A19563:1167
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.
1As touching S. Ambrose, this author taketh a great enterprise to wrestle with him whose plain and evident words must needs be a rule to try his other words by, if any might be writhed. What can be more plainly spoken than S. Ambrose speaketh, when he saith these words? It is bread consecration, but after it is Christs body. By the word consecration,2 is signified (as it is here placed) Gods omnipotent work. Wherefore ⟨p. 185⟩in this place it comprehendeth as much as Emissen said in these words, he converteth by the secret power of his word. God is the worker, and so consecration signifieth the §3whole action of his omnipotency in working the substance of this high mystery, & therefore the definition of the word consecration as it is generally taken, can not be a rule to the understanding of it in this high mystery, where it is used to express a singular work as the circumstance of S. Ambrose writing doth declare. For as Philip Melanchthon writeth §4to Decolampadius,3 S. Ambrose would never have travailed to accumulate so many miracles as he doth, speaking of this matter to declare Gods omnipotency, and he had not thought the nature of bread to be changed in this mystery. These be Melanchthon's very words. Now to answer the question, as it were at the word change, this §5author shall come with a sacramental change which is a devise in terms to blind the rude reader.4 S. Ambrose doth express plainly what the change is, when he writeth the words before rehearsed.
1As touching S. Ambrose, this author taketh a great enterprise to wrastle with him whose playne and euident words must nedes be a rule to try his other words by, if any might be writhed. What can be more playnly spoken thē S. Ambrose speaketh, whē he sayth these wordes? It is bread consecration, but after it is Christes body. By the word consecration,