A19563:2413
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.
Now whether they or I speak more to the purpose herein, I refer it to the judgement of all indifferent hearers. Yea the old Church of Rome about a thousand years together, neither believed nor used the Sacrament as the Church of Rome hath done of late years. For in the beginning the Church of Rome taught a pure & a sound doctrine of the Sacrament, but that after the Church of Rome fell into a new doctrine of Transubstantiation, and with the doctrine they changed the use of the Sacrament, contrary to that Christ commanded, and the old Church of Rome used above a M. years. And yet to deface the old they say that the new is the old: wherein for my part I am content to the trial to stand: But their doctrine is so fond and uncomfortable, that I marvel that any man would allow it, if he knew what it is, & what soever they bear the people in hand, that which they write in their books hath neither truth nor comfort. For by their doctrine, of one body of Christ is made two bodies:1 one natural having distance of members with form and proportion of a mans perfect body, and this body is in heaven, but the body of Christ in the Sacrament by their own doctrine, must needs be a monstrous body, having neither distance of members nor form, fashion or proportion of a mans natural body, and such a body is in the Sacrament (teach they) and goeth into the mouth with the form of bread, and entereth no farther then the form of bread goeth, nor tarrieth no longer then the form of bread is by natural heat in digesting, so that when the form of bread is digested, that body of Christ is gone.
Now whether they or I speake more to the purpose herein, I referre it to the iudgement of all indifferent hearers. Yea the old Church of Rome about a thousand yeares together, neither beleued nor vsed the Sacrament as the Church of Rome hath done of late yeares. For in the begynnyng the Church of Rome taught a pure & a sound doctrine of the Sacrament, but that after the Church of Rome fell into a new doctrine of Trāsubstantiation, and with the doctrine they chaunged the vse of the Sacrament, cōtrary to that Christ commaunded, and the old Church of Rome vsed aboue a M. yeares. And yet to deface the old they say that the new is the old: wherein for my part I am content to the triall to stād: But their doctrine is so fonde and vncomfortable, that I marueile that any man would allow it, if he knew what it is, & what soeuer they beare the people in hād, that which they write in their bookes hath neither truth nor comfort. For by their doctrine, of one body of Christ is made two bodies: