A19563:2412
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.
As touching the Sacrament, I said that forasmuch as the whole matter standeth in the understanding of these words of Christ:1 This is my body, This is my blood, I say that Christ in these words made demonstration of the bread & wine, and speak figuratively, calling bread his body, & wine his blood, because he ordained them to be the Sacraments of his body & blood. And where the Papists say in these two points contrary unto me, that Christ called not bread his body, but a substance uncertain, nor spake figuratively, herein I said I would be judged by the old Church, and which doctrine could be proved the elder, that I would stand unto. And forasmuch as I have alleged in my book many old Authors both Greeks & Latins, which about a M. years after Christ continually taught as I do, if they could bring forth but one old Author that saith in these two points as they say, I offered vj. or vij. years ago, & do offer yet still, that I will give place to them. But when I bring forth any Author that saith in most plain terms as I do, yet saith the other part, that the Authors meant not so: as who should say, that the Authors spake one thing and meant clean contrary. And upon the other part, when they can not find any one Author that saith in words as they say, yet say they that the Authors meant as they say.
As touching the Sacramēt, I sayd that forasmuch as the whole matter stādeth in ye vnderstādyng of these wordes of Christ:1 This is my body, This is my bloud, I say that Christ in these words made demōstration of the bread & wine, and speake figuratiuely, calling bread his body, & wine his bloud, bycause he ordeined them to be the Sacramētes of his body & bloud. And where the Papistes say in these two points cōtrary vnto me, that Christ called not bread his body, but a substaunce vncertaine, nor spake figuratiuely, herein I sayd I would be iudged by the old Churche, and which doctrine could be proued the elder, that I would stād vnto. And forasmuch as I haue alledged in my booke many old Authors both Greekes & Latins, which about a M. yeares after Christ cōtinually taught as I do, if they could bryng forth but one old Author that sayth in these two pointes as they say, I offred vj. or vij. yeares agoe, & do offer yet still, that I will geue place to them. But when I bring forth any Author that sayth in most playne termes as I do, yet sayth the other part, that the Authors meant not so: as who should say, that the Authours spake one thyng and meant cleane contrary. And vpō the other part, whē they cā not finde any one Authour that sayth in wordes as they say, yet say they that the Authors meant as they say.