Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶The Sermon of Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincolne, on good Friday, before the king at Grenewich. an. 1538.

THe wordes of the Apostle are these: Habemus altare de quo e∣dere non habent potestaté qui tabernaculo deseruiunt.* 1.1 Quo∣rum enim animalium infertur sanguis pro peccato in sancta per pontificē:* 1.2 horum corpora cremantur extra castra. Propter quod, & Iesus extra portam passus est. Exeamus igitur ad eum extra ca∣stra, improperium eius portantes.

These are the wordes of the Apostle. Many things conteined in few wordes, and the English thereof is this: We haue an aulter, we haue an aulter (sayth the Apostle) an aulter, and a sacrifice vp∣on this aulter. And they that serueth the Tabernacle, may not eat of this aulter, may not eat of the Sacrifice that is offred vpon this aulter. For the Apostle here (Per metonymiam) doth put the aul∣ter for that that is sacrificed vpon the aulter. The bloud of those beastes that were slayne for the sacrifice, was brought into the holy secret high place of the temple where the Arke was, betwene the high aultar (as ye will say) and the veile by the bishop, & there offered vp for the sinne of the people. The bodies of the beastes that were burned without the pauilions or tentes for the which, Propter quod, for which what? for the fulfilling of which mistery. Also to verifie and fulfill the figure, and that the thing figured, might be correspondent to the figure. Iesus suffered without the gate, to sanctify the people by his bloud. Let vs go out therefore and suffer with Christ bearing his opprobries and rebukes. These be the wordes of the Apostle now taken.

I will by the helpe of our Lord God, declare these wordes in order, euē as they do stād. Here is an aultar, here is a Sacrifice, here is a Byshop which did offer this Sacrifice, here is a Tabernacle, a seruing of the Tabernacle, the bloud of the sacrifice which was offered by the Byshop for the sinnes of the people, in the moste holy place of the temple, and the bodies of the beastes (whose bloud was offered) were burned without the tentes. And this was done the x. day of the vij. moneth. Ye heare now the words of the Apostle. Wherin appeareth the manifest figure of the Passion of our sauior Iesus Christ, which we this day do honor.

In these wordes the Apostle toucheth the figure of the lawe. And bringeth it to a spirituall vnderstanding. For it was com∣maunded in the law, in the booke of Numbers,* 1.3 that the x. day of the vij. moneth, in the feast that was called the feast of the propi∣tiation, of mercy, of remission, or the feast of purgation, when the people were purged. At which time, they should take a calfe and a kidde, and slay them: whose bloud the onely Bishop should bring, In sancta sanctorum, into the most holy, solemne,* 1.4 and secret place of the temple: wherein the bishop neuer came, vnlesse he brought with him bloud, to offer in Sacrifice. Quia omnia ferè in sangui∣ne secundum legem mundabuntur, & sine sanguinis effuno∣ne non sit remissio, sayth the Apostle. Almost al thinges after the law, or in the law, were cleansed in bloud, and by bloud: & with∣out the effusion of bloud, was no remission. And in that place of the temple called Sancta Sanctorum, the Bishop prayed and offe∣red for the people. The flesh and corps of the sacrifice was burned without the tentes, without theyr pauilions. And it was not law full to any that did serue the tabernacle, to eat of the flesh of that sacrifice.

Here is a manifest figure (as I sayd) of the Passion of our Sa∣uiour Christ. The aultar that was consecrate and halowed in this solemnity of the bloud of the eternall. Testament, was that holye crosse that Christ suffered on. Which as on this day, he did conse∣crate, hallow, dignifie and dedicate, and did adourne and decke the same with the members of his most precious body, more glo∣riously then if it had bene embrodered and insert with precious stones. For as golde which is the most precious metall, is made more precious when it is set with precious stones,* 1.5 and is digni∣fied therwith, whether it be aulter, Image, crowne, ring or owch•• so was the aulter the holy Crosse, beautified, dignified, adourned & made precious with the members of that most precious stone Christ, which is as Peter sayth: Lapis viuus,* 1.6 ab hominibus repro∣batus, a deo electus: probatus, angularis & praeciosus. This Christ is (he sayth) the liuely stone, which men did reproue, which God did elect for the approued stone, for a corner stone, for the chiefe stone in the building of his church, for the stone that ioyneth the walles of the Church together, for the stone wherupon the fayth of Christ and his Church is builded. A precious stone, a stone of price, a stone of high value, far passing in the estimation of a good Christen man, all other precious stones in the world. This preci∣ous stone Christ, with the members of his most precious body, did decke, adourne, and made precious this aulter of the Crosse, when his body was by the ••ewes, with violency,* 1.7 extremely stray∣ned vpon the same, that all his bones (as testifieth the Prophet) mought be numbred. Vpon this aultar was the great Sacrifice of the world offered, Christ himselfe. He was the Sacrifice, & he was the Priest. He offered vp himselfe to God his father,* 1.8 for the sinne of man. Obtulit semetipsum immaculatum deo, vt sanctificaret iniquinatos, sayth the Apostle. He offered himselfe a pure, cleane, immaculate hoste to God, to redeeme the world, to sanctify sin∣ners, to iustify man.

