A19563:1877
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.
In all these negatives, our saviour Christ spake not precisely and utterly to deny all the foresaid things, but in comparison of them to prefer other things, as to prefer our father and Lord in heaven, above any worldly father, lord or master in earth, and his fear above the fear of any creature, and his word and gospel above all worldly peace. Also to prefer spiritual and inward honouring of God in pure hart and mind, above local, corporal and outward honour, and that Christ preferred his fathers glory above his own.
In all these negatiues, our sauiour Christ spake not precisely and vtterly to deny all the foresayd thinges, but in comparison of them to prefer other thinges, as to prefer our father and Lord in heauen, aboue any worldly father, lord or master in earth, and his feare aboue the feare of any creature, and his word and gospell aboue all worldly peace. Also to prefer spirituall and inward honoring of God in pure hart and mynd, aboue locall, corporall and outward honour, and that Christ preferred his fathers glory aboue his owne.
Now for as much as I have declared at length, the nature and kind of these negative speeches (which be no pure negatives but by comparison) it is easy hereby to make answer to S. John Chrysostom, who used this phrase of speech most of any author. For his meaning in his foresaid Homily, was not that in the celebration of the Lords supper is neither bread nor wine, neither priest nor the body of Christ, (which the Papists themselves must needs confess) but his intent was to draw our minds upward to heaven, that we should not consider so much the bread, wine, and priest, as we should consider his divinity and holy spirit given unto us to our eternal salvation.
Now for as much as I haue declared at length, the nature and kind of these negatiue speaches (which be no pure negatiues but by comparison) it is easye hereby to make answer to S. Iohn Chrisostom, who vsed this phrase of speach most of any author. For his meaning in his foresayd Homily, was not that in the celebration of the Lordes supper is neyther bread nor wine, neither priest nor the body of Christ, (which the Papistes themselues must needes confesse) but his intent was to draw our mindes vpward to heauen, that we should not consider so much the bread, wine, and priest, as we should consider his diuinity and holy spirite giuen vnto vs to our eternall saluation.