A19563:2122
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.
But doctor Smith (as it appeareth by the title of his preface) hath craftily devised an easy way to obtain his purpose, that the people being barred from the searching of the truth, might be still kept in blindness and error, as well in this as in all other matters, wherein they have been in times past deceived.
But doctour Smith (as it appeareth by the title of his preface) hath craftely deuised an easy way to obtayne his purpose, that the people being barred from the serching of the truth, might be stil kept in blindnes and errour, as wel in this as in al other matters, wherin they haue bene in times past deceaued.
He seeth full well that the more diligently,1 matters be searched out and discussed, the more clearly the craft and falsehood of the subtle Papists will appear. And therefore in the preface to the reader, he exhorteth all men to leave disputing and reasoning of the fame by learning, and to give firm credit unto the church, as the title of the said preface declareth manifestly. As who should say, the truth of any matter that is in question, might be tried out, without debating and reasoning by the word of God, whereby (as by the true touchstone) all mens doctrines are to be tried and examined. But the truth is not ashamed to come to the light, and to be tried to the uttermost. For as pure gold, the more it is tried, the more pure it appeareth, so is all manner of truth. Where as on the other side all maskers, counterfeiters, and false deceivers abhor the light, and refuse the trial. If all men without right or reason would give credit unto this Papist and his Romish church, against the most certain word of God and the old holy and Catholic Church of Christ, the matter should be soon at an end, and out of all controversy. But for as much as the pure word of God, and the first church of Christ from the beginning, ⟨p. 396⟩taught the true catholic faith, and Smith with his church of Rome do now teach the clean contrary, the chaff can not be tried out from the pure corn (that is to say, the untruth discerned from the very truth) without threshing, windowing, and fanning, searching, debating and reasoning.