This Christ the Bishop of good thinges to come (as the Apo∣stle witnesseth) entred once into the place called Sancta Sancto∣rum, not onely of the temple, but in Sancta sanctorum, into that holy place of places, into heauē. He entred with sacrificed bloud like a Bishop. Not with the bloud of goates or calues,* 1.9 not with the bloud of rammes or buls: but with his owne precious bloud. For if the bloud of goates and bulles, and the ashes of the burned calfe sprinckled abroad, were sufficient to the making cleane of flesh: how much more then, the bloud of Christ (who by the holy Ghost, did offer vp himselfe to God, a most pure, most cleane, & immaculate sacrifice) is able to purge, clense and make fayre our cōsciences frō the works of death, and to liue in the liuing God?

This is our great bishop, as the Apostle sayth,* 1.10 Habemus pon∣tificem magnum qui penetrauit coelos, Iesum filium dei. We haue

a great bishop, which did penitrate the heauens whose name is Iesus the sonne of God. This is our great Byshop, our high By∣shop, our vniuersall Byshop. This is the head byshop of all Bishops and of all the worlde, named God (as the Apostle sayth) to be our great bishop, properly called Summus pontifex, the highest Bishop,* 1.11 the Bishop of bishops. For thys is he onely that is Sum∣mus, maximus & vniuersalis pontifex.

The bishop of Rome therefore ought herein to be abashed, a∣shamed, and to abhorre his owne pride. For in this he outragiou∣sly doth offend God and blasphemeth him,* 1.12 in that he presumeth to take this high name from our byshop Christ: In that, he taketh away (as much as lyeth in him) the glory of God, the maiesty ap∣pertayning vnto Christ: In that he taketh vpon him these names onely appropriate vnto Christ, Summus pontifex, maximus pon¦tifex, vniuersalis pontifex: the highest Byshoppe, the greatest By∣shop, the vniuersall Byshop, the Byshop of all the world. I much maruell how he dare be so bolde to vsurpe and take these great names vpon him.* 1.13 Greater blasphemy cannot be▪ then to take frō God, that that naturally belongeth vnto him: then to take from God, his glory and honor: then to vendicate and take vpon him such high names, as beseemeth no Christen man to vsurpe. God sayd by his Prophet: Non dabo gloriam meam alteri: I will not geue my glory awai to any other, to any creature. He doth reserue the glory, that laud & honor that belongeth onely vnto him, vnto himselfe:* 1.14 no mā to attēpt so far, no man to take so much vpō him.

Peter, Peter, thou wast once Byshop of Rome, and the first bi∣shop of Rome: Diddest thou euer take this name vpon thee, Sū∣mus,* 1.15 Maximus, Vniuersalis? No, no, no. And why? For the holy ghost was in thee. Thou wouldest take no more vppon thee then God gaue thee. Thou wast not desirous of worldly fame and glo∣ry. All that thou soughtest for, was for the glory of God: as all that will read thy Sermons, thy Epistles, and thy life, shall soone perceiue. Looke a great number of Byshops that next folowed Peter in the same See: what were they? holy Martyrs, holye Li∣uers, which neuer attempted thus farre. Let the Byshop of Rome therefore knowledge his great fault, his high foly, his vnlawfull vsurpation, his vnpriestly presumption, and humble himselfe to Christ and God his great Byshop. Would God he would reforme himselfe. Would God he would keepe himselfe within that com∣passe of his authority, and no more to encroch vpon other mens iurisdictions, but diligently keepe and ouerloke his owne dioces and be content with that, would God he would looke vpon hys predecessor S. Gregory in his Register, which was a Byshoppe of Rome, a holy man. Let him learne there how he did rebuke Iohn, that time the Bishop of Constantinople, for taking on him so high¦ly,* 1.16 in such names vniuersall Bishop, highest Byshop, greatest By∣shop: and how he proued it to be agaynst the lawe of God. Hee sayth there in one place to this proud Bishop Iohn, what answere shalt thou make in that strait examination at that last iudgement, to Ch••ist the head of the vniuersal holy Chur that goest about to haue subiecte vnto thee all the members of Christ, by taking on thee the name of vniuersall Bishop. In an other place agayne in the same booke he sayth vnto him,* 1.17 who art thou that doest pre∣sume to vsurpe a new name vpon thee, of vniuersall Byshop▪ con∣trary to the statutes of the gospell and decrees.

