A19563:2155
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.
Even so it is of the bread and wine in the Lords holy supper. Wherefore every man (as S. Paul saith) must examine himself, when he shall approach to that holy table, and not come to gods board, as he would do to common feasts and banquets, but must consider, that it is a mystical table, where the bread is mystical, and the wine also mystical, wherein we be taught that we spiritually feed upon Christ, eating him and drinking him, and as it were sucking out of his side the blood of our redemption & food of eternal salvation, although he be in heaven at his fathers right hand. And whosoever cometh unto this heavenly table, not having regard to Christs flesh & blood (who should be there our spiritual food) but cometh thereto without faith, fear, humility & reverence (as it were but to carnal feeding) he doth not there feed upon Christ, but the devil doth feed upon him, and devoureth him, as he did Judas.
Euen so it is of the bread and wine in the Lordes holy supper. Wherfore euery man (as S. Paule sayth) must examine himselfe, when he shall aproche to that holy table, and not come to gods borde, as he would do to common feastes and bankets, but must consider, that it is a misticall table, where the bread is misticall, and the wine also misticall, wherin we be taught that we spiritually feed vpon Christ, eating him and drincking him, and as it were sucking out of his side the bloud of our redemption & foode of eternall saluation, although he be in heauen at his fathers right hand. And whosoeuer cōmeth vnto this heauenly table, not hauing regarde to Christes flesh & bloud (who should be there our spirituall foode) but commeth therto without fayth, feare, humility & reuerence (as it were but to carnall feeding) he doth not there feed vpon Christ, but the deuill doth feede vpon him, and deuoureth him, as he did Iudas.
And now may every man perceive, how fondly and falsely M. Smith concludeth of these words of S. Paul, that our Saviour Christs body and blood is really and corporally in the sacrament.
And now may euery man perceaue, how fondly and falsly M. Smith concludeth of these wordes of S. Paule, that our Sauiour Christes body and bloud is really and corporally in the sacrament.