AN APPEALE OF THE ORTHODOX MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND: Against RICHARD MOUNTAGUE, Late Bishop of Chichester, now Bishop of Norwich. TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS, High, and Honourable Court of PARLIAMENT. AND TO THE NOBILITIE, ORTHODOX Clergie, Gentry, and Communaltie of England. With the proceedings against him in Bow-Church. And an Epistle to B. Mountague himselfe. also, A Supplication of the Ministers of Scotland against the said Mountague. Wherein His dangerous Heresies are revealed; and the Character of an Arminian or Mountaguists is added.
EDENBVRGI. M. DC. XLI.
Most Noble, Honourable, Worshipfull and Religious: MEN, FATHERS, BRETHREN.
WEe the Orthodox Ministers of the Gospell in the Church of England, to the number of 1000. and more; In most humble and zealous manner, not without bleeding hearts and on bended knees, doe Remonstrate vnto You this great and graue Senate, the Worthies of our English-Israel, now assembled in the high and honourable Court of Parliament. That (as is notorious, and you not ignorant) Mr. RICHARD MOVNTAGVE hath heeretofore written and published three severall Bookes; the first, entituled, An answere to the Gagger of Protestants; the second, A Treatise of the Invocation of Saints; the third, An Appeale to Caesar.
In the two former whereof hee pretendeth to answere the common Adversarie of our Church: though indeed hee is nothing better than a cunning stickler and Advocate for them: For the which hee was touched by Information in Parliament, xxjo. IACOBI. But that Parliament ending, and soone after, King (IAMES of famous memorie) dying; he set forth his third Booke called the Appeale to [Page 2]Caesar: wherein hee more openly shewes himselfe in his colours, by spitting forth his venome and spewing forth his gall against King IAMES (of ever blessed memorie) and, whereof hee was supreame Gouernour, the Church of England, and all the sincere Professours of the Gospell therein: and yet, with an audacious face, whorish forehead, and accurate ambo-dexteritie, hee would seeme to pin these his bastardly Bratts vpon the sleeue of our deere and chast mother the Church of England: And not resting there, this his third Booke of Appeale, hee asw impudently as audaciously dedicateth to our gracious Soueraigne King CHARLES, presently vpon his comming to the Crowne; and thereby subtilly endeavoureth to infect the mind of his Majestie, in his tender yeares, by vnsound Tenents; (how beit we hope his sacred Majestie, as was his royall Father, is soundly grounded in Orthodox writings and opinions) unsound, said wee; yea, haereticall, savouring one while of old-Pelagianisme, and eft-soones of new-Arminianisme, and otherwhiles of flat-Papisme.
All which his errours and Haeresies haue beene publikely displayed and confuted by diuers of our Orthodox Brethren of the Church of England: Viz. Reverend Doctour CARLETON, late Bishop of Chichester, (now with God:) Doctour SVTCLIFFE, Deane of Excester: Doctour GOAD and Doctour FEATLY, late Chaplaines to the most Reverend Archbishop of Canterbury: Mr. BVXTON; Mr. YATES; Mr. WOTTON; all these, wee say, Divines: and besides, (whom we must not forget) two worthy Gentlemen, Mr. ROVSE and Mr. PRINNE, Orthodox members [Page 3]of our Church: All these before-named, theyr Books of Confutation are extant to the World in print.
Now, for the opinion of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, wee are not ignorant that his last Book of Appeale to Caesar, hauing beene translated and sent beyond Seas, the Church of Geneva, with all the reformed Churches of France, (though now under the Crosse) haue condemned it: the orthodox Churches of Germanie and the Netherlands haue done no lesse. And this knowledge wee haue by Letters sent to some of our graue Brethren residing in London.
And now (by order also) O worthy House, you must giue vs leaue to put you in mind, when Mountagu had published that his last Booke, wherein he spared not to vilifie the Synode of Dort; Your religious care in behalfe of that Synode, appeared in an Act you had in agitation (by P)etition) at Oxford, 1. CAROLI, Against Haeresies and false Doctrine: the Copie whereof we present here unto your view, exhibited by your House of Commons in Parlament, 1625. which remaines upon Record in Records as followeth;
An Act for the repressing and prevention of Haeresies and false Doctrines.
MOst humbly and instantly beseeching your Majestie, your faithfull and loyall Commons in this present Parlament assembled, and representing all those your many Millions of people in this your Kingdome of England, who are not of the Degree of the Nobilitie; That for as much as all men know how dishonourable to God, how dangerous to the soules of men, and to the peace both of Church and Common-wealth the seeds of erronious doctrines haue ever proued: as hath appeared by that fearefull trouble which lately trenched into the Churches and state of the Vnited Provinces in the Low-countries, by the pestilent opinions of Arminius and such as followed his partie; whereby the state had beene utterly ruined, if our late most learned and prudent King; of happy memorie, your Majesties most royall Father, had not provided for the repressing of that Fire, by a grane learned Synode convened at Dort, and consisting of choyse and worthy Divines, not onely of the said Vnited Provinces them selues, but divers others out of other Countries; that is to say; some out of yours his Majesties Kingdomes of England and Scotland, and others out of France and Germany, Geneva and the Palatinate: In which godly Synode the said opinions of the Arminians, after a mature deliberation and debate, were unanimously taxed, adjudged [Page 5]and condemned, as unsanorie, false, and daungerous positions: opposite to the Apostolicall Doctrine and generall beliefe of the reformed Churches: And whereas also vpon the maintainers thereof your Majesties Royall Father (as a very able Defender of the Faith) by publike writing expressed and stamped his zealous Censure. That they were Haereticks, or rather Atheisticall Sectaries: And whereas the said Determinations of that learned and generall Synode haue beene an occasion of much quietnesse in all the Low. Countries ever since; and haue beene also confirmed and approued not onely by the Nationall Synode of all the Reformed Churches of France, convened at Charenton; but in Ireland also one of your Majesties owne Dominions: It may therefore please your Majestie for the preventions of great Mischiefes and Inconveniences, which may grow and ensue within the Church and Common-wealth of this your Majesties Kingdome of England, by the divulging of the like pestilent opinions within the same, that it may bee enacted by the Authoritie of this present Parlament, that the said determinations of the said Synode, consisting of seuenteene Articles positiue and nine rejectiue or opposite, may stand and bee likewise annexed, received, ratified and established with in this your said Kingdome, as part of the doctrine of the Church of England.
