A19563:2012
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 this teaching impugneth the heresies of the Ualentinians, Arians, and other heretics, and so doth not your feigned doctrine of Transubstantiation, of the real presence of Christs flesh and blood in the Sacrament, under the forms of bread and wine: and that ungodly and wicked men eat and drink the same, which shall be cast away from the eternal life, and perish for ever. And for further answer to Hilary, I refer the Reader to mine other answer made to him before.
And this teachyng impugneth the heresies of the Ualentinians, Arrians, and other heretickes, and so doth not your fayned doctrine of Transubstantiation, of the reall presence of Christes flesh and bloud in the Sacrament, vnder the formes of bread and wine: and that vngodly and wicked men eate and drinke the same, which shall be cast away from the eternall lyfe, and perish for euer. And for further aunswere to Hilary, I referre the Reader to myne other aunswere made to him before.
And for S. Chrysostom, Gelasius, and Theodorete, if there be no bread and wine in the Sacrament, their Arguments serve for the heretics purpose, and clean directly against them selves. For their intent against the heretics, is to prove that to the full perfection of Christ is required a perfect soul, and a perfect body, and to be perfect God and perfect man. As to the full perfection of the Sacrament is required pure and perfect bread and wine, and the perfect body and blood of Christ. So that now turning the Argument, if there be no perfect bread and wine (as the Papists falsely surmise) then may the heretics conclude against the Catholic faith, and convince Chrysostom, Gelasius & Theodorete with their own weapon, that is to say, with their own similitude, that as in the Sacrament lacketh the earthly part, so doth in Christ lack his humanity. And as to all our senses seemeth to be bread and wine, and yet is none in deed, so shall they argue by this similitude, that in Christ seemed to all our senses flesh and blood, and yet was there none in very deed. And thus by your devilish Transubstantiation of bread and wine, do you transubstantiate also the body and blood of Christ, not convincing but confirming most heinous heresies. And this is the conclusion of your ungodly feigned doctrine of transubstantiation.