God forbid that euer this blasphemy should come in the har∣tes of Christen people, in the which the honor of all priesthoode is taken away, when a man shall rashly and arrogantly take that name vpon him. Let this Bishop of Rome therefore humble him∣selfe vnto our great vniuersall Byshop Christ, humble himselfe vnder the mighty hand of God, and know what the Apostle doth write of the honour and power of this Christ our great high By∣shop. He is (he sayth) Pontifex misericors, fidelis, potens, magnus, humilis,* 1.18 penetrans coelum, compatiens infirmitatibus nostris, offerens dona & sacrificia pro peccatis nostris, condolens ijs qui ignorant & errant: Qui potest saluum facere a morte, offerens preces & supplicationes cum clamore valido & lachrymis & ex∣auditus est pro reuerentia sua: Pontifex appellatus a deo. Pon∣tifex sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatori∣bus, excelsior coelis: Non habens necessitatem (quemadmodum alij) prius pro suis delectis hostias offerre,* 1.19 deinde pro populo: Pō∣tifex sedens in dextris dei interpellans pro nobis, emūdans cō∣scientias nostras ab operibus mortuis, intrans sancta sanctorum per proprium sanguinem. Hic est pontifex confessionis nostrae.

Let all earthly Byshops learne of this heauenly bishop Christ. Some of these properties are appropriate and belongeth onelye to God and not to man.* 1.20 In some we ought to follow him. In some we can not, ne ought to do. This our high and great Bishop is Mi∣sericors (sayth the Apostle) mercifull. A mercifull Bishop, readye to forgeue, ready to remitte those that haue offended him. He ie not cruell, not vengeable, but full of pity, full of mercy. And in this we ought to folow him.

* 1.21He is Pontifex potens, a mighty Bishop, mighty and full of power. We be but weake and feeble bishops, not able to doe any thing but by his permission and helpe. He is able to make sick, to make whole: to make rich, to make poore: to set vp, to put down. Potens, a mighty byshop, mighty and able to remit sinne, to for∣geue, to saue both body & soule from damnation. Potens, a migh∣ty bishop and full of power. No power in this world but of him. Omnis potestas a domino deo est. All power is of him. And as he himselfe witnesseth: Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo, & in terra. All power is geuen vnto me in heauen and in earth. Potens saluare a morte. He can saue the body, and saue the soule.* 1.22 He can deliuer the one, and deliuer the other from euerlasting death. Who can forgeue sinne but he? Quis potest dimittere peccatum nisi solus deus? Est potens. He is a mighty Byshop. Of him & by him, Emperours, Kinges, Magistrates and Potestates, Byshops,* 1.23 Prie∣stes, with al other that haue power, haue theyr power and autho∣rity. Who is able to turne the winde? to make the winde blow or cease but he. Who is able to say and proue, I will now haue it vayne, now cleare: the sunne to shine, the water to flow, to ebbe,* 1.24 with such other, but onely he. This is our mighty bish▪ Pontifex potens, mighty, yea Omnipotēs, almighty. He can do all.* 1.25 Nothing is to him impossible. Ipse dixit & facta sunt omnia. Mandauit & creata sunt vniuersa. Potens ergo est. He is a mighty bishop. Wee are not so.

Fidelis Pontifex. He is a faythfull bishop: faythfull. He is a faythfull bishop to God referring all laudes,* 1.26 all honour and glory to his father. In all thinges that he did; miracles or other, he tooke neuer the more vpon himselfe. He was also a faythfull Bishop to the world: For he did all that belonged to the office of a good Byshop. The very office of a byshop is, praedicare, orare & sacri∣care, siue offerre. To preach, to pray, to do sacrifice or to offer.* 1.27 He preached to his people: He taught the worlde most wholesome doctrine, whereby he called the people to God: he conuerted sin∣ners, he called them to penaunce. He made them weepe and la∣mēt their sinnes. They folowed his person, they folowed his word they folowed his ensample. They came out of all costs to see him, to heare him, to learne of him. They forsooke meat and drinke, house and home, and folowed him wheresoeuer he went, as well in wildernes, as els where. In so much that after they had folow∣ed him three dayes, he being moued with pity least they shoulde perish for lacke of food being in wildernesse farre from succour, he fed them twise miraculously. Once in the desert with fiue loa∣ues and two fishes▪ he fed v.M. men, besides women and children, and there were left xij. great baskets, xij. maundes full of the bro∣kelets, and offals at that meale.* 1.28 At another time he fed in wilder∣nesse to the number of 4. M. men besides women and children, with seuen loues and a few litle fishes, and there was left of frag∣mentes, 7 maundes full.

