A19563:1985
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.
The best plaster and medicine that could now be devised, were to leave a part questions §1and idle talk, and meekly to submit our capacities to the true faith, and not to overwhelm our understandings with search and inquiry, whereof we shall never find an end, entering the bottomless secrecy of Gods mysteries. Let us not seek that is above our reach, but that God hath commanded us let us do. Each man impugneth an others learning with words, none controleth in others living with better deeds. Let all endeavour themselves to do that God commandeth, and the good occupation thereof shall exclude all such idleness as is cause and occasion of this vain and noisome curiosity. And now to return to this author, whiles he seeth a mate in an other mans eye, he feeleth not a beam in his own. Who recommendeth unto us specially Theodoret, whom he calleth an holy Bishop, and with him doth bring forth a piece of an Epistle of S. Chrysostom. The doctrine of which two joined with the doctrine of this author, in such sense as this author would have all understanded to be called catholic, touching the faith of the sacrament, hath such an absurdity in it, as was never hard of in religion.§2 For this author teacheth for his part that the body of Christ is only really in heaven and not indeed in the sacrament, according whereunto this author teacheth also the bread to be very bread still, which doctrine if it be true as this author will needs have it, then join unto it the doctrine of the secret Epistle of Chrysostom and Theodoret,§3 whose doctrine is that after the consecration, that is consecrate, shall be called no more bread, but the body of Christ. By these two doctrines joined together it shall appear that we must call that is consecrate, by a name that we be learned by, this author it is not, and may not by the doctrine of Theodoret call it by the name of the which this author teacheth us in deed it is. And thus: It is in deed bread quoth this author, but call it not so quoth this Theodoret: It is not in deed the body of Christ quoth this author, but yet in any wise call it so quoth Theodoret. Here is plain simulation and dissimulation