A19563:1641
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 where Emissene speaketh of the conversion of earthly creatures into the substance of Christ,1 he speaketh that aswell of baptism, as of the lords supper, as his own words plainly declare. If thou wilt know (saith he) how it ought not to seem to thee a new thing and impossible, that earthly and corruptible things be turned into the substance of Christ look upon thy self, which art made new in baptism. And yet he meant not, that the water of baptism in it self is really turned into the substance of Christ, nor likewise bread and wine in the Lords supper, but that in the action, water, wine and bread, as sacraments, be sacramentally converted (unto him that duly receiveth them) into the very substance of Christ. So that the sacramental conversion is in the Sacraments, and the real conversion is in him that receiveth the sacraments, which real conversion is inward, invisible and spiritual. For the outward corporal substances, aswell of the name as of the water, remain the same that they were before. And therefore saith Emissene. Thou visibly diddest remain in the same measure that thou haddest before, but invisibly thou wast made greater without any increase of thy body, thou wast the self same person, and yet by the increase of faith thou wast ⟨p. 289⟩made an other man. Outwardly nothing was added, but all the change was inwardly. In these words hath Emissene plainly declared, that the conversion in the sacraments (whereof he spake when he said, that earthly and corruptible things be turned into the substance of Christ) is to be understand in the receivers by their faith, and that in the said conversion the outward substance remaineth the self same that was before. And that Emissene meant this, as well in the sacrament of the lords supper, as in the sacrament of baptism, his own words plainly declare. So that the substance of Christ, as well in baptism as the Lords supper, is seen: not with our eyes, but with our faith: and touched not with our bodies, but with our minds: and received not with our hands, but with our hearts: eaten and drunken not with our outward mouths, but with our inward man.
And where Emissene speaketh of the conuersion of earthly creatures into the substance of Christ,1 he speaketh that aswell of baptisme, as of the lordes supper, as his owne wordes playnly declare. If thou wilt know (sayth he) how it ought not to seme to thee a new thing and impossible, that earthly and corruptible thinges be turned into the substance of Christ looke vppon thy selfe, which art made new in baptisme. And yet he ment not, that the water of baptisme in it selfe is really turned into the substance of Christ, nor likewise bread and wine in the Lordes supper, but that in the action, water, wine and bread, as sacraments, be sacramentally conuerted (vnto him that duely receaueth them) into the very substance of Christ. So that the sacramentall conuersion is in the Sacraments, and the reall conuertion is in him that receaueth the sacraments, which reall conuertion is inward, inuisible and spirituall. For the outward corporall substances, aswell of the name as of the water, remayne the same that they were before. And therfore sayth Emissene. Thou visibly diddest remayne in the same measure that thou haddest before, but inuisibly thou wast made greater without any increase of thy body, thou wast the selfe same person, and yet by the encrease of fayth thou wast