A19563:239
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 here may the Reader note one thing by the way, that it is a foul clout that you would refuse to wipe your nose withal, when you take such men to prove your matter, whom you have hitherto accounted most vile, and filthy heretics. And yet now you be glad to fly to them for succour, whom you take for Gods enemies, and to whom you have ever had a singular hatred. You pretend that you stay your self upon ancient writers: And why run you now to such men for aid, as be not only new, but also as you think, be evil and corrupt in judgement: And to such as think you, by your writings and doings, as rank a Papist, as is any ⟨p. 16⟩at Rome.
But here may the Reader note one thing by the way, that it is a foule cloute that you would refuse to wipe your nose withal, when you take such men to proue your matter, whom you haue hetherto accounted moste vile, and filthy heretickes. And yet now you be glad to flye to them for succour, whom you take for Gods enemyes, and to whom you haue euer had a singular hatred. You pretende that you stay your selfe vpon auncyent wryters: And why runne you now to such men for ayde, as be not onely new, but also as you thinke, be euill and corrupt in iudgement: And to such as thinke you, by your writinges and doinges, as ranke a Papiste, as is any ⟨p. 16⟩at Rome.
And yet not one of these new men (whom you allege) do throughly agree with your doctrine, either in transubstantiation, or in carnal eating and drinking of Christs flesh and blood, or in the sacrifice of Christ in the mass, nor yet throughly in the real presence. For they affirm not such a gross presence of Christs body, as expelleth the substance of bread, and is made by conversion thereof into the substance of Christs body, and is eaten with the mouth. And yet if they did, the ancient authors that were next unto Christs time (whom I have alleged) may not give place unto these new men in this matter, although they were men of excellent learning and judgement, how so ever it liketh you to accept them.