The second office of a byshop he fulfilled also: For he prayed.* 1.29 He was most deuout in prayer, so to teach all byshops and Prea∣chers not to presume in theyr witte or learning, neither in their capacity, memory, fayre tongue or vtteraunce: but that the Prea∣cher do studiously apply his booke with all diligence to studye how to speake, what to speake: afore whom he shall speake: and to shape his sermon after the audience. The preacher ought also be∣sides his study & preaching to pray. For by deuout prayer, he shal attein percase as much or more, as by study or learning. For with out prayer the wordes will litle preuayle. Looke in Christ his life and thou shalt find, that in euery thing he wēt about, he prayd,* 1.30 to shew the valiancy, the vertue and strength of prayer: to shew our necessities, our weakenes & feblenes of nature. He prayd for his people (as Luke witnesseth) the space of one whole night. And what a maruailous deuout prayer made he for his people in the Mount the night afore his passion,* 1.31 whē the Chalice of death was represēted vnto him: when he swet water & bloud? when he cried thrise, Transeat à me Calix iste: let this Chalice, let this passion & bloud, let the vertue therof passe from me vnto all mankinde. Let euery man haue the vertue and merite thereof: let it worke in all folkes: let euery faythfull man and woman he perteyner thereof: let it not be lost, but worke to the worldes end. This was a mar∣uellous deuoute mercifull prayer. And agayne he suffering and hanging on the crosse, offered vp for his people,* 1.32 Preces & suppli∣cationes cum clamore valido & lachrymis. He offred vp his prai∣ers and supplications with a huge cry, with a piteous voyce, with a lamentable and deadly shrich, and with weeping teares to God his father, he hanging on the crosse, euen when the spirit shoulde departe the body, not then forgetting his people at the houre when all the people forgetteth both the worlde and themselues. Which cry was so huge and great, so maruelous and of that effect that the heauens trembled thereat, the Angels mourned for pity, the Sunne lost his light, the vaile in the temple riued in two, the earth quaued, the stones rent asonder and brast in gobbetes, the graues opened, the dead bodies rose to life. & appeared in the Ci∣ty. Centurio & those that kept Christ to see the execution done, cried: Verè, filius Dei erat iste: This was the vndoubted sonne of God. His prayer and weeping teares were so pleasaunt vnto the father, that it was heard: Exauditus est pro reuerentia sua: He was heard & why? For it was so entire, so deuout, so reuerently done, in such a maner and fashion, with such a zeale grounded vpō such a charity, suffering for our guilt, and not for his owne. And for that he did the very office of a byshop, so entyrely to pray, and so reuerently to offer vp himselfe in sacrifice for his people, he was heard, he was heard, his prayer was heard of God. And that is

the third property of a good Bishop, to offer sacrifice for his peo∣ple. Euery Bishop, euery Bishoppe for his Diocesanes and for the whole vniuersall Church. In these three we ought as much as we may to folow Christ.

* 1.33Thus this Christ was and is Pontifex fidelis, a faythfull By∣shop. Faythfull, faythfull, in his word, true in his promise, decey∣uing no man, but profiting all. ••n al that he did or spake, he sought nothing his own glory, but the glory of God: teaching therby all Byshops of the world in all that go about, to doe it to the laude, prayse and glory of God. And herein we ought also to followe hym.

* 1.34Magnus Pontifex. He is the great Bishop, the high Byshoppe the supreme Byshop, the vniuersall Bishop ouer all the world. No great bishop but he.* 1.35 None high, none supreme nor vniuersall By∣shop, but he.

And herein the byshop of Rome outragiously vsurpeth vp∣on God, as he doth vpon the world, to take the honor and names (onely to God appropriate) to himselfe,* 1.36 and doth greuously blas∣pheme and offend God therein. Greater blasphemy can not be, then to ascribe to God, that that no wayes belongeth vnto him, or to take frō God, that that is vnto him appropriate. It is meete therefore he do betimes and in season, leaue his vniust encroch∣mentes both agaynst his Lord God, and also agaynst the world, least he do prouoke God to poure out all his vialles of wrath vp∣on him:* 1.37 the Vaees, I meane, the maledictions and vengeaunce that Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalips.* 1.38 I woulde aduise hym to cease the iniuries which he hath & dayly doth agaynst the Christ our great high vniuersall Byshop, least thou excommunicate and strike him, least thou shew thy wrath and iudgement agaynst him and vtterly extinct his pride and ambitious pretensed authority. For thou wilt be knowne, thou wilt be knowne to be God. And thou art and wilt be our great vniuersall and supreme By∣shop, what so euer the bishop of Rome shall attempt to the con∣trary:* 1.39 and thou wilt punishe his worldly arrogancy, and strike when thou seest thy time. And though it be long ere thou strike, yet let him beware, for strike thou wilt if thou be vtterly prouo∣ked: And when thou doest strike, thy stroke is great, thy stroke is dreadfull and sore. It vanquisheth the body, it slayeth the soule, it damneth both. Beware therfore thou Bishop of Rome, and be cō∣tent with thine owne dioces, with thine owne charge, as other Byshops are with theyrs:* 1.40 For further then thine owne dioces, thy iurisdiction doth not stretch.

A maruellous blindness in thee therefore, to take vpon thee to aunswere for all the world, and art not able to aunswere our great Bishop Christ, for thy selfe at the dreadfull day of iudgemēt, when he shall aske but these few questions of thee Quomodo in∣trasti? Quomodo rexisti? Quomodo vixisti? Quomodo pauisti? Quae & qualia exempla dedisti? Quid ad meam gloriam fecisti & huiusmodi.* 1.41 How diddest thou enter into the Bishopricke? by me or by the world? vnlawfully, or lawfully? by Symony, or free∣ly by labour, by paction, or called God? Howe diddest thou rule thy cure thy dioces? Diddest thou pray for thy people? Did∣dest thou preach me to thy diocesans? diddest thou geue them ghostly and bodely foode? diddest thou minister spirituall and ghostly salues (the Sacramentes I meane) to heale the sores of theyr soules? How didst thou liue? Didst thou cast away the care, the glory & pōpe of the world?* 1.42 Didst thou folow me in humility, in charity in cōpassion, in pouerty, in cleanes, & in chast liuing?

