A19563:1707
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 this doctrine which the holy doctors do teach,1 is agreeable to holy scripture, necessary for all christen persons to believe for their everlasting salvation, and profitable for their spiritual comfort in this present life, that is to say, that the Sacrament of Christs body and blood in the natures and substances of bread and wine, is distributed unto all men, both good and evil which receive it, and yet that only faithful persons do receive spiritually by faith, the very body and blood of our Saviour Christ. So that Christs natural body is not in the Sacrament really, substantially, and corporally, but only by representation and signification, and in his lively members by spiritual and effectual operation.
But this doctrine which the holy doctors do teach,1 is agreable to holy scripture, necessary for all christen persons to beleue for their euerlasting saluation, and profitable for their spirituall comfort in this present life, that is to say, that the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud in the natures and substances of bread and wine, is distributed vnto all men, both good and euill which receaue it, and yet that onely faythfull persons do receaue spiritually by fayth, the very body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ. So that Christes naturall body is not in the Sacrament really, substancially, and corporally, but onely by representation and signification, and in his liuely members by spirituall and effectuall operation.
- 1The profit and comfort of the true doctrine.
But it appeareth that you be foul deceived in judgement of the doctrine set out in my book. And if you were not either utterly ignorant in holy scriptures and doctors, or not obstinately bent to pervert the true doctrine of this holy Sacrament, you would never have uttered this sentence.