A19563:322
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.
1But when Christ said, the bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world,2 if he had fulfilled this promise at his supper (as you say he did) then what needed he after to dye that we might live, if he fulfilled his promise of life at his supper? Why said the Prophets, that he should be wounded for our iniquities, and that by his wounds we should be healed if we had life, and were healed before he was wounded?3 Why doth the catholic faith teach us to believe that we be redeemed by his blood shedding, if he gave us life (which is our redemption) the night before he shed his blood? And why saith S. Paul that there is no remission without blood shedding? Yea why did he say: Absit mihi gloriari, nisi in cruce, God forbid that I should rejoice, but in the cross only. Why did he not rather say? Absit mihi gloriari, nisi in caena Domini. God forbid that I should rejoice, but in the Lords supper: whereat as you say, the promise of life was fulfilled. This is godly doctrine for such men to make, as being ignorant in Gods word, wander in fantasies of their own devises,4 and putantes se esse sapientes, stulti facti sunt. But the true faithful believing man professeth, that Christ by his death, overcame him that was the Author of death, and hath reconciled us to his Father,5 making us his children, and heirs of his kingdom: that as many as believe in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. Thus saith the true christian man, putting his hope of life and eternal salvation, neither in Christs supper, (although the same be to him a great confirmation of his faith) nor in any thing else, but with S. Paul faith: Mihi absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jesus Christi: 6God save me that I rejoice in nothing, but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1But when Christ sayd, the bread which I will geue is my flesh, which I will geue for the life of the worlde,