How diddest thou gouerne thy diocesans? Diddest not thou make of all things that thou diddest meddle with a money matter in selling that which was not in thee to sel nor geue, which thou calledst thy pardons,* 1.43 thy commissions, thy breeues, thy delega∣cies reseruations, exemptions, appellations, bulles, and dispēsati∣ons? Diddest not thou vnder these pretenses and like other do∣ings, deceiue the world? What answere shalt thou make to this at that day, to our and thy great Byshop Christ, when he shall visite thee and all thy dioces, me and all my dioces, yea when he shall visite all the world? What aunswere shalt thou then make? I think verely thou shalt then haue enough to do, yea and more thē thou canst winde thy selfe out of, to make aunswere for thy selfe, for thine owne dioces, and for thine owne diocesans, though thou vsurpe not vpon other mens as thou doest. The Apostle writeth of Christ humbly,* 1.44 & calleth him, Magnum pontificem, the great bishop. And he of Rome is not with this word contented, but wil haue a higher word for him selfe, in the superlatiue degree, Maxi∣mum pontificem Magnum. The greatest Bishop. Oh, where is the humblenesse and meekenesse that should be in him? Alas, he that taketh on him to teach all the world, how can he for shame suffer such blasphemous words to passe in his name, to his great shame and rebuke:* 1.45 to the great daunger of his soule: and to the perilous ensample vnto other? Oh, sie vpon pride▪ it is a common prouerb pride will haue a fall.

Our bishop Christ was Humilis, meeke, lowly, & humble in hart.* 1.46 He rode not vpon any palfray nor couragious horse, but vp on an Asse and that but once. He neuer was borne pompously a∣broad in a chayre, vppō mens shoulders. He neuer profered hys foote to any body to kisse. We read that he washed the feete of his Disciples and wyped thē.* 1.47 We read that Mary Magdalene pro∣fered to haue kissed his feete, but he did prohibite her, sayi••g: No∣li me tangere: Touch me not. He would not suffer the woman thē to touch him. He neuer had garde to defend him.* 1.48 He neuer follow¦ed the pōpe of the world. He disdained not to go vpon the groūd with his bare feet. What shall I say?* 1.49 He gaue ensamples enough to the Bishop of Rome, to me and all Bishops, to be meek and hum∣ble: he to know himselfe, and we our selues, as if he and we dili∣gently looke in scripture, we shall finde. And herein, in meeknes we are bound to folow him.* 1.50

Compatiens infirmitatibus This Byshop Christ, had compas∣sion of our infirmities of our fraylties. It is impossible for a man to know the afflictions of the miserable person, that neuer suffe∣red him selfe affliction, that neuer had experience of paynes, that neuer felt what payne men••. But this byshop Christ had experiēce of our nature: how weake, how feeble the nature of man is:* 1.51 howe weake of himselfe to doe any good worke without the helpe of God: how feeble to resiste temptations Hee suffered and felte the infirmities and paynes of this naturall body. He hath therefore compassion vpon man, when he doth see him fall. He sorroweth his ruine, teaching Bishops in especial afore all other, to haue co∣passion and pity vpon the sinner, to helpe him spiritually, to cō∣fort him ghostly, to helpe him to arise from sinne, to allure him to penance, to draw him to vertue, to make him know God, to feare his iustice, to loue his lawes, and thus to seeke all the wayes he and we can: to saue the sinners soule for whom he shall make aun∣swere to God for his owne diocesans: soule for soule,* 1.52 bloud for bloud, payne for payne, hell for hell, damnation for damnation. For which soule,* 1.53 our great Bishop Christ (as the Apostle doth wit∣nesse) did offer giftes and sacrifice himselfe, hauing compassi••n of thē that by ignorance and by errour, did sin & offend God. E∣uen when he was his greatest agony vpon the crosse, he cryed to his father: forgeue them father, forgeue thē, they know not what they do, they are ignoraunt people, they know not what is what, nor what danger they runne into by this entreating me. They know not theyr offences: forgeue them Father, forgeue them. In this compassion we ought also to follow our great Byshoppe Christ.* 1.54

