A19563:357
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.
And for this consideration our Saviour Christ hath not only set forth these things most plainly in his holy word, that we may hear them with our ears, but he hath also ordained one visible sacrament of spiritual regeneration in water, and an other visible sacrament of spiritual nourishment, in bread and wine, to the intent, that as much as is possible for man, we may see Christ with our eyes, smell him at our nose, taste him with our mouths, grope him with our hands, and perceive him with all our senses. For as the word of God preached, putteth Christ into our ears, so likewise these elements of water, bread and wine, joined to Gods word, do after a sacramental manner, put Christ into our eyes, mouths, hands, and all our senses.
And for this consideration our Sauiour Christ hath not only set forth these thyngs most playnly in his holy word, that we may heare them with our eares, but he hath also ordayned one visible sacrament of spirituall regeneration in water, and an other visible sacrament of spirituall nourishment, in bread and wine, to the intent, that as much as is possible for man, we may see Christ with our eyes, smell hym at our nose, taste hym with our mouthes, grope hym with our handes, and perceiue hym with all our senses. For as the word of God preached, putteth Christ into our eares, so likewise these elementes of water, bread and wyne, ioyned to Gods word, do after a sacramentall maner, put Christ into our eyes, mouthes, handes, and all our senses.
And for this cause Christ ordained baptism in water, that as surely as we see, feel and touch water with our bodies, and be washed with water, so assuredly ought we to believe, when we be baptised, that Christ is verily present with us, and that by him we be newly borne again spiritually, and washed from our sins, and grafted in the stock of Christs own body, and be apparelled, clothed, and harnessed with him, in such wise, that as the devil hath no power against Christ, so hath he none against us, so long as we remain, grafted in that stock, and be clothed with that apparel, and harnessed with that armour. So that the washing in water of baptism, is as it were showing of Christ before our eyes, and a sensible touching, feeling and groping of him, to the confirmation of the inward faith, which we have in him.