A19563:2186
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 as the register keepeth all mens wills, and yet hath none authority to add, change, or take away any thing, nor yet to expound the wills further then the very words of the will extend unto, (so that he hath no power over the will, but by the will,) even so hath the church no further power over the holy scripture (which containeth the will and testament of god) but only to keep it, and to see it observed and kept. For if the Church proceed further, to make any new Articles of the faith, besides the Scripture, or contrary to the Scripture, or direct not the form of life according to the same, then it is not the pillar of truth, nor the Church of Christ, but the synagogue of Satan, and the temple of Antichrist, which both erreth it self, and bringeth into error as many as do follow it.
And as the register keepeth all mens wils, and yet hath none authority to adde, change, or take away any thing, nor yet to expound the wils further then the very words of the will extend vnto, (so that he hath no power ouer the will, but by the will,) euen so hath the church no further power ouer the holy scripture (which conteyneth the will and testamēt of god) but onely to keepe it, and to see it obserued and kept. For if the Church proceede further, to make any new Articles of the fayth, besides the Scripture, or contrary to the Scripture, or direct not the forme of life accordyng to the same, then it is not the piller of truth, nor the Church of Christ, but the sinagogue of Sathan, and the temple of Antichrist, which both erreth it selfe, and bringeth into errour as many as do folow it.
And the holy Church of Christ is but a small herd or flock, in comparison to the great multitude of them that follow Satan and Antichrist, as Christ him self saith,1 and the word of God, and the course of the world from the beginning until this day hath declared.
And the holy Church of Christ is but a small herd or flocke, in comparison to the great multitude of them that folow Sathan and Antichrist, as Christ him selfe sayth,