A19563:1205
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.
But it is no marvel, that Nicodemus and the Capernaites understand not Christ, before they be borne a new, and forsaking their papistical leaven, have learned an other lesson of the spirit of God, then flesh & blood can teach them. Much talk the Papists make about this belief, that we must believe and have a steadfast faith, that Christs body is corporally there, where the visible forms of bread & wine be: of which belief is no mention made in the whole scripture, which teacheth us to believe & profess, that Christ (as concerning his bodily presence) hath forsaken the world, & is ascended into heaven, & shall not come again until the restitution of all things that be spoken of by Prophets. But whereas in the feeding upon Christs body and drinking of his blood, there is no mouth and teeth can serve, but only the inward and spiritual mouth of faith, there the Papists keep silence like monks, and speak very little. And the cause why, is flesh and blood which so blindeth all the Nichodemes & Capernaites, that they can not understand what is spiritual nativity, spiritual circumcision, spiritual hunger and thirst, and spiritual eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of our Saviour Christ: but they hang all together so in the letter, that they cannot enter into the kingdom of the spirit, which knowledge, if that you had, you should soon perceive upon what principle my Ergo were made. And where you pervert the order of the books,1 setting the cart before the horse, that is to say the iii and iiii book before the second, saying that the natural order of the matter so requireth, here the reader may note an evident mark of all subtle Papists, which is under the pretence & colour of order, to break that order whereby the falsehood of their doctrine should best be detected and the truth brought to light. For when they perceive a window open, whereby the light may shine in, and the truth appear, then they busily go about to shut that window, and to draw the reader from that place to some mystical and obscure matter where more darkness is, and less light can be seen. And when besides the darkness of the matter, they have by their subtle sophistry cast such a mist over the readers eyes, that he is become blind: then dare they make him judge, be the matter never so untrue.
But it is no maruaile, that Nicodemus and the Capernaites vnderstand not Christ, before they be borne a new, and forsaking their papisticall leauen, haue learned an other lesson of the spirite of God, then flesh & bloud can teach them. Much talke the Papistes make about this belefe, that we must beleue and haue a stedfast fayth, that Christes body is corporally there, where ye visible formes of bread & wine be: of which belefe is no mention made in the whole scripture, which teacheth vs to beleue & professe, that Christ (as concerning his bodily presence) hath forsaken the world, & is ascended into heauen, & shall not come agayne vntill the restitution of all thinges that be spoken of by Prophets. But wheras in the feeding vpon Christes body and drinking of his bloud, there is no mouth and teeth can serue, but onely the inward and spirituall mouth of fayth, there the Papistes kepe silence like monkes, and speake very little. And the cause why, is flesh and bloud which so blindeth all the Nichodemes & Caparnaites, that they can not vnderstand what is spirituall natiuity, spirituall circumcition, spirituall honger and thirst, and spirituall eating and drinking of the flesh and bloud of our Sauiour Christ: but they hang all together so in the letter, that they cannot enter into the kingdome of the spirit, which knowledge, if that you had, you should soone perceiue vpon what principle my Ergo were made. And where you peruert the order of the bookes,