A19563:2017
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.
Canterbury.
Caunterbury.
AS touching this your second mark in the ministration of the Sacraments, aswell of the Lords holy Supper as of Baptism, God worketh wonderfully by his omnipotent power in the true receivers, not in the outward visible signs. For it is the person Baptised, that is so regenerate, that he is made a new creature, without any real alteration of the water. And none otherwise it is the Lords Supper, for the bread & wine remain in their former substance, & neither be fed nor nourished, & yet in the man that worthily receiveth them, is such a wonderful nourishment wrought by the mighty power of God, that he hath thereby everlasting life. And this is the ineffable work of God, whereof Cyprian speaketh.
AS touchyng this your second marke in the ministration of the Sacramentes, aswell of the Lordes holy Supper as of Baptisme, God worketh wonderfully by his omnipotent power in the true receauers, not in the outward visible signes. For it is the person Baptised, that is so regenerate, that he is made a new creature, without any reall alteration of the water. And none otherwise it is the Lordes Supper, for the bread & wine remaine in their former substaunce, & neither be fed nor nourished, & yet in the man that worthely receiueth them, is such a wonderfull nourishmēt wrought by ye mighty power of God, that he hath thereby euerlasting life. And this is the ineffable worke of God, wherof Cyprian speaketh.
So that aswell in the Lords Supper as in Baptism, the marvellous working of God (passing the comprehension of all mans wit) is in the spiritual receivers, not in the bread, wine & water, nor in the carnal & ungodly receivers. For what should it avail the lively members of Christ that God worketh in his dead and insensible creatures? But in his members he is present, not figuratively, but effectually, and effectually and ineffably worketh in them, nourishing and feeding them so wonderfully, that it passeth all wits and tongues to express.