Against which, it shall not, or may not bee lawfull for any to preach, write, or print any thing: But that such as shall so doe, may [Page 6]bee censured as the impugners of the Church of England and disturbers of the peace thereof, &c.
And now, in its due place, we also present unto your view, your owne more particular Charge in your Articles exhibited by your House of Commons against Mountagu, at Westminster, in Parlament, 2. Careli, 1626. which also remaines upon your Records as followeth;
MARCH. 1626. Articles exhibited by the Commons in Parlament against RICHARD MOVNTAGV Clerke.
THat hee the said Richard Mountague in or about the 21th yeare of the raigne of our late Soveraigne King Iames (of famous memorie) hath caused to be printed and in his name to bee published, one booke called An answere to the late Gagger of Protestants, and in and about the 22th, yeare of the same King, hee caused to be printed and published one other booke intituled, A Treatise of the Invocation of Saints, And likewise in that first yere of his Majesties Raigne that now is, he procured to bee printed and in his name to bee published, an other booke intituled, An appeale to Caesar: in everie of which bookes, hee hath maintained and affirmed some doctrines contrary or repugnant to the Articles wherevpon it was agreed by the Archbishops and byshops of both Provinces, and the Whole Clergie in the convecation holden at London, in the yeare of our Lord God, 1562. according to the computation of the Church of England, fer avoyding diversicy of opinions, and for establishing consent touching true Religion; All which appeares in the places hereafter mentioned, and in diuers other places and passages of the same bookes, and by his so doing hath broken the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme in that case provided, and very much disturbed both the peace of the Church and Common-wealth.
1
1 Wheras in the 35th. Article of the Articles aboue-mentioned it is declared, That the second booke of HOmilies doth containe a godly and wholesome doctrine, In the 16th Homily of which booke it is determined, That the Church of Rome as it is present, and hath beene for the space of 900. yeares and odde, is so farre voyd from the nature of a true Church, that nothing can bee more, Hee the said Richard Mountague in severall places of his said booke called,Gagg. pag. App. p. 136. The Answere to the Gagger, and in his other booke called the Appeale, doth advisedly maintaine and affirme, that the Church of Rome is and euer was a true Church, since it was a Church.
2
2 Whereas in the same Homily it is likewise declared, that the Church of Rome is not built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, and in the 28th Article of the said Articles, that Transubstantiation overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament. And in the 25th of the same Articles, That fiue other reputed Sacraments of the Church of Rome are not to bee accompted Sacraments; yet contrary and repugnant heerevnto, hee the said Richard Mountague doth maintaine and affirme in his booke aforesaid called,Gag. pag. 50 The Answere to the Gagger; That the Church of Rome hath ever remained firme vpon the same foundation of Sacraments and doctrine instituted by God.
3
3 In the 19th. of the same Articles, it is further determined, that the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of faith, hee the said Richard Mountague speaking of those points which belong to faith and manners, hope and Charitie, doth in the same Booke called the Gagger, Gagg. p. 14. affirme and maintaine, That none of these are contreverted, inter partes, meaning the Protestants and the Papists, And notwithstanding, That in the 31th. Article it is resolved, That the Sacrifices of Moses in which as is commonly said, That the Priest did offer Christ for the quicke and the dead, to hane remission of paine and guilt, too, are blasphemous fables and dangerous deceipts, This being one of the points controverted betweene the Church of England and the Church of Rome. The said Richard Mountague in his booke called the Gagger doth affirme and maintaine,Gagg. p, 14. That the controverted points are of a lesse and inferior Allay; Of them a may man be ignorant, without any danger of his soule at all, A man may resolue or oppose this or that way within perill of perishing for ever.
4.
4 Whereas in the second Homily (entituled against perill of Idolatry) contained in the foresaid booke of HOmilies, approved by the 37th. Article aforementioned, it is declared; That Images teach no good lesson neither of good nor godlinesse but all errour and wickednesse: Hee the said Richard in the booke aforesaid,Gag. p. 300. called the Answere to the late Gagger doth affirme and maintaine, That Images may be vsed for the instruction of the ignorant and exitation of Devotion.
5
5 That in the same Homily it is plainly expressed, That the attributing the defence of certaine Countries to Saints is a spoyling God of his honour. And that such Saints are but as Dij Tutelares of the Gentile Idolatours. TLhe said Richard ountague hath notwithstanding in the Booke afore mentioned entituled,Inv. p. 107. A Treatise concerning the Invocation of Saints, affirmed and maintained: That Saints haue not onely a memorie, but a more peculiar charge of their friends, And that it may bee admitted, that some Saints haue a peculiar patronage,108.Custody protection and power,109.as Angels also haue over certaine persons and Countries by especiall deputation, And that it is no impietie so to beleeue.
Note that hee saith in his Appeale (108. and 109.) Shew me that the Saints haue knowledge of vs here, And J will not doubt to pray to them. So that hence it wil be evident, That Mountagu holds it lawfull to pray to Saints.
6
6 Whereas in the 17th of the said Articles it is resolved; That God hath constantly decreed by his Councell secret to vs to deliver from curse and damnation, Those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation; Wherefore, they which bee indued with so excellent a benefit of God, bee called according to Gods purpose working in due season: They by grace obey the calling, they bee justified freely, walke religiously in good works, and at [Page 11]length by Gods mercy attaine to everlasting felicitie.
