A19563:1304
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 when you have wrangled in this matter as much as you can, at length you confess the truth, that who so feedeth upon Christ spiritually, must needs be a good man, (for only good men be members of Christs mystical body) which spiritual eating is so good a fruit, as it declareth the tree necessarily to be good. And therefore it must be and is a certain conclusion, that only good men do eat and drink the body and blood of Christ spiritually, that is to say, effectually to life. This you write in conclusion, and this is the very doctrine that I teach, and in the same terms: marry, I add thereto, that the eating of Christs body is a spiritual eating, and the drinking of his blood is a spiritual drinking, and therefore no evil man can eat his flesh, nor drink his blood, as this my forth book teacheth, and is necessary to be written. For although neither good nor evil men eat Christs body in the sacrament, under the visible signs, in the which he is not but sacramentally: yet the good feed of him spiritually, being inhabiting spiritually within them, although corporally he be absent and in heaven: but the evil men neither feed upon him corporally, nor spiritually (from whom he is both the said ways absent) although corporally, they eat and drink with their mouths, the sacraments of his body and blood.
Now when you haue wrangled in this matter as much as you can, at length you confesse the truth, that who so feedeth vpon Christ spiritually, must needes be a good man, (for only good men be membres of Christes misticall body) which spirituall eating is so good a frute, as it declareth the tree necessarelye to be good. And therfore it must be and is a certaine conclusion, that onely good menne doe eate and drinke the bodye and bloude of Christ spiritually, that is to say, effectually to lyfe. This you write in conclusion, and this is ye very doctrine that I teache, and in the same tearmes: marry, I adde therto, yt the eating of Christes body is a spirituall eating, and the drinking of his bloud is a spirituall drinkyng, and therfore no euill man can eate his flesh, nor drinke his bloud, as this my forth booke teacheth, and is necessary to be writen. For although neither good nor euell men eate Christes body in the sacrament, vnder the visible signes, in the which he is not but sacramentally: yet the good feede of him spiritually, being inhabiting spiritually within them, although corporally he be absent and in heauen: but the euell men neither feede vpon him corporally, nor spiritually (from whom he is both the sayd wayes absent) although corporally, they eate and drinke with theyr mouthes, the sacramentes of his body and bloud.