A19563:1894
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.
Now if the blessing of a man be of such value, that it may change nature, what do we say of the consecration of God? wherein is the operation of the words of our saviour Christ? For this Sacrament which thou receivest is done by the word of Christ. Then if the word of Elijah was of such power, that it could bring fire down from heaven, shall not the word of Christ be of that power, to change the kinds of the elements? 1Of the making of the whole world, thou hast red that God spake, and the things were done, he commanded and they were created: The word then of Christ, that could of no things, make things that were not, can it not change those things that be, into that thing, which before they were not? For it is no less matter to give to things new nature, then to alter natures.
Now if the blessing of a man bee of such valew, that it may chaunge nature, what do we say of the consecration of God? wherein is the operation of the wordes of our sauiour Christ? For this Sacrament which thou receiuest is done by the word of Christ. Then if the word of Helias was of such power, that it could bring fyre down from heauen, shall not the word of Christ be of that power, to chaunge the kindes of the elementes? 1Of the making of the whole world, thou hast red that God spake, and the thinges were done, he commaunded and they were created: The word then of Christ, that could of no things, make things that were not, can it not chaūge those thinges that be, into that thing, which before they were not? For it is no les matter to geue to thinges new nature, then to alter natures.
Thus far have I rehearsed the woes of S. Ambrose, if the said book be his (which they that be of greatest learning and judgement do not think) by which words the Papists would prove, that in the supper of the Lord after the words of Consecration (as they be commonly called) there remaineth neither bread nor wine, because that S. Ambrose saith in this place, that the nature of the bread and wine is changed.