A19563:1561
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 yet in the end you take a good ready way for your own advantage, like unto a man that had shot all his shafts clean wide from the butte, and yet would bear all men in hand that he had hit the prick. And when other should go about the measure how far his shafts were wide from the butte, he would take up the matter himself, and command them to leave measuring, and believe his own saying, that his arrows stack all fast in the mark, and that this were the nearest way to finish the contention: Even so do you in this matter, willing all men to leave searching of (how) in the mystery of Christs presence in the sacrament, saying that to be the nearest way. And it were a much nearer way for you in deed, if all men would leave searching of (how) and without ground or reason believe as well your Transubstantiation as the corporal presence of Christs body only because you do say it is so. But S. Peter requireth every christen man to be ready to render a reason of his faith to every one that asketh,1 and S. Paul requireth in a christen Bishop, that he should be able to exhort by wholesome doctrine, and to convince the gainsayers, and not to require other men to give faith unto him without asking of (how or why) only because he saith so himself. The old catholic Authors tell, wherefore Christ called bread his body, and how christen people fed of his body. And the blessed virgin Mary asked how she should conceive a child, never having company with man.2 And you tell yourself how Christ is in heaven, how in us, and how in the sacrament, declaring all to be but after a spiritual manner. And what manner of men be you, that we may not ask you (how) to render a reason of your Transubstantiation, being a matter by you only devised, clearly without Gods word.
And yet in the end you take a good ready way for your owne aduantage, like vnto a man that had shot all his shaftes cleane wide from the butte, and yet would beare all men in hand that he had hitte the pricke. And when other should go about the measure how farre his shaftes were wide from the butte, he would take vp the matter himselfe, and cōmaund them to leaue measuring, and beleue his owne saying, that his arrowes stacke all fast in the marke, and that this were the nearest way to finish the contention: Euen so do you in this matter, willing all men to leaue searching of (how) in the mistery of Christes presence in the sacrament, saying that to be the nearest way. And it were a much nerer way for you in dede, if all men would leaue searching of (how) and without ground or reason beleue as well your Transubstātiation as the corporall presence of Christes body onely bicause you do say it is so. But S. Peter requireth euery christen man to be ready to render a reason of his fayth to euery one that asketh,