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.XXIX 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. JACOBI But that Parliament ending and soone after King IAMES of famous memorie dying he set forth his third Booke called the Appeale to 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 as 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 howbeit 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. BVRTON 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 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 thereformed 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 Mountagn 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 Petition at Oxford 1. CAROLI Against Haresies 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 Haresies 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 graue 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 and condemned as unfauorie false and daungerons 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 bee censured as the impugners of the Church of England and disturbers of the peace thereof c. Thus farre your religious Act in
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 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 Palpits Lectures Bibles and all shew of Religion 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 And thus farre O worthy House your religious charge in your Articles exhibited March 1626. 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 a sleepe Now upon the ending of that Session and breaking vp of the House And Byshop Carleton 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 By shoprieke 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 Bachelour 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 shall bee 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 afore said Elect Byshop came to Bow Church to be Confirmed and the aforesaid Proclamation was againe by the Beadle of the Arches audioly 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 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 businesse 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 presented 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 22o. Augusti 1628. in Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae de Arcubus In Dei komine Amen Coram vobis Reverendissime honorande Patre Georgie divina providentia Cantuariens Archiepisc vestrove Deligato Officialt Vicario in spiritualibus generali ejusve Surregate aut 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 quecunque juris effectum exinde quovismodo sequi valen nomine accusatorio ac vt accusator Rudi Mountagu Clerici nuper in Episcopatum Cicestrens vt dicitur elects accusando querelando obijciendo excipiendo contra prefat Ricardum Mountagu Clericum ad impediendum juxta Iuris in hac parte exigentiam non aliter promotionem confirmationem ipsius Ricardi in Episeop sic vt prefertur electi comperuit dictus Willielmus Iones allegando dicendo querelanda accusando obijciendo articulatim vt sequitur 1. INprimis 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 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
not scene 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 out Lord Iesus Christ bee with you and our loue shall bee with you in Christ Jesus Amen By those that wish your Salvation if it may bee The orthodox Ministers of the Church of England Post-script to Bishop MOVNTAGV SIR Whereas wee vnderstand that you haue procured his Majesties Pardon vnder the Great Seale of England Wee deny not but his Majestie may giue Pardons to what Malefactors 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 before-hand 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 Right Illustrious Nobles Knights Burgesses WEe the Ministers of the Kirke of Scotland reformed according to Gods pure 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 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 I le 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 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 And so the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Jacobs God be with you and all your pious and religious Consults for his Glory Your most humble and submisse Oratours The Ministers of the Kirk of Scotland 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