A19563:327
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.
Winchester.
The Author uttereth a great many words, from the eight to the seventeenth chapter of the first book, declaring spiritual hunger and thirst, and the relieving of the same by spiritual feeding in Christ, and of Christ, as we constantly believe in him, to the confirmation of which belief, the author would have the Sacraments of Baptism, and of the body and blood of Christ, to be adminicles as it were, & that we by them be preached unto, as in water, bread and wine, and by them all our sins (as it were) spoken unto, or properly touched, which matter in the gross, although there be some words by the way not tolerable, yet if those words set apart, the same were in the sum granted, to be good teaching and wholesome exhortation, it containeth so no more but good matter, not well applied. For the Catholic church that professeth the truth of the presence of Christs body in the Sacrament, would therewith use that declaration of hunger of Christ, and that spiritual refreshing in Christ, with the effect of Christs passion and death, and the same to be the only mean of mans regeneratio, and feeding also, with the differences of that feeding, from bodily feeding, for continuing this earthly life. But this toucheth not the principal point that should be entreated. Whether Christ so ordered to feed such as be regenerate in him, to give to them in the Sacrament the same his body, that he gave to be crucified for us. The good man is fed by faith, and by merits of Christs passion, being the mean of the gift of that faith, and other gifts also, and by the suffering of the body of Christ, and shedding of his most precious blood on the altar of the Cross: which work and passion of Christ is preached unto us, by words and Sacraments, and the same doctrine received of us by faith, and the effect of it also. And thus far goeth the doctrine of this author.
The Author vttereth a great many wordes, from the eyght to the seuententh chapiter of the fyrst booke, declaryng spirituall hunger and thirst, and the releuing of the same by spyrituall feeding in Christe, and of Christe, as we constantly beleue in him, to the confirmation of whiche beliefe, the author would haue the Sacramentes of Baptisme, and of the body and bloud of Christ, to be adminicles as it were, & that we by them be preached vnto, as in water, breade and wyne, and by them all our sinnes (as it were) spoken vnto, or properly touched, which matter in the grosse, although there be some wordes by the way not tollerable, yet if those wordes set apart, the same were in the summe graunted, to be good teachyng and holsome exhortation, it contayneth so no more but good matter, not well applyed. For the Catholicke churche that professeth the truth of the presence of Christes body in the Sacramēt, would therewith vse that declaratiō of hunger of Christ, and that spirituall refreshing in Christ, with theffect of Christes passion and death, and the same to be the onely meane of mans regeneratio, and feeding also, with the differēces of that feeding, from bodilye feeding, for continuing thys earthly lyfe. But thys toucheth not the principal poynt that should be intreated. Whether Christ so ordered to feede such as be regenerate in him, to geue to them in the Sacramēt the same his body, that he gaue to be crucified for vs. The good man is fed by fayth, and by merites of Christes passion, being the mean of the gift of that fayth, and other giftes also, and by the suffering of the body of Christ, and shedding of his most precious bloud on the altar of the Crosse: which worke and passion of Christ is preached vnto vs, by wordes aud Sacramentes, and the same doctrine receaued of vs by fayth, and theffect of it also. And thus farre goeth the doctrine of this author.