It followeth in the former letter: Est Pontifex appellatus à Deo. He is a Byshop, and so named of God He is the very Byshop. He offered vppe the very sacrifice, the sacrifice of his owne most blessed body and bloud, whereby the sinne of the world was put away. Euery Byshop of the world is not named a Byshop by God. For some commeth into that office, not by the holy ghost,* 1.55 not e∣lect of God (as Iohn sayeth) not entring in ouile ou••um per osti∣um, sed ascendens aliundè.* 1.56 Some there are that entreth into the folde of the sheep of GOD, not by the dore Some there be that entreth in, hauing charge and cure of soule, not by God: but by worldly meanes, by worldly labour, by importune sutes and intercession of frendes, or by theyr owne vnlawfull labour, by simony, and such other wayes. Such are not named Byshops by God. Such entreth not by the dore, not by him that sayth: Ego sum ostium. Ego sum via, veritas, & vita. I am the dore, I am the way, I am the life, I am trueth, I am pastor bonus, the very true and good Byshop that entred by God.* 1.57 And all that entreth other∣wise then by God, Christ calleth them fures & latrones, theues spoylers, raueners, deuourers, and deceiuers of the sheepe. Theyr liuing shall declare the same. For such as so wilfully do enter, do study theyr owne profites and commodities. Such receiueth the fruites and do nothing for them▪ Such suffereth theyr sheepe to perish for lacke of bodily and ghostly foode and susteynaunce for lacke of preaching, for lacke or geuing good counsell, for lacke of good liuing, for lacke of good ensample. And suche, for the most part, liueth naughtily, carnally, fleshly, viciously, popously, world¦ly, & not bishoply nor priestly. For they came not in by God, nor by grace. Christ sayth: Qui intrat per me, saluabitur,* 1.58 & ingredie∣tur, & egredietur, & pascua inueniet. He that entreth by me, shal∣be saued. Et ingredietur, & egredietur. And he shall go in, and he shall go out. What is that to say: he shall goe in, and he shall goe out? •• thinke he meaneth by going in, that he shall haue grace to enter studiously into the holy Scripture, daily and nightly to me∣ditate, to study, and to profite in the lawes of God. Et egredietur. And he shall explayne and truely interpretate and publish it vnto the people Et pascua inueniet. And he shall finde there plenty of spirituall food for himselfe & for his people, to edify their soules, to instruct and call thē to the knowledge of God to feed thē ple∣tifully, that they shall not lack necessaryes to their soules. Let vs therfore so liue, that we may be called Pōtifices appellati a Deo.* 1.59

This our great Byshop Christ is also: Pontifex, sanctus, inno∣cens, impollu••us, segregatus à peccatoribus, excelsior coelis, se∣dens à dextris Dei, emundans conscientias nostras à peccatis, intrans sancta sanctorum per proprium sanguinem He is Sanctus A holy Bishop, and willeth vs to be holy in our conuersation,* 1.60 ap∣plyeng our selues vnto godlynesse to the seruice of God, to lyue like byshops, like priestes▪ pure, cleane, chaste, deuout, studious, faythfully labouring in his word, praying, doing sacrifice, and e∣uer to be godly and vertuously occupyed.

He is Innocēs, an innocēt, He neuer sinned, he neuer offēded in word, thought, no•• deed, Innocens,* 1.61 noying no creature profiting

all folkes, meekely suffering aduersities, opprobries, rages, rebu∣kes, and reproches, without grudge or contradiction. Innocens & simplex: simplex sine plica. An innocēt, without pleit or wrin∣cle▪* 1.62 without error or doublenes, without hipocrisy or dissimula∣tion, without flattering or glosing, without fraud or deceite: not seruing the body nor the world, but God. In this we ought al∣so to follow our heauenly Bishop.

Impollutus. He was vndefiled. He liued cleane without spot or blot,* 1.63 without wemme or strayne. No immūdicity in him, no vn∣cleannesse, nor filthinesse: but all pure and cleane, chaste and im∣maculate, all bright and shining in grace and godlinesse: In so m••ch that he was Segregatus à peccatoribus, cleane segregate from all kinde of vncleanesse, from all maner of sinnes, and from sinners. Segregate from them, not from theyr company: For as Mathew writeth:* 1.64 Publicans and sinners came and eate and drank with him and his disciples in the house of Leui. And he also came as a Phisition, to heale the sinner. And yet he was segregate from them, quantum ad participationem cum eis in peccato: as touching theyr ill liuinges,* 1.65 not being participant with them in sinne: but came onely to heale them, and to ridde them from sinne and sore of the soule. He entred the heauens, not with the bloud of kidde nor Goate, but with his owne proper bloud. For which and for his holynesse and perfectnes,* 1.66 Excelsior coelis factus est. He is extolled and exalted aboue all the Aungels and beatitudes: aboue all the heauens sitting on the right hand of the father. Whō all the heauenly creatures doe worship, honor and do reuerence vnto Where he prayeth for his people, and is Mediatour in hys manhead to his father for vs.

This our Bishop purgeth our consciences (as witnesseth the Apostle) he clenseth our soules, he maketh vs inwardly beauti∣ous and fayre. The Bishop of Rome lacketh manye of these notable vertues. He hath few or none of these properties, few or none of these qualities. He is (as we all are sinners) a sinner. To whom this word Magnus, great, is not conuenient, nor can be in him any wayes verified.* 1.67 For he cannot forgeue sinne as our By∣shop doth, nor iustify as he doth, neither enter in Sancta Sancto∣rum, with his owne bloud, as he did. How can he then be called a great Bishop that is (as we be all sinners) a sinner, a breaker of the lawes of God, and dayly doth or may fall and sinne? And for that cause the law commaunded that euery bishop and Priest shoulde first offer hostes and sacrifice for his owne sinnes and afterward, for the sinnes of the people How can he therfore be called a great Bishop or Priest?

