A19563:1703
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 yet this resemblance is not altogether like (as you say truly for so §5much) for the person of Christ consisteth so of his godhead and manhood, that they be both in him in real presence and unity of person. But in the sacrifice it is otherwise, where neither is any such union between the sacrament, and the truth of the Sacrament, nor any such presence of the body of Christ. For in the bread and wine Christ is but figuratively (as I said before) and in the godly receivers spiritually, in whom also he tarrieth & remaineth so long as they remain the members of his body.
But yet this resemblance is not altogither like (as you say truely for so §5much) for the person of Christ consisteth so of his godhead and manhod, that they be both in him in reall presence and vnity of person. But in the sacrifice it is otherwise, where neither is any such vnion betwene the sacrament, and the truth of the Sacrament, nor any such presence of the body of Christ. For in the bread and wine Christ is but figuratiuely (as I sayd before) and in the godly receauours spiritually, in whome also he tarieth & remayneth so long as they remayne the mēbers of his body.
1But if Christs similitudes should be so narrowly pressed, as you press here the similitude of the two natures of Christ in the sacrament, collecting that because the body and blood of Christ be truly present in the due administration of the Sacrament, therefore they must be there naturally present, as the two natures of the humanity and divinity be in Christ, many wicked errors should be established by them. As if the similitude of the wicked steward were strained as you strain and force this similitude, men might gather, that it is lawful for Christen men to beguile their lords and masters whiles they be in office, to help them selves when they be out of office, because the Lord praised the wicked steward. Yet you know the similitude was not taught of our Saviour Christ for that purpose (for God is no favourer of falsehood and untruth.) So you do wrong both to the holy Doctors and to me, to gather of our similitude any other doctrine, than we mean by the said similitude. Nor any reasonable man can say, that I am forced by confessing two natures in Christs person really, naturally and substantially, to confess also the nature of the body and blood of Christ to be likewise in the Sacrament, except he could prove that the holy Doctors, and I following their doctrine, do teach and affirm, that the natures of bread and wine are joined in the Sacrament with the natural body and blood of Christ in unity of person, as the natures of God and man be joined in our Saviour Christ, which we do not teach, because we find no such doctrine taught by Christ, by his Apostles, nor Evangelists.