Hee the said Richard Mountague in the booke aforesaid called the Appcale, App. p. 30. doth maintaine and affirme, that men justified may fall away and depart from that state which once they had, they may rise againe and become new men possible, but not certaine nor necessarie, And the better to countenance this his opinion, hee hath in the said Booke wilfully added falsified and changed divers words of the 16th. of the Articles, afore-mentioned. And divers other words both in the Booke of HOmilyes as in the Booke of Common Prayer. App. p. 29.31, 32.35. And all the same places so misrecyted and changed, hee doth alledge in his said booke called the Appeale, endeauouring thereby to lay a most wicked and malicious scandall upon the Church of England, as if it did herein differ from the Reformed Churches of Ireland, and from the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, and did consent to those pernicious Errors, which are commonly called Arminianisme, and which the late famous Princesse Queene Elizabeth and King James (of happy memorie) did so piously and diligently labor to suppresse.
2
That hee the said Richard Mountague contrary to his dutie and allegiance, hath endeavoured to rayse great factions and divisions in this Common-weale, by casting the odious and scandalous name of Puritans vpon such of his Majesties loving subjects as conforme themselues to the doctrine and Ceremonies of the Church of England, vnder that name laying vpon them divers false and malicious imputations, [Page 12]so to bring them into Iealousie and displeasure with his most excellent Majestie, and into reproach and ignominie with the rest of the people, to the great danger of sedition and disturbance in the State, if it bee not timely prevented.
3.
The scope and end of the said Richard Mountague in the Bookes aforementioned, is to giue incouragement to Poperie, and to withdraw his Majesties subjects from the true Religion established to the Roman Superstition: and consequently to be reconciled to the Sea of Rome. All which hee laboureth by subtill and cunning wayes, whereby Gods true Religion hath beene much scandalized, Those mischiefes introduced which the wisedome of many Lawes hath endeavoured to prevent, the great perill and hazard of our Soveraigne Lord the King and of all his Dominions and loving Subjects.
4.
That the aforesaid Richard Mountague hath inserted into the booke aforesaid called the Appeale, divers passages dishonourable to the late King his Majesties Father (of famous memorie) full of bitternesse, rayling and injurious speeches to other persons, disgracefull and contemptuous to many worthy Divines both of this Church of England, and of other reformed Churches beyond the Seas: Impious and prophane in scoffing at Preaching, meditating, conferring, Pulpits, Lectures, Bibles, and all shew of Religion: [Page 13]All which doe aggravate his former offences as having proceeded from malicious and invenomed hate against the peace of this Church and sinceritie of the Reformed Religion publiquely professed and by Lawes established in this Kingdome.
All which offences being to the high dishonour of Almightie God and of most mischievous effect and consequence, against the good of his Church and Common Weale of England, and of other his Majesties Realmes and Dominions, The Commons assembled in Parlament doe hereby pray, that the said Richard Mountagu may bee punished according to his demerits, in such exemplary manner, as may deterre others from attempting so presumptuously to disturbe the Peace of Church and State, and that the Bookes aforesaid may be supprest and burnt.
But by the fatall dissolution of those first and second Parlaments, that Act, and that your Charge in those your Articles, slept; untill the last Parlament called or summoned to begin in March, and continued untill Iuly 1628. During which sitting, That your charge in those your Articles, was awakened and in agitation against him, as wee heard. But by reason of other matters of high consequence, and the suddaine Prorogation of that Parlament, It againe fell asleepe.
Now, upon the ending of that Session, and breaking vp of the House (And Byshop Carleton, [Page 14]Mountagu's learned Diocesan and Antagonist dying, during the sitting of the House) immediately after, Mountagu; by mediation of his potent Patron, alijsque vijs ac modis, got his Majesties grant of the Byshopricke of Chichester; and soone after sued out, as it seemes, his Congedelier for the same Byshopricke: and in August following, according to custome, Proclamation was was made at St. Mary le Bow Church-dore in these very words following;
All manner of Persons that can or will object against the Election of the Right Worshipfull Mr. Richard Mountagu, Bachesour of Diuinitie and Parson of Petworth, Elected Lord Bishop of Chichester, the forme of his Election or the partie Elected; Let them now speake and object in due forme of Law, and they shallbee heard; otherwise they shall be precluded.
Vpon which Proclamation, 7, or 8. dayes before the day of Confirmation of the said elected Byshop, (and all manner of men beeing thereby invited to object,) it pleased God to stirre up the heart of one honest Christian man to take Councell and get objections drawne, by an ancient Doctour of the Arches: which Obiections were extracted out of the forenamed Articles in Parlament: And upon Fryday the 22. of August, when the aforesaid Elect Byshop came to Bow-Church to be Confirmed, and the aforesaid Proclamation was againe by the Beadle of the Arches audibly 3. times pronounced in the Church, one Mr. Iones by name (an honest and auncient Professour of Religion) did obiect, whereof wee hope this sacred Senate is already [Page 15]possest, and presented the Obiections, in writing (drawne as is before said, by a Doctour of the Arches) unto Doctour Rives then substituted Iudge for the busineffe, and said, with an audible voyce, 3. times, I object against him, and heere are my objections in due forme of Law: The Copie of which his Obiections, is heere also preented unto your view: (which chiefly concerneth you the Worthies of the House of Commons, because they were drawne out of your owne former Charge:) and it is Verbatim as followeth;
In DEi nomine Amen. Coram vobis Reverendissimo & honorando Patre Georgio divina providentia Cantuariens. Archiepisc. vestrove Deligato, Officiali, Ʋicario in spiritualibus generali, ejusve Surrogato ant alio Iudice Iudicibusve in hac parte competen. seu competitur. Willielmus Iones literatus Stationarius Londinensis, omni quo possit aut debet meliori via modo & juris forma, nec non ad omnem, quecun (que) juris effectum exinde quovismodo sequi valen. nomine accusatorio ac vt accusator. Ricdi. Mountagu Clerici nuper in Episcopatum Cicestrens. vt dicitur electi, accusando querelando obijciendo & excipiendo contra prefat. Ricardum Mountagu Clericum & ad impediendum juxta Iuris in hac parte exigentiam & non aliter promotionem & confirmationem ipsius Ricardi in Episcop. sic vt prefertur electi comperuit dictus Willielmus Iones allegando dicendo querelando accusando & obijciendo articulatim vt sequitur.