Our Bishop we speake of, is the very great bishop. No dole, no fraude, no guile, was euer founde in his mouth. And when the Prince of the worlde the deuill, came to him, he coulde finde no poynt of sinne in him. Wherefore Gabriell the Archaungell she∣wing his natiuity vnto Mary his mother, sayd: Hic erit magnus, & fil••us alti••simi vocabitur.* 1.68 He shalbe great and shalbe called the sonne of God. And agayne it is written of him: Propheta mag∣nus surrexit inter nos.* 1.69 A great Prophet is risen among vs. Sinne maketh a man small and litle: litle in reputation before God and man. Vertue maketh man great and of high reputation. Shew me one place in Scripture where you haue reedde,* 1.70 that a sinner was called great? I trow it shall not be founde. Will you heare who were called great in scripture? It is written of Isaac, quod profici∣ebat valde, & factus est magnus valde. He profited greatly in ver∣tue,* 1.71 and was made great, great in reputation of the world. Moyses was called Magnus, great for his vertue. Abraham and Iohn Baptist likewise.* 1.72 Now Iesus our Bishop is called magnus Episco∣pus, magnus Sacerdos. And after him neuer Byshop called Mag∣nus in all Scripture,* 1.73 neither in the reputation of man vnlesse it be in comparison one of an other (and so Sayntes and holy Ly∣uers are called great in respect of sinners, or other meane Liuers) but where Christ our Byshop commeth: there he, not in compari∣son of other, but simpliciter, by his owne magnitude and great∣nesse, and of himselfe, euer was and is great, of whom it is writ∣ten: A summo coelo egressio eius: & occursus eius vsque ad sū∣mum eius.* 1.74 And as the apostle also proueth in many places by ex∣presse words. But now there is no Bishop or Priest in this world, that may worthely of himselfe be called great, nor ought to take this name Magnus vpon him▪

This is he therefore of whom it is written: Magnus Sacerdos ex fr••tribus suis. The great Byshoppe aboue all other. And as he is called and in very deed is,* 1.75 Pastor pastorum, Pontifex pontificum, Propheta prophetarum, Sanctus sanctorum, Dominus dominan∣tium, Rex regum: Ita & magnus magnorum est. And he is cal∣led the Heardesman of heardesmen, the Byshop of Byshoppes, the Prophet of prophetes, the Holy of holyest, the Lord of lordes, the King of kinges: euen so is he called, and verely is Episcopus mag∣nus. Therefore the Prophet did adde, Magnus Sacerdos ex fratri∣bus suis, the great Byshop or priest: great of himselfe, great in ver∣tue and power, great of himselfe, and great in comparison afore all other. And therfore the Apostle sayd: Habemus Pontificē ma∣gnum,* 1.76 qui penetrauit coelos IESVM filium DEI. We haue a great Byshop, which did penetrate the heauens, Iesus the sonne of God.

Here may ye now see how the Byshop of Rome doth wrong∣fully encroch vpon our great Byshop Iesus Christ, to take from him, not onely this name Magnus, and is not with that name yet contented, but addeth more, Videlicet, Maximus, Summus, San∣ctus, Beatissimus, Vniuersalis, and such other. The greater, the highest, the holyest, the blessedst, and vniuersall in the superlatiue degrees and yet there is no great Byshop but Christ onely no su∣preme Byshop, but he onely, none holy, none blessed, none vni∣uersall Bishop but only he. The B. of Rome, & all other bishops are but vnderlinges & vnworthy suffragans vnto this Bishop Christ.

This our Christ (as witnesseth the Apostle) is Pontifex nostrae confessionis, the Bishop whom we do confesse to be our great bi∣shop, our high bishop, our supreme Bishop, our holy, blessed and vniuersall Bishop. Which names are reserued onely vnto Christ, and to no earthly Bishop: Not to the Bishop of Rome, not to the Bishop of Ierusalem, not to the Bishop of Antioch, nor of Con∣stantinople, nor to any other Bishop. No earthly byshop to pre∣sume to take vpon him these high and holy names onely to God apropriate.

God of thy goodnes thou mayest and I trust wilt once make this vayneglorious bishop of Rome, first to know and knowledge thy sonne Christ to be the onely supreme and vniuersal bishop of the world. Secondarily to know himselfe, his weakenesse, his frail∣ty and his presumption. To know his office and bounden du∣tye vnto thee. To knowe his owne Dioces, and to vsurpe no further. Thirdly to haue a low, hūble, meek hart and stomacke: to feare thee God and thy iudgementes, to knowledge his owne faultes, and vsurpations, and to redresse the same.

Now to returne vnto our matter, it foloweth in y^e let∣ter first taken: De quo edere non habent potestatem qui taber∣naculo deseruiunt. &c. And thus much out of Iohn Long∣landes Sermon agaynst the Pope.

