A19563:1529
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 in this your answer to the arguments,1 brought in by me out of the very words of the Evangelists, is such a shameless arrogance and boldness showed, as abhorreth all Christian ears for to hear, which is, that three Evangelists telling the manner of Christs holy Supper, not one of them all do tell the tale in right order, but subvert the order of Christs doings and sayings, and that in such a necessary matter of our Religion, that the definition of the whole truth standeth in the order. The Evangelists (say you) rehearse what Christ said and did, simply and truly. But is this a simple and true rehearsal of Christs words and deeds, to tell them out of order otherwise then Christ did & said them? And S. Paul also (if it be as you say) speaking of the same matter, committeth the like error. And yet never no ancient author expounding the Evangelists or S. Paul could spy out this fault, and in their Commentaries give us warning §61thereof. And I am not so ignorant, but I have many times read S. Augustine De doctrina Christiana, where he saith, that sometimes in Scripture a thing is told after, that was done before. But S. Augustine saith not that it is so in this matter, nor I am not so presumptuous to say that all the three Evangelists, with S. Paul also, disordered the truth of the story in a matter wherein the truth can not be known but by the order. S. Augustine De consensu Evangelistarum saith,2 That that which Luke rehearseth of the chalice, before the giving of the bread, was spoken by Christ after the distribution of the bread, as the other two Evangelists report the same. And if these words (Hoc est corpus meum) had been put out of the right place in all the three Evangelists, and also in S. Paul, would not S. Augustine have given warning thereof, aswell as of the other?3 And would all other authors expounding that place, have passed over the matter in silence, and have spoken not one word thereof? specially being a matter of such weight, that the Catholic faith and our salvation (as you say) hangeth thereof? Do not all the proofs that you have, hang of these words (Hoc est corpus meum,) This is my body? And shall you say now, that they be put out of their place?