1.
IN primis, That you the said Richard Mountagu haue caused to be printed and in your name to be published, one Booke called An Answere to the late Gagger of Protestants, and one other Booke entituled A Treatise of the Invocation of Saints, and a third booke entituled An Appeale to Caesar. In every of which bookes you haue maintained and affirmed some doctrines contrary and repugnant to the Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Archbishops [Page 17]and Byshops of both Provinces, and the whole Clergie in the Convocation holden at London in the yeare of our Lord God, 1562. according to the computation of the Church of England for avoyding of diversitie of opinions, and for establishing consent touching true Religion; And by your said Delicts you have broken the lawes and Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe provided: And you thereby haue very much disturbed the peace of the Church and Common-wealth, to the high dishonour of Almighty God. Which your Bookes are Confuted by the late right reverend Bishop Carleton and divers other Orthodox and conformable Divines of the Church of England. And I Article and object, Conjunctim aivisim & de quolibet.
2
Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in severall places of your said Booke called the Gagger, and in your other booke called the Appeale, doe and haue advisedly maintained and affirmed, That the Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church, contrary to the Sixteenth Homilie of the second booke of Homilies, and as is declared in the 35. Article of the aforesaid Articles, And I object as aforesaid.
3
Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu doe maintayne and affirme in your aforesaid booke, the Answere to the Gagger; That the Church of Rome hath ever remained firme upon the same foundation of Sacraments and Doctrine instituted by God: Contrary to the Homily last named, and as is declared in the 28. Article of the said-Articles. And I object as aforesaid.
4
Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in your booke called the Answere to the Gagger, doe and haue maintayned and affirmed, That Images may bee vsed for the instruction of the ignorant; Contrary to the second Homily intituled, against perill of Idolatry; which is approved by the 37. Article of the Articles aforesaid. And I obiect as aforesaid.
5
Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in your Treatise of the Invocation of Saints, doe and haue affirmed and maintained, that Saints haue not onely a memorie, but a more peculiar charge of their friends, and that it may bee admitted that some Saints haue a peculiar patronage, Custody protection and power, as Angels haue also, over certaine persons and Conntries by especiall deputation, and that it is no impiety so to beleeue; Contrary to the doctrine in the Homily aforesaid: And I object as aforesaid.
6
Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in your said booke called the Appeale, doe maintayne and haue maintayned and affirmed, that men justified may fall away and depart from that state which once they had, and that they may rise againe, and possibly become new men, but not certaine or necessary; And the better to maintaine this your opinion you haue in the same booke wilfully added, falsified and changed divers words of the 16. Article of the booke of Articles aforesaid, and divers other words both in the booke of Homilies, and also in the booke of Common prayer, And all the same places are so by you [Page 19]misrecited and changed in your said booke called the Appeale to Caesar, and you doe and haue endeauoured thereby to lay a most wicked and malicious Scandall vpon the Church of England, as if it did herein differ from the reformed Churches beyond the Seas, and you did and doe consent to those pernicious Errors which are commonly called Arminianisme, and which the late famous Princes, Queene ELIZABETH, and King IAMES (of most happie and blessed memorie) did piously and diligently labour to suppresse: And I object as aforesaid.
7
Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in all your three seuerall Bookes afore-named, doe maintayne and haue maintayned and affirmed divers other vnsound and hereticall Doctrines and opinions, as is at large proued in the bookes of Confutation of your said bookes; which you haue, nor cannot reply vnto; And I object as aforesaid.
8
Item, quod prefati Willielmus Iones & Richardus Mountagu Clericus suerunt respectiue & sunt provinc. vestrae Cantuariens. jurisdictionis vestrae subsiditi in hac parte; & obijcit vt supra.
9
Item, quod omnia & singula premissa sunt vera publica notoria publica & manifesta tam infra Civitatem & Dioc. London & alia loca publica & famosa infra Regnum Angliae; & obijcit vt supra.
Omnia & singula premissa proponit & obijcit dictus Willielmus Jones conjunctim & divisim non arctan. se ad omnia & singula premissa probanda nec ad onus superflue probationis, de quo protestatur, sed quatenus probaverit in premissis catenus obtineat in petitis sub protestatione de addendo premissis, eadem (que) magis specifice declarando & specificando eadem (que) probando pro loco & tempore congruis & oportunius, semper sibi salvo omni Iuris beneficio in hac parte sibi competen. seu competitur ea (que) protestatione sibi semper salva petit Articulos Capitula sive Interrogatoria sua predicta ad omnem Iuris effectum admitti partem (que) aduersam eijsdem & corum cuilibet secundum Iuris extigentiam respondere compelli & protestatur de expensis. Et petit Jus & Iusticiam (vestrum Officium Domine Judex antedict. humiliter implorando.
And judge, O judge; yee worthie Iudges of the House, whether these objections were not in due of Law.
