inquisitors.   
And now what Substantial difference do you find betwixt this Censure, and that against Mr: White; all I can see, is only the precept to clear himself; which, for want of a particular charge, seems to have little legal signification; so that as to the general Censures of Rome, the Jesuits have tasted of them, as well as Mr. White: and as to particular Ones of other places, far more in the proportion that almost all France and Louvain, exceed in Learning and Authority the single pitiful University of Douai; which clearly argues Evidence against the Jesuits, and against Mr. White.  
My last exception, and which makes me confident those words of accurate examination mentioned in that paper, are either of course or falsified, and so, not arguing an Act of the Inquisition, is, that I see plainly they were so far from accurately examining the Books that they never looked so much as into the Titles; but have most strangely mistaken and Condemned for a Book of Mr. White's, one that was writ against him by another Author; and hath Authore I. S. on the Title-page. Mr. White writ Statera Morum; Another writ against one part of it, and entitled his book Statera Appensa; Mr. White replied, and called his Reply Staterae Aequilibrium. Now, these accurate Examiner's, which this paper tells us of, examined so accurately, that they mistook one Book for another; nor only disparate Books, but opposite ones; that is, the Objection for the Answer; nor needed they look far to have avoided the mistake, had they but used the patience to have read quite through the Title-page before they condemned the whole Book, it had been sufficient to have prevented their error. Is not this enough to disgrace the whole Process and Pretence. Nor can they shelter the mistake by Aequilibrium's, being bound in the same with Appensa; For had all the Treatises there been Mr. White's, or at least Mr. White's the first which entitled the Book: it had been some colour; but, when 'tis known Appensa was writ by another Author, who showed it to divers ecclesiastics of credit in the first foul Copy, constantly owned it himself, and sent one of his Copies to the Internunce of Brussels before it was printed, and had the two first Letters of his name put in the Title-page challenging it, which Letters were no way competent to Mr. White, 'tis too evident the accurate Examiner's read not, nor cared to read the very Title-page through, but condemned at a venture they knew not what. And was it not, think you, a laudable piece of service in that zealous Promoter who thus misinformed the Inquisition, if this Censure truly proceeded from It? Or, if it be counterfeit, is it not an intolerable impudence to father such gross mistakes on so diliberate and prudent a Tribunal?  
These are my Reasons why I conceive no true respecter of that Inquisition will blaze this Act for Theirs. Other Exceptions too perhaps might be made, but I desire to publish no more than I hear already reflected on.  
I only add this word, and conclude, were this truly the Roman Inquisition's Act, were it legally sent, legally receiwed and promulgated here in England, and binding according to it's full Import; when all's done, it can only command those Books to be looked on as prohibited, that is, not to be read without Licence; which, who in England either needs, or at least may not easily have; nay, to read even those written by professed Heretics, and that too against Catholics. Yet this is all the wool got by this great Cry.  
FINIS.