A19563:1704
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.
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.
1But if Christes similitudes should be so narrowly pressed, as you presse here the similitude of the two natures of Christ in the sacrament, collecting that bicause the body and bloud of Christ be truely present in the due administration of the Sacrament, therfore they must be there naturally present, as the two natures of the humanity and diuinity be in Christ, many wicked errours should be established by them. As if the similitude of the wicked steward were strayned as you strayne and force this similitude, men might gather, that it is lawfull for Christen men to begile theire lordes and masters whiles they be in office, to helpe them selues when they be out of office, bicause the Lord praysed the wicked steward. Yet you know the similitude was not taught of our Sauiour Christ for that purpose (for God is no fauourer of falsehod and vntruth.) So you do wrong both to the holy Doctoures and to me, to gather of oure similitude any other doctrine, than we meane by the sayd similitude. Nor any reasonable man can say, that I am forced by confessing two natures in Christes person really, naturally and substantially, to confesse also the nature of the body and bloud of Christ to be likewise in the Sacrament, except he could proue that the holy Doctoures, and I following their doctrine, do teach and affirme, that the natures of bread and wine are ioyned in the Sacrament with the naturall body and bloud of Christ in vnity of person, as the natures of God and man be ioyned in our Sauiour Christ, which we do not teach, bicause we finde no such doctrine taught by Christ, by his Apostles, nor Euangilistes.