But the Iudge aforenamed, taking the paper of Objections; first seemed to read them ouer silently to himselfe, and then delivered them to the said Elect Bishop Mountagu: who seemed also to read them over silently to himselfe, and then with an vntoward looke and trembling hand, gaue the paper backe to the Iudge; Who, called to him one Doctour Samms of the Arches, advising with him what to doe in the businesse, and hee told him hee would runne into a Praemunire if hee did not proceed: Who thereupon [Page 21]gaue the Obiectour Mr. Iones an answer to this effect: My friend, you haue giuen heere Objections against this my Lord elect of Chichest or: but your Objections are not in due forme of Law, because they haue not a Doctour of the Arches hand vnto them, neither haue you an Advocate to plead your Objections; Therefore, neverthelesse, by vertue of this his Majesties Commission vnder the Great Seale (which hee tooke in his hand and turned) I will proceed to confirme him: And so did.
Now Iudge, O Iudge, againe, (thrice Iudicious Iudges) whether any person bee not invited by the former Proclamation to obiect, in due forme of Law: And whether any Doctours hand or Advocate are thereby required: And besides, the Court at that time for Confirmation is not any Court for pleading; What need therefore had the Obiectour of any Doctours hand or Advocate? He himselfe setting his hand vnto it and being there, Ore tenus.
Then when the Iudge had with a strong hand peremptorily proceeded in the Confirmation of the aforesaid elect Byshop Mountagu; This new confirmed Pontifex still with a brazen face and whorish forehead, made an Apologie for himselfe and his Bookes, and said most impudently, to this effect;
That he himselfe had subscribed to the Booke of Articles, and the Booke of Homilies, and all other Books of Conformitie to the Church of England; and that if any whosoever could publikely or privately confute those his Bookes, hee would bee the first man that would cause those his Bookes to bee burnt [...]. Whereas, it is most manifest (as before) [...] [...]inst the [Page 22]Doctrine of those Bookes of Articles, and Homifies, &c. And who knoweth not? his owne Bookes are confuted by divers learned and pious men, as in the premisses: his Bookes condemned by a charge in Parlament, and other reformed Churches as in the premisses also: Natherlesse this Gamaliel, highly applauded with adulation this his confirmed Bishops (base) Apologie, and said: You haue well said my Lord: and he also said, That those Objections were nothing but the blattering of a Tradesman, who was too busie to meddle with such high mysteries of Divinitie: but indeed it was the disease of the Time now for mechanicall Tradesmen so to doe, &c.
Also the aforesaid Doctour Rives,, and one Drake the Register, and one Fish the Proctour, (all three employed in the said Confirmation) did all joyntly vse other disgracefull, scoffing, scornefull and geering words, gestures. and behaviours towards the Objectour, and the Objections: They also checked and taunted a religous Gentleman who tooke the Objectours part: Whereof there were divers, not a few, we may say, a Cloud of witnesses, and some of them Minasters, our Brethren, there present, the reverend Rectour of the Church, and others: So as, We doe also complaine to this Honourable House, of Doctour Rives, Doctour Samms, Drake and Fish, who all foure wee perceiue to bee Delinquents in the businesse: and none so fit as the Objector afore-named to produce witnesses to this Honourable and Noble Senate of the same:
The third day after this day of Confirmation, being Sonday, or the Lords day, Mountagu came to be Consecrated by the most reverend Archbyshop [Page 23]of Canterbury, then residing at Croydon, who, as it seemes, had no knowledge of the Objections: (concealed by Mountagu and his Adhaerents:) And the Ceremonies of Consecration were performed: Onely this happened, as we are informed, whiles Mountagu and his fautors were sitting at the feast or dinner of Consecration, the newes was brought to the most Reverend Archbishop, that the Duke of Buckingham (Mountagu's potent Patron) was stabb'd to death at Portsmouth, (and that on Saturday, the day after and about the same houre that Mountagu was opposed in his Confirmation;) which for the time as they say, helped to marre Mountagu's myrth: and espacially stopped the chirping of a certaine Wren, which Bird, comming lately out of an vncleane Cage, began to straine high his lascivious notes to make musicke against godly Ministers, &c.
Neverthelesse, by this time, you may see Mountagu in his Pontificalibus, Elect, Confirmed and Consecrated Byshop of Chichester, in despight of all Opposition: and as hee is in his Pontificalibus, now to bee ranked inter Dominos Spirituales.
Good Lord! Hee who by the doome of God,Tit. 3.10. in his Word, and all good Orthodox men, not thought worthy to liue, at leastwise not to enjoy any further Spirituall promotion in our Reformed Church of England, nor ever could haue the grace of the Vniversitie to Commence so much as Doctour in Divinitie: and in stead of beeing censured by Parlament and degraded from any Ministeriall office: Hee, wee say, to become [Page 24]a Byshop and a Governour in our Church! woe must needs bee to that Diocesse, especially, that hath such a Byshop, such a Governour. Yea, it is well knowne, hee spareth not already since his Consecration, to say and sweare in his Table-talke, hee will plague the Puritans in his Diocesse? And they say he hath already silenced some Lecturers) and by Puritans his meaning is alwayes, according to his garb and writings, all honest Orthodox Divines, that due oppose and will not adbaere vnto his unsound and unsavorie opinions and Doctrines; though they other wise bee never so conformable to the orders and Caeremonies of the Church of England.
And these his Errours and Haeresies are so notorious and manifest, both by his writings, as in the premisses and in his Preachings, when he gets into the Pulpit, that all the water in the (Pontifician) Sea of Chichester can never wash off these blacke staines from him: For, can a Leopard change his spots?
Let vs craue leaue of this honourable House, a little to digresse: And then We are also not to conceale but reueale unto You, that this notable Mountebank is familiarly acquainted with divers knowne Papists who haue resort unto him, hee recourse unto them. and by name which wee can proue, hee hath often priuate conference with one Hugh Holland, a professed Papist and sworne slaue to his Lord God the Pope; and some say a lay-Iesuite, (if there bee any such order:) however a ruffianly Locust, and seducer of the Kings Liege-people, a vilifier of Parlaments: And what this fellow else is our reverend brother the Rector of Fan-church can [Page 25]can, if hee be pleased; informe this House: And so wee leaue this base Associate of B. Mountagu, and returne to himselfe.
