A19563:1318
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.
What need we any other witness? when Christ himself doth testify the matter so plainly, that who so ever eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood, hath everlasting life? and that to eat his flesh and to drink his blood, is to believe in him? And who so ever believeth in him, hath everlasting life, whereof it followeth necessarily, that ungodly persons (being limbs of the devil) do not eat Christs flesh nor drink his blood, except the Papists would say, that such have everlasting life.
What neede we any other witnes? when Christ himselfe doth testifie the mater so playnly, that who so euer eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud, hath euerlasting life? and that to eate his flesh and to drincke his bloud, is to beleue in him? And who so euer beleueth in him, hath euerlasting lyfe, wherof it followeth necessarily, that vngodly persons (being limmes of the deuill) do not eate Christes flesh nor drinke his bloud, except the Papistes would say, that such haue euerlasting life.
But as the devil is the food of the wicked, which he nourisheth in all iniquity, and bringeth up into everlasting damnation: so is Christ the very food of all them that be the lively members of his body, and them he nourisheth, fedeth, bringeth up and cherisheth unto everlasting life.
But as the diuell is the food of the wicked, which he nourisheth in all iniquitie, and bringeth vp into euerlasting damnatiō: so is Christ the very foode of all them that be the liuely members of his body, and them he nourisheth, fedeth, bringeth vp and cherisheth vnto euerlasting life.
And every good and faithful Christian man selleth in himself,