A19563:297
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.
After these texts brought in, the author doth in the 4. chap. begin to traverse Christs intent,1 that he intended not by these words (this is my body) to make the bread his body §1but to signify that such as receive that worthily, be members of Christs body. The catholic church acknowledging Christ to be very God and very man, hath from the beginning of these texts of scripture confessed truly Christs intent, and effectual miraculous §2work to make the bread his body, and the wine his blood, to be verily meat, and verily drink, using therein his humanity, wherewith to feed us, as he used the same,§3 wherewith to redeem us, and as he doth sanctify us by his holy spirit, so to sanctify us by his holy divine flesh and blood, and as life is renewed in us by the gift of Christs holy spirit, so life to be increased in us by the gift of his holy flesh. So as he that believeth in Christ, and receiveth the Sacrament of belief, which is Baptism, receiveth really Christs spirit: And likewise he that having Christs spirit, receiveth also the Sacrament of Christs body and blood: Doth really receive in the same, and also effectually, Christs very body and blood. And therefore Christ in the institution of this Sacrament said, delivering that he consecrated: This is my body. &c. And likewise of the cup: This is my blood. &c. And although to mans reason it seemeth strange, that Christ standing, or sitting at the table, should deliver them his body to be eaten: Yet when we ⟨p. 27⟩remember Christ to be very God, we must grant him omnipotent, and by reason thereof, §4repress in our thoughts all imaginations how it might be, and consider Christs intent by his will, preached unto us by Scriptures, and believed universally in his church. But if it may now be thought seemly for us to be so bold, in so high a mystery, to begin to discuss Christs intent: What should move us to think that Christ would use so many §5words, without effectual and real signification, as be rehearsed touching the mystery of this Sacrament?