But how long, therefore, how long Lord, most holy, most wise, most just and true? Wilt thou suffer the Grapes of the Ʋintage to bee destroyed, the Corne of thy Harvest to bee spoyled by such a Fex, such a Wolfe, and such like Foxes and Wolves? (For more uncleane Birds there bee of the same Cage, &c. as will appeare hereafter in our Catalogue of them.)
Pardon, O pardon, our digression and fervent deprecation; since our zeale, in Gods cause, hath transported us so farre. And now returne wee, most honorable House, out Appeale unto You; and to draw to a Conclusion therof; A mongst your many weightie matters and of high Consequence for Church and Common-wealth, Wee most humbly supplicate that this new made Byshop Mountagu, who though hee now raungeth him selfe amongst the Spirituall Lords and temporall Peeres in the Vpper House of this high Assemblie of Parlament, may yet bee taken into consideration, that hee may no longer Lord it over Gods people and his Heritage,2. Pet. 5.3. us the poore (despised) orthodox Ministers of the Gospell in this Church of England; And that hee having deserved (as wee conceiue) rather Fire and faggot than further Preferment, may come maturely to bee censured and degraded; if the House shall so be pleased at the least, by this High and honourable Court, and his pernicious Bookes to be at length called-in and burned. The which, againe, wee most humbly implore on our bended knees, and That for GOD our Creatours sake, for CHRIST [Page 26]our Redeemers sake, for the holy Spirit our Comforters sake: Vnto which Almightie and All-sufficient Three in One, Wee most humbly commend and betake You all of this honourable Court, and your serious Consultations for Church and Common-wealth.
IF this Honorable House (or any other whatsoever) shall doubt of the assent of our Brethren of the Church of England to this our Appeale or Remonstrance, Wee pray, let any by deputation from the House (or other) take the paines to goe and get the hands of Byshops and Ministers in every Diocesse of the Kingdome, and wee the exhibiters hereof (being on good grounds well assured) will pawne our liues, that the major part of Byshops and Ministers will subscribe thereto: And then wee hope it will not bee denyed but the major part of the Clergie is the Church of England: Ergo the whole Church of England is against this one man B. Mountagu.
An Epistle of the aforesaid orthodox Ministers of the Church of England, to Byshop MOVNTAGV himselfe.
SIR, although you haue betrayed the Truth and wounded our Mother the Church of England; yet in a charitable hope that you haue not committed the unpardonable Sinne, Grace bee with you and Peace, 1. Cor. 1. from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ: Wee your Brethren, till you shooke off fraternitie with us, dee beseech you by the name of our Lord Iesu Christ, that you would bee reconciled to the Church of England, our deerest Mother: that you with vs, may speake one thing, and there bee no further dissentions betweene you and vs, but let vs bee knit together in one minde and one judgement: That in the end, if it bee possible, your soule may be saved.
Which your Reconciliation must bee by your publike Recantation of your daungerous and malicious errours and Haeresies, against God, his Truth, and good men. Away then with and for shame abandon your totall Tenents of finall fallings away from Grace: Away with your odious termes against orthodox Divines: Away with your impious and prophane scoffing at Preaching; meditating, conferring, &c. Away with your Images for exitation of devotion: Away with your praying to Saints: Away with all other your Trumperies, Opinions & Doctrines: which your Impieties haue wrought higher then the [Page 28]and doe cry at Heaven gates for Vengeance: and which are raked out of the sinkes and puddles of Pelagianisme, Arminianisme and Papisme: and those your mungrill Haere-schismes, in fine, will yield you no sound comfort, but bee such miserable comforters unto you in the day and houre of death (when as one dram of the Truth defended will stand one in more steed than 1000. Tenēts sophistically maintained) that they will sinke you irrecoverably into the infernall Tophet, without true and sound Repentance before-hand: And Sir, bee you not ashamed to make your publike Recantation, but consider greater Clerkes than your selfe haue made their publike Recantations, and haue gotten honour not infamie by it: viz. Mr. Barret at Cambridge, in St. Maries Church, Doctor Allabaster, Doctor Sheldon, Mr. Higgons, theyr spontaneous Recantations from Popish Priesthood were publikely preached at Pauls Crosse, and afterwards printed to the Worlds publike view: and divers others, whom wee need not recite.
All which considered; Wee now adjure you, in the name of the Lord IESVS, to make your Recantation, without which you can never haue Salvation: Sir, Remember the fatherly Admonitions and Counsell that the most Reverend Father the Archbishop of Canterburie gaue you at your Consecration. Away then with your private excusatorie Letters to his Grace or other great personages, farced full of idle apologizing stuffe: which indeed is nothing but dawbing with untempered morter.
But if for all this, you will not recant nor bee reconciled to us, and still persist peremptorily in your dangerous doctrines, and maintaine your impieties, [Page 29]Know assuredly that as you haue laboured to bee chronicled in Cassaneus his Catalog us Gloriae Mundi: so you are like in the next edition of Schlasselburgius his Catalogus Hariticorum to haue your name enrolled. When as our godly and reverend brethren who haue confuted your bookes, wee doubt not, shall bee remembred in the Catalogus Testium Veritatis, on Earth,Dan. 12.3. and shine as Stars in the Firmament of Heaven.
