A19563:195
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.
Winchester.
If this author without force of necessity would induce it, by the like speeches, as when Christ said:1 I am the door, I am the vine, he is Elijah, and such other, and because it is a figurative speech in them, it may be so here, which maketh no kind of proof, that it is so here: But yet if by way of reasoning I would yield to him therein, and call it a figurative §2speech as he doth,2 what other point of faith is there then in the matter, but to believe the story, that Christ did institute such a supper, wherein he gave bread and wine for a token of his body and blood, which is now after this understanding no secret mystery at all,3 or any ordinance above reason. For commonly men use to ordain in sensible things remembrances of themselves when they dye or depart the country. So as in the ordinance of this supper, after this understanding Christ showed not his omnipotency, but only benevolence, that he loved us, and would be remembered of us. For Christ did not say: Whosoever eateth this token, eateth my body, or eateth my flesh, or shall have any profit of it in special, but do this in remembrance of me.
If this author without force of necessitie would induce it, by the like speaches, as whē Christ sayd:1 I am the dore, I am the vine, he is Helias, and such other, and because it is a figuratiue speach in them, it may be so here, which maketh no kynd of proofe, that it is so here: But yet if by way of reasoning I would yeld to him therein, and call it a figuratiue