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 illustrious, 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 [sic], 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.

MARCH. 1626. Articles exhibited by the Commons in Par∣lament against RICHARD MOVNTAGV Clerke.

THat hee the said Richard Mountague in or a∣bout the 21^th yeare of the raigne of our late So∣veraigne King Iames (of famous memorie) hath cau∣sed 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 22^th yeare of the same King, hee caused to be printed and publi∣shed one other booke intituled, AT reatise of the In∣vocation of Saints, And likewise in the 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 By∣shops 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 diversity of opini∣ons, and for establishing consent touching true Religi∣on; All which appeares in the places hereafter men∣tioned, 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

[unspec 1] Wheras in the 35^th.Article of the Articles aboue∣mentioned it is declared, That the second booke of Homilies doth containe a godly and wholesome doctrine, In the 16^th 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, * 1.1 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

[unspec 2] Whereas in the same Homily it is likewise de∣clared,that the Church of Rome is not built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, and in the 28^th Article of the said Articles, that Tran∣substantiation overthroweth the nature of a Sacra∣ment. And in the 25^th 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 Ri∣chard Mountague doth maintaine and affirme in his booke aforesaid called, * 1.2 The Answere to the Gag∣ger; That the Church of Rome hath ever remained firme vpon the same foundation of Sacraments and do∣ctrine instituted by God.

3

[unspec 3] In the 19^th. 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 Moun∣tague speaking of those points which belong to faith and manners, hope and Charitie, * 1.3 doth in the same Booke called the Gagger, affirme and main∣taine, That none of these are controverted, inter par∣tes, meaning the Protestants and the Papists, And notwithstanding, That in the 31^th. 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 haue remission of paine and guilt, too, are blasphemous fables and dan∣gerous deceipts, This being one of the points contro∣verted betweene the Church of England and the Church of Rome. The said Richard Mountague in his booke called the Gagger doth affirme and maintaine, * 1.4 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.

[unspec 4] Whereas in the second Homily (entituled against perill of Idolatry) contained in the foresaid booke of Homilies, approved by the 37^th.Article afore∣mentioned, it is declared; That Images teach no good lesson neither of good nor godlinesse but all er∣rour and wickednesse: Hee the said Richard in the booke aforesaid, * 1.5 called the Answere to the late Gag∣ger doth affirme and maintaine, That Images may be vsed for the instruction of the ignorant and exitation of Devotion.

5

[unspec 5] That in the same Homily it is plainly expressed,That the attributing the defence of certaine Coun∣tries to Saints is a spoyling God of his honour. And that such Saints are but as Dij Tutelares of the Gentile Idolatours. The said Richard Mountague hath notwithstanding in the Booke afore mentioned entituled, * 1.6 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,* 1.7 Custody protection and power,* 1.8 as Angels also haue over certaine per∣sons 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 wilbe evident, That Mountagn holds it lawfull to pray to Saints.

6

[unspec 6] Whereas in the 17^th of the said Articles it is re∣solved;That God hath constantly decreed by his Councell secret to vs to deliver from curse and dam∣nation, Those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to ever∣lasting salvation; Wherefore, they which bee in∣dued 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

length by Gods mercy attaine to everlasting feli∣citie.

Hee the said Richard Mountague in the booke a∣foresaid called the Appeale, * 1.9 doth maintaine and af∣firme, 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 ne∣cessarie, And the better to countenance this his opi∣nion, hee hath in the said Booke wilfully added fal∣sified and changed divers words of the 16^th. of the Articles, afore-mentioned. And divers other words both in the Booke of Homilyes as in the Booke of Common Prayer, * 1.10 And all the same places so mis∣reoyted 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 com∣monly called Arminianisme, and which the late fa∣mous 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 Puri∣tans vpon such of his Majesties loving subjects as conforme themselues to the doctrine and Ceremo∣nies of the Church of England, vnder that name laying vpon them divers false and malicious impu∣tations,

so to bring them into Iealousie and displea∣sure with his most excellent Majestie, and in∣to reproach and ignominie with the rest of the people, to the great danger of sedition and di∣sturbance in the State, if it bee not timely pre∣vented.

3.

The scope and end of the said Richard Moun∣tague in the Bookes aforementioned, is to giue in∣couragement to Poperie, and to withdraw his Majesties subjects from the true Religion establi∣shed 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 Sub∣jects.

4.

That the aforesaid Richard Mountague hath inser∣ted 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, dis∣gracefull and contemptuous to many worthy Di∣vines both of this Church of England, and of other reformed Churches beyond the Seas: Impious and prophane in scoffing at Preaching, meditating, con∣ferring, Palpits, Lectures, Bibles, and all shew of Re∣ligion:

All which doe aggravate his former offences as having proceeded from malicious and invenomed hate against the peace of this Church and sinceri∣tie of the Reformed Religion publiquely professed and by Lawes established in this Kingdome.

All which offences being to the high dishonour of Al∣mightie God and of most mischievous effect and con∣sequence, against the good of his Church and Com∣mon 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 deme∣rits, in such exemplary manner, as may deterre others from attempting so presumptuously to disturbe the Peace of Church and State, and that the Bookes a∣foresaid may be supprest and burnt.

And thus farre, (O worthy House) your religi∣ous charge in your Articles exhibited, March 1626.

But by the fatall dissolution of those first and se∣cond Parlaments, that Act, and that your Charge in those your Articles, slept; untill the last Parlament called or summoned to begin in March, and conti∣nued 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 a∣gaine 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 dy∣ing, during the sitting of the House) immediately after, Mountagu; by mediation of his potent Pa∣tron, 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 fol∣lowing;

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 pre∣cluded.

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 ob∣jections 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 E∣lect 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, be∣cause they were drawne out of your owne former Charge:) and it is Verbatim as fol∣loweth;

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gagg. pag. App. p. 136.
• * 1.2

  Gag. pag. 50
• * 1.3

  Gagg. p. 14,
• * 1.4

  Gagg. p, 14.
• * 1.5

  Gag. p. 200.
• * 1.6

  Inv. p. 107.
• * 1.7

  108.
• * 1.8

  109.
• * 1.9

  App. p. 30.
• * 1.10

  App. p. 29.31, 32. 35.