And good Sir giue vs leaue, by the way; to aske you, Of what Religion are you? The name of Protestant you denie; Papist you will not be: Pelagian or Arminian you cannot endure: (and yet by your writings you salute and shake hands with all:) and for the name of Christian, that you abhorre, and hold it Puritannicall. Well, goe too Sir, your name Mountagu, (and 'tis pitie you beare that Name, whereof there is so noble and religious a Familie, the Mountagu's of Northampton-shire:) wee trow you will not deny: Your hotch-pot Doctrines and squint-ey'd Divinitie shall bee Mountaguisme, your Disciples and Adhaerents Mountaguists: for you affect to bee head of a Sect: there's your Ambition, and that wee hope will please you, to bee enrolled, (wee say) in the Catalogue of Haereticks, with those damned old Haereticks, Arrius, Sccinus, Pelagius: and the more moderne and little better Arminius, Ʋorstius, and your old acquaintance Belga Thomsonius, who did more hurt in the Vniversitie, by his Arminianisme, Libertinisme and Epicurisme, than 1000. Drunkards will ever doe good, &c.
And now Sr. saving the Reverence of your Bishopricke, Remember your Originall, (for some [Page 30]of us, haue knowne you ab origine,) your meane birth & parentage, (we say not a Carter or Ploughmans sonne,) neere Okingham in Berkeshire: at whose Cost you were brought up at Eaton College-Schoole and at the Kings College in the Vniuersitie; (at either of which places, if God had giuen grace, you might haue imbibed better things;)
Certes, Sir Henry Sauile, that worthy and learned Knight (deceased,) when hee employed you in his Greeke Chrysoftomes Ʋariae Lectiones, had more hope of you than to haue proved such an ill member in the Church. But it is no marveile, and you may remember that that Reverend By shop of Winton, of the Honorable House afotenamed; (now with God) when you were his Chaplaine, told you eft-soones (Prophetically) You would never doe good in the Church.
And if none of these things will serue to humble you nor to take downe the Pride of your heart, (for all Errours, Haeresies and Schismes, arise through pride of heart) Remember yet how God hath by nature marked you with a sinistrall or Gotish looke, promising no good to his Church and Children, whom he hath promised shall sit on his Right-band: And if this neyther will serue to humble you, Wee must and doe leaue you to bee humbled and censured by that High and Honourable Court of Parlament, vnto whom wee haue appealed against you: And wee hope your Errours and Haeresies are so notorious, that your shuffling and intruding from beeing Parson of Petworth to bee Byshop of Chichester, and so to bee accompted a Spirituall Lord of the Vpper House will not serue to protect you: For, haue wee not (within the revolution [Page 31]of not many yeeres) seene a bigger Bishop than your selfe brought neere censure and on his knees to the House? haue wee not seene a Lord Chancellour censured and displaced? haue wee not seene a Lord Treasurer censured and displaced? and even the last Session or sitting of the House, haue wee not seene a Doctour of Divinitie censured.
And for your selfe, wee will say no more than we haue sayd: Onely Sir, Remember what that great Doctour of the Gentiles sayth in the Conclusion of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, If any man loue not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him bee Anathema, Maranatha; Your selfe being so great a Clerke know what the words signifie, Cave, for whosoever broacheth and maintayneth any haeresies or haereticall Doctrines in the Church cannot loue Christ who is Truth it selfe. And so Sir, If you (can) loue the Lord Jesus, and doe belong to his Election of Grace, The Grace of our Lord lesus Christ bee with you, and our loue shall bee with you in Christ Jesus,
SIR, Whereas wee vnderstand that you haue procured his Majesties Pardon vnder the Great Scale of England: Wee deny not but his Majestie may giue Pardons to what Malefastors hee pleaseth; yea though they bee condemned to bee Beheaded or Hanged: And wee guesse your selfe best knowes what ends you haue in procuring your Pardon thus beforehand: and wee must leaue the consideration thereof to the honourable House: But good Sir giue vs leaue to tell you, that your Impieties against GOD and his Church, are of that nature, that an earthly Princes Pardon will yeeld small Comfort to your Conscience, vnlesse (besides your Recantation before men) you labour (which wee wish) to get the King of Kings his pardon vnder the Great Seale of Heaven, through the onely merits of CHRIST IESVS and the bloud of his Passion; If wee say againe, it bee not too late for you so to doe.
Hereunto is annexed an briefe Supplication of the Ministers of the Church of Scotland, to the high Senate of Parlament in England, against the same Richard Mountagu.
WEe the Ministers of the Kirke of Scotland, reformed according to Gods ure Word in his holy Writ, (to a great number,) serving the same God, obeying the same King, and with an Vnanime Consent, agreeing in matter of Faith, Doctrine and Discipline, with our welbeloved Brethren the Ministers of the Church of England. In like most humble and submisse manner, do second the same which our Brethren, the orthodox Ministers of England haue Remonstrated unto this Right Illustrious Court, against Mr. Mountagu and his Bukes; which haue done no good but mickle hurt and domage to this our Reformed Kirk: For it is not so old as true a saying; That where God hath his Kirke, the Devill hath (or labours to haue) his Chappell: And it is well knowne, that although our Kirk hath beene purely reformed according to Gods holy Writ, yet there are many Papists in this his Majesties Kingdome of Scotland. And since that false Lowne of the Kirk Arminius lived and vented his publike Errours and Haeresies, wee haue not been cleere from Arminians, and those of late encreased and heartned by Mountagu's Writings. And yet praised be God, for the most part, wee haue his Bukes in such obloquie and hatred, that when we see any of them at the [Page 34]Buthes of any of our Bukesellers, we hold them fitter to stoppe Mustard pots, than to giue siluer for them. Also, our three Academies of St. Andrewes Glasco, and Edenburgh haue condemned them. And certes, wee make mickle merveile to heare that sick a man, whom before, we heard should be censured and branded in your last Session of Parlament, should immediately be made an Byshop and Governour of your Church: Wee dayly pray to God for better Brethren, better Governours, in our Kirke. Though of late wee haue one of our owne Nation come from you, who was Chaplain to the late Duke of Buckingham, and over with him at the Ile of Ree, and had 2. or 3. Livings in London; who by the mediation of his mightie Mr. the Duke, is made Byshop of the Iles with us, and he is come over to us, a Bird of the Libertine Fether, and we doubt a Mountaguist: And they say he was so well beloved in his Parish of St. Martins in the Vintree, that they rang the Bells when he was removed from them, and they of St. Faiths would haue done no lesse, if they had had any Bells to ring: but they did more; for they gaue him mickle money to be rid of him. But what else is this man? They that came out of England with him say; That all the way as he came he did nothing but talke prophanely and scoffingly, and did eate and drinke freely: and instead of Prayers, he had constantly the Fidlers to play and sing obscaene and scurrulus Songs, early and late, at every place where he came, all the way as he went: And what doth he since he came amongst us, but feast and epicurize and and take Tabacco? Yea, he doth eftsoones open his mouth wide against the Puritans of London: for so like Mr. Mountagu hee termeth all honest Orthodox [Page 35]Ministers: We would therefore if it were the will of God, that you had him backe from us, or else that he were with his great Lord and Master. For we like not such lounes in our Kirk: And Lord, when it is thy will, remoue such Loyterers out of thy Vineyard. But craving pardon for our digression, to leaue him and returne to Mountagu.
