A19563:1548
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.
Canterbury.
Caunterbury.
Here in the beginning of this chapter, it is a strange thing to me, that §1you should think strangeness in my saying, that natural reason and operation joined to Gods word should be of great moment to confirm any truth, not that they add any authority to Gods word, but that they help our infirmity: as the sacraments do to Gods promises, which promises in themselves be most certain and true. For did not the eating and drinking of Christ, his labouring and sweating, his agony and pangs of death,1 confirm the true faith of his incarnation? And did not his eating with the Apostles confirm and stablish their faith of his resurrection?2 Did not the sight of Christ and feeling of his wounds induce Thomas to believe that Christ was risen? When neither the report of the devout woman, nor yet of the Apostles which did see him, could cause him to believe Christs resurrection? And when they took our Saviour Christ for a spirit, did not he cause them by their sight and feeling of his flesh and bones, to believe that he was very man, and no spirit, as they fantasied? Which sensible proofs were so far from derogation of faith that they were a sure establishment thereof. Wherefore if your understanding can not reach this doctrine, it is indeed very slender in godly things.
HEre in the beginning of this chapiter, it is a strange thing to me, that §1you should thinke strangenes in my saying, that naturall reason and operation ioyned to Gods word should be of great moment to confirme any truth, not that they adde any authority to Gods word, but that they helpe our infirmity: as the sacraments do to Gods promises, which promises in themselues be most certayne and true. For did not the eating and drincking of Christ, his laboring and sweating, his agony and pangs of death,