You heard before by the kings Iniunctions aboue ex∣pressed, and directed out. an. 1538. how all such Images & pictures, which were abused with pilgrimage of offrings of any Idolatry, where abolished: by vertue of which In∣iunction,* 1.77 diuers Idols & especially y^e most notable stockes of Idolatry, were taken downe the same yere. 1538. as the Images of Walsingham, Ipswich, Worcester,* 1.78 the lady of Wilsdon, Tho. Becket, with many moe, hauing engines to make their eies to open and role about, and other parts of theyr body to styrre, and many other false iugglings, as the bloud of hayles, & such like, wherewith the simple peo∣ple a long time had bene deceiued. All which were espyed out, and destroyed.

Among diuers other of these foule Idols,* 1.79 there went also in the same reckoning, a certayne olde Idolatrous I∣mage in Wales named Daruell Gatheren: whiche in the moneth of May, in the yere aboue mētioned was brought vp to London and burnt in smithfield. With the which I∣dol also was burnt the same time, and hanged for treason, Fryer Forrest, of whom some mētion was partly touched before in the story of Cardinal Wolsey.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Anno 1538.
• * 1.2

  A Sermon of Bish. Longland before the king. an. 1538.

  The Th••āe. Hebr. 13.
• * 1.3

  Num. 19.
• * 1.4

  Heb. 11.
• * 1.5

  1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.6

  The stone christ
• * 1.7

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.8

  Christ the sa∣crifice of the world.
• * 1.9

  Heb. 9. Heb. 9. Heb. 9.
• * 1.10

  Leuit. 16. Heb. 4.
• * 1.11

  Heb. 5.
• * 1.12

  The pride of the Pope.

  The Pope blas∣phemeth God.
• * 1.13

  No greater blas∣phemie then in the Pope.
• * 1.14

  Ezech. 42.
• * 1.15

  Peter neuer tooke vpon him at Rome, as the Pope doth.
• * 1.16

  Gregorius in Registro. lib. 4. indictione 30. Epist. 38.
• * 1.17

  Idem.
• * 1.18

  Heb. 2.3.4.5.7.8.9.
• * 1.19

  The titles and properties attri∣buted to Christ in the Scripture.
• * 1.20

  Misericors.
• * 1.21

  Potens.
• * 1.22

  Rom. 14.
• * 1.23

  Math. 18.
• * 1.24

  Marc. 2.
• * 1.25

  Omnipot••▪ Psal. 32.
• * 1.26

  Fidelis▪
• * 1.27

  Three offi∣ces of a by∣shop.

  If he had placed here administra•••• sacramenta for sac••ifica∣••e, his parti∣tiō so might haue stand. Math. 14.
• * 1.28

  Math. 15.
• * 1.29

  The second office of a Byshop is to pray.
• * 1.30

  Luke. 6.
• * 1.31

  Math. 26.
• * 1.32

  Heb. 5. The cry of Christ on the Crosse. The heauēs trembled. The Angels mourned. The Sunne lost his light· The veile riued.

  The earth quaued.

  The stones rent.

  The graues opened.

  The dead rose.
• * 1.33

  The third 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a ••••shop is to ••••nister and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o•• offer.
• * 1.34

  ••agnus.
• * 1.35

  No great Bishop but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ.
• * 1.36

  ••he Pope blasphe∣••eth God.
• * 1.37

  That is ••••asphemie.
• * 1.38

  Apoc. 9.
• * 1.39

  The stroke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God is slow but 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.40

  ••he Popes power stret∣cheth no ••ther then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 owne di∣oces.
• * 1.41

  ••uestions to be asked the Pope in the last ••••dgemente.
• * 1.42

  Nay rather Ghostly ••••ctrine, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 should 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.43

  The Pope maketh all thinges a 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.44

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••aximus.
• * 1.45

  ••he Popes ••••de will ••••ue a fall.
• * 1.46

  ••••milis.
• * 1.47

  Iohn. 13.
• * 1.48

  Math. 20.
• * 1.49

  The humility of Christ.
• * 1.50

  Compatiens.
• * 1.51

  Christ full of compassion.
• * 1.52

  Heb. 5.
• * 1.53

  Luke. 23.
• * 1.54

  Pontifex appel∣latus.
• * 1.55

  Iohn. 10.
• * 1.56

  All bishops be not called of God.
• * 1.57

  Iohn. 10.
• * 1.58

  Iohn. 14.
• * 1.59

  Hebr. 7.
• * 1.60

  Sanctus.
• * 1.61

  Innocens.
• * 1.62

  Simplex.
• * 1.63

  Impollutus.
• * 1.64

  Segregatus a peccatis.
• * 1.65

  Math. 9.
• * 1.66

  Excelsior coelis.
• * 1.67

  Magnus.
• * 1.68

  Luke. 1.
• * 1.69

  Luke. 7.
• * 1.70

  No sinner called great in the scripture.
• * 1.71

  Gene. 26.
• * 1.72

  Exod. 11.
• * 1.73

  Luke. 1.
• * 1.74

  Psal 18.
• * 1.75

  Leuit. 21.
• * 1.76

  The Pope en∣chrocheth vpon Christ.
• * 1.77

  Anno 1538.
• * 1.78

  Images and Pilgrimages destroyed i•• England.
• * 1.79

  The Idoll of Daruell Ga∣theren in Wales.