A19563:1150
An answerAn aunsvvere
An answer by the Reverend Father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and metropolitan, unto a crafty and sophistical cavillation, devised by Stephen Gardiner Doctor of Law, late Bishop of Winchester against the true and godly doctrine of the most holy sacrament, of the body and blood of our saviour Jesus Christ Wherein is also, as occasion serveth, answered such places of the book of Doct. Richard Smith, as may seem any thing worthy the answering. Here is also the true copy of the book written, and in open court delivered, by D. Stephen Gardiner ...An aunsvvere by the Reuerend Father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, primate of all England and metropolitane, vnto a craftie and sophisticall cauillation, deuised by Stephen Gardiner Doctour of Law, late Byshop of Winchester agaynst the true and godly doctrine of the most holy sacrament, of the body and bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ Wherein is also, as occasion serueth, aunswered such places of the booke of Doct. Richard Smith, as may seeme any thyng worthy the aunsweryng. Here is also the true copy of the booke written, and in open court deliuered, by D. Stephen Gardiner ...
London: printed by John Daye, 1580London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1580
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now as concerning my coupling together of the ii. sacraments of baptism, and of the body and blood of Christ, Emissene himself coupleth them both together in this place, & saith, that the one is like the other, without putting any difference, even as I truly recited him. So that there appeareth neither malice nor ignorance in me, but in you adding at your pleasure such things, as Emissen saith not, (to deceive the simple reader) and adding such your own inventions, as be neither true nor catholic, appeareth much shift and craft joined with untruth and infidelity.
Now as concerning my coupling togither of the ii. sacraments of baptisme, and of the body and bloud of Christ, Emissene himself coupleth thē both together in this place, & sayth, that the one is like the other, without putting any difference, euen as I truely recited him. So that there appereth neither malice nor ignorāce in me, but in you adding at your pleasure such things, as Emissen saith not, (to deceaue the simple reader) and adding such your own inuentions, as be neither true nor catholick, appereth much shift and craft ioyned with vntruth and infidelity.
For what christian man would say (as you do) that Christ is not indeed (which you call really) in baptism?1 Or that we be not regenerated both body and soul as well in baptism, as in the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ? Or that in baptism we be not united to Christs divinity by his manhood? Or that baptism representeth not to us the high state of our glorification and the perfect redemption of our bodies in the general resurrection? In which things you make difference between baptism and the sacrament (as you call it) of the altar. Or what man that were learned in gods word would affirm, that in the general resurrection our bodies and souls shall be all spiritual? I know that S. Paul saith, that in the resurrection our bodies shall be spiritual,2 meaning in the respect of such vileness, filthiness, sin, and corruption, as we be subject unto in this miserable world. Yet he saith not that our bodies shall be all spiritual. For not withstanding such spiritualness as S. Paul speaketh of, we shall have all such substantial parts and members, as pertain to a very natural mans body. So that in this part our bodies shall be carnal, corporal, real, and natural bodies, lacking nothing that belongeth to perfect mens bodies. And in the respect is the body of Christ also, carnal and not spiritual. And yet we bring none other carnal imaginations of Christs body, nor, mean none other, but that Christs body is carnal in this respect, that it hath the same flesh and natural substance which was borne of the virgin Mary, and wherein he suffered and rose again, and now sitteth at the right hand of his father in glory, and that the same his natural body now glorified, hath all the natural parts of a mans body in order, proportion & place distinct, as our bodies shall be in these respects carnal after our resurrection. Which manner of carnalnes and diversity of parts and members, if you take away now from Christ in heaven, & from us after our resurrection, you make Christ now to have no true mans body but a fantastical body, as Martion & Valentine did: & as concerning our bodies, you run into the error of Origen, which fancied & imagined, that at the resurrection all things should be so spiritual, that women should be turned into men, and bodies into souls.