A19563:495
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.
But in Gods works (say you) as the Sacraments be, we must think §7all seemliness in deed without deformity. But what seemliness is this in a mans body, that the head is where the feet be, and the arms where ⟨p. 65⟩the legs be? which the Papists do teach, and your self seem to confess, when you say: that the parts of Christs body be distinct in themselves, one from another in their own substance, but not by circumscription of several places. And yet you seem again to deny the same in your wise dialogue, or quadriloge, between the curious questioner; the foolish answerer, your wise catholic man standing by, and the mediator.
But in Gods workes (say you) as the Sacramentes be, we must think §7all seemelines in deede without deformity. But what seemelines is this in a mannes body, that the head is where the feete be, and the armes where ⟨p. 65⟩the legges be? which the Papistes doe teach, and your selfe seeme to confesse, when you say: that the partes of Christes body be distinct in themselues, one from another in their own substance, but not by circumscription of seuerall places. And yet you seeme again to deny the same in your wise dialogue, or quadriloge, betweene the curious questioner; the folish ans̄werer, your wise catholick man standing by, and the mediator.
In which dialogue you bring in your wise catholic man to condemn of madness all such as say,1 that Christs head is there where his feet be, and so you condemn of madness not only all the scholastical doctors, which say that Christ is whole in every part of the consecrated bread, but also your own former saying, where you deny the distinction of the parts of Christs body in several places. Wherefore the mediator seemeth wiser then you all, who losing this knot of Gordius, saith: that Christs body (how big soever it be) may be as well signified by a little piece of bread as by a great: and so as concerning the reason of a sacrament, all is one, whether it be an whole bread, or a piece of it, as it skilleth not whether a man be christened in the whole font, or in a part of the water taken out thereof. For the respect and consideration of the Sacrament is all one in the less and more.