We doe most humbly supplicate the Honourable House to hearken (if not to us) unto our Brethren the Ministers of the Church of England, and we hold their Appeale or Remonstrance gude, godly and religious; it being in Gods cause, and for the Truth; which we are not onely bound to labour to defend, but if need be, to lay downe our liues for the same: And we are of unanime-opinion, that Mr. Mountagu deserveth severe Censure and punishment, if it were but for vilifying King Iames (of blessed memory) his Writings against the arminians, his secret depraving our Kirk of Scotland, his more open vilifying the sacred Synode of Dort, which was so piously procured and highly approved by his said Majestie, of ever blessed and happy memorie. For the whilk his vile doings, we hope doubtlesse, when ever it may please God to moue his Majesties heart, or any other Christian Prince or State, Reformed, to call a Synode againe; Mountagu though now a Byshop, and his Bukes will be condemned and censured to posterity.
An Arminian or meere Mountaguist.
IS an Animal,His Study. scarce rational, whose study, is to read (and applaud) Peter Lombard and Iohn Duns, before Peter Martyr and Iohn Calvin: and for more moderne Polemicks, he preferres Bellarmine aboue Chamierus.
His garb or fashion,His Garb. when hee comes from the Vniversity, wit affectation, is to weare a long Cloke, and a correspondent Cassock, short no where but in the wast, which is girt up with a girdle and a knot or rose almost up to his nose: cōmonly a falling-band; because Precisians weare small set-ruffs.
His Religion,His Religion. is, like a Confection, compounded of many, the least ingredient being Protestantisme: and to beleeve as the Church doth.
His first Ambition is to addresse himself to be some great-mans Trencher-Chaplain;His Ambition. that so he may not be out of the Path way to preferment, not an Ignoramus in Court-curtesies, nor a sot in State-affaires.
His Devotion,His Devotion. is so conformable to the Ceremonies of the Church, that hee thinks it impietie to decline the least particle thereof: and yet hee declines the Doctrine of the Church so much, that hee wisheth with all his heart, the Praver in the Letanie of our English Liturgie, From all false Doctrine and Haeresie, Good Lord deliver vs, were obliterated.
He is a mungrell Divine,His Divinitie. N. C. his Achitophel. who, as it were betwixt Hawk and buzzard, can see nicely to distinguish betwixt a Puritane in opinion and a Puritane in discipline: and hath taught the name, contrary to the first institution, so farre to enlarge it selfe, that a [Page 37]Protestant must make hard shift to saue him selfe harmlesse.I.R. his Speech in Parlamēt, 21. Janua. 1628. His politike part. And hee is one that makes the Grace of God lackey it after the will of men, the Sheepe to keepe the Shepheard, and a mortall seed of an immortall God.
He is the spawne of a Papist, and if there come the warmth of favour upon him, you shall see him turne into one of those Frogs which arose out of the bottomlesse Pit: and if you marke it well, you shall see him reaching out his hand to a Papist: (a Papist to a Iesuite, and a Iesuite gives one hand to the Pope, and another to the King of Spaine:) And so wee leave him to get more Grace, professe and practise more goodnesse.
The Publishers Post-script, or Conclusion to all.
FOr this present ensuing Yeere of Christ, 1629. Wee will not take vpon vs to define or confine the Consummation of all things, within the compasse thereof, as an auncient Scholler did publikely deliver at Pauls Crosse, vpon a Text out of the Revelation about fiue yeeres past: And although wee may be perswaded that the Last-Day is not so farre off as the secure World thinkes it: Yet seeing that Yeere, Day, and Houre, are Arcana Dej, wee are content to leave them lockt uppe in Arca Dej, vnto whom they belong. Wee are content also to passe by the Prench and English Prognosticators Praedictions for this ensuing Yeere: But wee will not cease to pray and beseech the Lord of Hosts so to unite the heart of the Kings Sacred Majestie to the Parlament (his Great Councell) that the Higher and Lower House may unanimously agree, and bee reciprocally united to the KING, that matters now much amisse in Church aend Common-wealth may bee so Reformed, that this YEERE may be accompted Annus Aureus, and that this Parlament (this Yeere) may bee Inscribed and engraven in Marble affixed to the House, in Letters of Gold, SACRED TO MEMORIE AND TO POSTERITIE, THE (LONG EXPECTED) HAPPIE PARLAMENT.
M.DC.XX.IX.
And however, in asmuch as in the Praemisses, The Mysterie of B. MOVNTAGV's Iniquitie is so [Page 37]manifestly revealed, seeing wee are enjoyned in the Letanie of our English Liturgie, to Pray; From all false Doctrine and Haeresie, Good Lord deliver vs. So wee hope it shall bee no impietie to adde, From B. Mountagu and his false doctrine and Haeresie, Good Lord deliver vs. Amen.