A19563:1763
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 in the said heresies (as you say) was some appearance of the truth, every one having Scripture, which in sound of words seemed to approve their errors, whereby they deceived many. But as for your feigned doctrine of Transubstantiation, it hath no pretence nor appearance of truth by Gods word, for you have not one Scripture that maketh mention thereof, where as I have many plain & manifest Scriptures, that speaketh in plain terms, that bread is eaten, and wine is drunken. And this Author Gelasius, with divers other learned men, aswell Greeks as Latins, of the old Catholic Church, affirm in no doubtful words, that the bread and wine be not gone, but remain still. From which Scriptures and Doctors who soever dissenteth, declareth him self at the least to be ⟨p. 315⟩ignorant, whereby yet he may excuse him self of a greater blot & infamy.
And in the sayd heresies (as you say) was some appearāce of the truth, euery one hauyng Scripture, which in sounde of wordes seemed to approue their errours, whereby they deceiued many. But as for your fayned doctrine of Transubstātiation, it hath no pretēce nor appearance of truth by Gods word, for you haue not one Scripture that maketh mētion therof, where as I hane many playne & manifest Scriptures, that speaketh in playne termes, that bread is eaten, and wine is dronken. And this Author Gelasius, with diuers other learned men, aswel Greekes as Latins, of the old Catholicke Churche, affirme in no doubtfull wordes, that the bread and wine be not gone, but remaine still. From which Scriptures and Doctours who soeuer dissenteth, declareth him selfe at the least to be ⟨p. 315⟩ignoraūt, wherby yet he may excuse him selfe of a greater blot & infamy.
And this matter being so clear, neither your fine disguising, nor your painted colours, nor your gay Rhetoric, nor witty inventions, can so hide and cover the truth, that it shall not appear, but the more you labour to strive against the stream, the more faint shall you wax, and at length the truth hath such a violence, that you shall be borne clean down with the stream thereof.