A19563:1239
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.
Winchester.
1This Author travaileth to answer S. Hierom, and to make him the easier for him to deal with, he cutteth of that followeth in the same S. Hierom, which should make the matter open and manifest, how effectually S. Hierom speaketh of the Sacrament of Christs body and blood. There is (saith S. Hierome) as great difference between the loaves called Panes propositionis, and the body of Christ, as there is between the shadow of a body and the body it self, and as there is between an image and the true thing it self, and between an example of things to come, and the things that be prefigured by them. Therefore as meekness, patience, sobriety, moderation, abstinence of gain, hospitality also, and liberality should be chiefly in a Bishop, and among all laymen an excellency in them: so there should be in him a special chastity, and as I should say chastity that is priestly, that he should not only abstain from unclean work, but also from the caste of his eye, and his mind free from error of thought, that should make the body of Christ. These be S. Hieroms words in this place. By the latter part whereof appeareth plainly how S. Hierome meaneth of Christs body in the Sacrament, of which the loaves that were (Panes propositionis) were a shadow (as S. Hierome saith) that bread being the image, and this the truth, that the example, and this that was prefigured. So as if Christs body in the Sacrament should be there but figuratively (as this author teacheth) then were the bread of Proposition, figure of a figure, and shadow of a shadow which is over great an absurdity in our religion. Therefore there can not be a more plain proof to show, that by S. Hieromes mind, Christs body is verily in the Sacrament and not figuratively only, then when he noteth (Panes propositionis) to be the figure and the shadow of Christs body in the Sacrament. For as Tertullian sayth,2 Figura non esset nisi veritatis esses corpus. The other were not to be called a figure, if that, answered unto it, were not of truth, which is the sense of Tertullian's words. And therefore S. Hierome could with no other words have expressed his mind so certainly & plainly, as with these to confess the truth of Christs body in the Sacrament. And therefore regard not reader what this author saith: For S.