A19563:2411
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.
This that I have spoken against the power & authority of the Pope, I have not spoken, (I take God to record and judge) for any malice I owe to the Popes person, whom I know not, but I shall pray to God to give him grace, that he may seek above all things to promote Gods honour and glory, and not to follow the trade of his predecessors in these latter days, nor I have not spoken it for fear of punishment and to avoid the same, thinking it rather an occasion to aggravate, then to diminish my trouble: but I have spoken it for my most bounden duty to the crown, liberties, laws, and customs of this ⟨p. 424⟩Realm, but most especially to discharge my conscience in uttering the truth to Gods glory, casting away all fear, by the comfort which I have in Christs words, who saith:1 Fear not them that kill the body and can not kill the Soul, but fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell. He that for fear to lose this life will forsake the truth, shall lose the everlasting life: and he that for the truths sake will spend his life, shall find everlasting life.2 And Christ promiseth to stand fast with them, before his Father, which will stand fast with him here: which comfort is so great, that whosoever hath his eyes fixed upon Christ, can not greatly pass of this life, knowing that he may be sure to have Christ stand by him, in the presence of his Father in heaven.
This that I haue spokē agaynst the power & authoritie of the Pope, I haue not spokē, (I take God to record and iudge) for any malice I owe to the Popes person, whom I know not, but I shall pray to God to geue him grace, that he may seeke aboue all thynges to promote Gods honour and glory, and not to follow the trade of his predecessours in these latter dayes, nor I haue not spoken it for feare of punishmēt and to auoyde the same, thinkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate, then to diminish my trouble: but I haue spoken it for my most bounden duetie to the crowne, liberties, lawes, and customes of this ⟨p. 424⟩Realme, but most especially to discharge my conscience in vttering the truth to Gods glory, castyng away all feare, by the comfort whiche I haue in Christes wordes, who sayth: