A19563:1176
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.
And the change is in the use, and not in the elements kept and reserved, wherein is not the perfection of a sacrament. Therefore as water in the font or vessel, hath not the reason and nature of a sacrament, but when it is put to the use of christening, and then it is changed into the proper nature and kind of a sacrament, to signify the wonderful change which almighty God by his omnipotency worketh really in them that be baptised therewith, such is the change of the bread and wine in the Lords supper. And therefore the bread is called Christs body after consecration (as S. Ambrose saith) and yet it is not so really but sacramentally. For it is neither Christs mystical body (for that is the congregation of the faithful dispersed abroad in the world) nor his natural body (for that is in heaven) but it is the sacrament both of his ⟨p. 187⟩true natural body, and also of his mystical body, and for that consideration hath the name of his body, as a sacrament or sign may bear the name of the very thing that is signified and represented thereby.
And the chaunge is in the vse, and not in the elements kept and reserued, wherein is not the perfection of a sacrament. Therefore as water in the fonte or vessell, hath not the reason and nature of a sacrament, but when it is put to the vse of christening, and then it is changed into the proper nature and kinde of a sacrament, to signifye the wonderfull chaunge which almighty God by his omnipotency worketh really in them that be baptised therewith, such is the chaunge of the breade and wine in the Lordes supper. And therefore the bread is called Christes bodye after consecration (as S. Ambrose sayth) and yet it is not so really but sacramentally. For it is neither Christes misticall body (for that is the congregation of the faythfull dispersed abroad in the world) nor hys naturall bodye (for that is in heauen) but it is the sacrament both of his ⟨p. 187⟩true naturall body, and also of his misticall body, and for that consideration hath the name of his body, as a sacrament or signe may beare ye name of the very thing that is signified and represented therby.