DOCTOR HOLDEN'S LETTE● TO A FRIEND OF HIS, upon the occasion of Mr Blacklow's submitting Writings to the See of Rome: together. With a copy of the said Mr Blacklow's submission.  
SIR,  
Having been Mr Blacklow's scholar ne●… forty years ago, when I was a young student; Having ●… over all his works with great attention; And having had ●…ny & several conferences with him, by means of our f●…quent conversation, in matters of all sorts of learning, I●… particularly of Divinity, I am confident I know as much his Grounds & Principles as any one whosoever. I can the ●… fore assure you, to satisfy your demand in this point, ●… I have ever clearly found his doctrine to be throughly ●… lied, ●…ound, & substantial. I confess that, omitting vo●…minous citations of skeptike fancies, & endeavouring to i●…cite Divins to seek for real science, & to show how connat●…rall true Divinity is to the better portion of man, he useth ●…●…vers expressions & manners of speech not common in o●… schools, & he hath several exotic & peculiar opinion ●… which, (be it spoken with due respect, though in oppositi●… to so great a scholar & so learned a man) are much differe●… from my sentiments. But I never saw, nor ever heard as yet, ●… any one of his tenets inconsistent with the essential & perse●… integrity of our Catholic faith▪ no nor censured in the ●…●…y any authority whatsoever. As we signified of late Dr Labourne, in our common letter of mediation for pea●… betwixt him & Mr Blacklow. Yet having heard that divers ●… our nation (some through ignorance, others through a wea●…r frailty) have laboured to brand his reputation, partly for ●…ints of doctrine (which they understand not) partly for dis●…edience to the See of Rome, I was glad to see an Authen●…k testimony under his own hand (which I have ever know●… to be in his hart●… of his submitting his writings to the See ●…postolicke. Which my respect & love to his person, & my ●…esire to quench a scandal so unworthily thrown upon one, ●…ose piety & learning may do so much good to God's ●…hurch, hath made me think fit to publish in print. Whe●…of, because you seem to be in a wavering doubtfulness ●… the truth of these aspersions, I here send you a copy. You ●…now the greatest part of his adversaries, I mean of those ●…hose Profession it is to judge of such things (for the laity in matters of doctrine belonging to Religion, aught to be hearers & learners, not teachers or judges) are brought up in ●…ur private seminarys, & thence easily conceive what ever they ●…eare either opposite to, or unmentioned in their master's ●…ictats, to be erroneous. Whereas if they knew the latitude ●…f our most learned mens' singular, & sometimes new inven●…ed, or renewed opinions, daily mantained & problemati●…ally disputed in our public schools, without the least sus●…icion of their integrity in Catholic belief, they would ●…ot (if no way blinded with Passion) so slightly shoot their ●…ensuring bolts at random; especially against a brother, & ●…uch a brother. If this his candid & ingenuous submission ●…oe reduce & undeceive such as have erred in their jud●…ments to his prejudice, either through misinformation from others, or misunderstanding in themselves, I shall be glad ●…o have published it; If not, I shall not be sorry to have endea●…ored it, hoping it will at least prevail with you, to whom I am  
●…s ever, SIR,   

In nomine Domini, Amen.  
I underwritten declare to whom it shall concern that upon a motion of peace made by some worthy friends, to really act what is desired, do sincerely profess that I hold it necessary, that all Catholics should, in hart & in all humility & obedience, submit their Divinity writings to the holy Church & See Apostolic. And, as this hath ever been my opinion, so being now required by the said friends, I do humbly & sincerely profess it to all it shall concern, by this my present writing or instrument▪ And this to reach to all my books either passed or to come. Protesting never to recede from this resolution, as far as God shall give me grace; And this not only before men, but also before God, as I hope & expect good from him. May 18. 1657. THOMAS WHITE.  
Whereas I underwritten have heretofore given a submission of my writings to the holy Church & See Apostolic, to satisfy such as might doubt of my obedience to the Pope; And that not withstanding I gave it as full & ample as possibly I could, according as my true intention than was, now is, ever hath been, & ever shall be, God willing, I hear that some have misunderstood it, & have conceived that I intended only by those words, Holy Church & See Apostolic, the Catholic Church & Pope conjointly; but not to the See of Rome, & S. Peter's successor the Pope, separate from a general Council: As also that I only declared my opinion, but professed no actual submission of my writings, I therefore do now ingenuously & freely declare & profess that it is my opinion & judgement, all Catholics ought in hart & in all humility & obedience submit their Divinity writings; not only to the Holy Church in common & in a general Council, where the Pope may be in person or by his deputies, but also to the particular See of Rome & S. Peter's successor the Pope, even out of a general Council, which as I have always done in my hart, so do I now likewise actually & willingly 〈◊〉 all my writings to the particular See o●… Rome & S. Peter's successor the Pope, even out of a general Council; And this according as my opinion & belief hath ever taught me. Ratifying & confirming to this effect all the contents of my former submission. In witness whereof I have set hereunto my hand, this 2. July 1657.  
THOMAS WHITE.