A19563:251
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.
1The Supper of the Lord, otherwise called the holy communion or sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, hath been of many men, and by sundry ways very much abused,2 but specially within these four or five hundred years. Of some it hath been used as a Sacrifice propitiatory for sin: and otherwise superstitiously, far from the intent that Christ did first ordain the same at the beginning, doing therein great wrong and injury to his death and passion. And of other some it hath been very lightly esteemed, or rather contemned and despised as a thing of small or of none effect. And thus between both the parties hath been much variance and contention in divers parts of Christendom. Therefore to the intent that this holy Sacrament or Lords Supper may hereafter neither of the one party be contemned or lightly esteemed, nor of the other party be abused to any other purpose then Christ himself did first appoint & ordain the same, and that so the contention on both parties may be quieted and ended the most sure and plain way is to cleave unto holy scripture. Wherein whatsoever is found, must be taken for a most sure ground, and an infallible truth, and whatsoever cannot be grounded upon the same, touching our faith, is mans devise changeable and uncertain. And therefore here are set forth the very words that Christ him self and his Apostle S. Paul spake, both of the eating and drinking of Christs body & blood, & also of the eating & drinking of the sacrament of the same. First,3 as concerning the eating of the body, and drinking of the blood of our Saviour Christ, he speaketh him self in the sixth Chapter of Saint John in this wise.
1THe Supper of the Lord, otherwise called the holy communion or sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ, hath been of many men, and by sundry wayes very much abused,2 but specially within these four or fiue hundered yeares. Of some it hath beene vsed as a Sacrifice propiciatory for sinne: and otherwise superstitiouslye, far from the intent that Christ did first ordaine the same at the beginning, doing therein great wrong and iniury to his death and passion. And of other some it hath been very lightly estemed, or rather contemned and despiced as a thing of smal or of none effect. And thus betweene both the parties hath been much variance and contention in diuers partes of Christendome. Therefore to the intent that this holy Sacrament or Lords Supper may hereafter neither of the one party be contemned or lightly esteemed, nor of the other party be abused to any other purpose then Christ himselfe did first appoint & ordain the same, and that so the contention on both parties may be quieted and ended the most sure and playn way is to cleaue vnto holye scripture. Wherein whatsoeuer is found, must be taken for a most sure ground, and an infallible truth, and whatsoeuer cannot be grounded vpon the same, touching our faith, is mans deuise changeable and vncertain. And therfore here are set forth the very words that Christ him selfe and his Apostle S. Paule spake, both of the eating and drinking of Christs body & bloud, & also of the eating & drinking of the sacramēt of the same. First,