A19563:1522
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 of like effect is your argument of yea and nay,1 when you say every yea containeth a nay in it naturally. Therefore Christ, saying it is his body, saith it is no bread. If this form of Argument were infallible, then I may turn the same to you again, and overthrow you with your own weapon thus. S. Paul said it is bread, Ergo it is not Christs body: if the affirmation of the one be a negation of the other. And by such Sophistication you may turn up all the truth quite and clean, and say that Christ was neither God nor man, because he said he was a vine & bread. And every yea (say you) containeth a nay in it naturally.
And of like effect is your argument of yea and nay,1 when you say euery yea conteineth a nay in it naturally. Therfore Christ, saying it is his body, sayth it is no bread. If this forme of Argument were infallible, then I may turne the same to you agayne, and ouerthrow you with your own weapon thus. S. Paule sayd it is bread, Ergo it is not Christes body: if the affirmation of the one be a negation of the other. And by such Sophistication you may turne vp all the truth quite and cleane, and say that Christ was neither God nor man, bycause he sayd he was a vine & bread. And euery yea (say you) conteineth a nay in it naturally.
- 1Yea and nay.
And where you boast, that you have convinced me in the matter of the real presence of Christs body, I trust the indifferent Reader will say, that you triumph before the victory, saying that you have won the field, when in deed you have lost it, and when Goliaths head is smitten of with his own sword.1 But the old English Proverb is here true, that it is good beating of a proud man: for when he is all to beaten back & bone, yet will he boast of his victory, and brag what a valiant man he is.