A19563:497
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 this fourth man (say you) hath no participation with faith, condemning all the true public faith testified in the church from the beginning hitherto, which hath ever with wonder marvelled at the mystery of the Sacrament, which is no wonder at all, if bread be but a signification of Christ his body, this is a wonderful saying of you, as of one that understood nothing utterly, what a Sacrament meaneth, and what is to be wondered at in the Sacrament.1 For the wonder is not, how God worketh in the outward visible Sacrament, but his marvellous work is in the worthy receivers of the Sacraments. The wonderful work of God is not in the water, which o•ely washeth the body, but God by his omnipotent power, worketh wonderfully in the receivers thereof, scouring, washing, and making them clean inwardly, and as it were new men, and celestial creatures. This have all•olde authors wondered at, this wonder passeth the capacities of all mens wits how damnation is turned into salvation, and of the Son of the devil condemned into hell, is made the Son of God, and inheritor of heaven. This wonderful work of God all men may marvel and wonder at, but no creature is able sufficiently to comprehend it. And as this is wondered at in the Sacrament of Baptism, how he that was subject unto death, receiveth life by Christ, and his holy Spirit. So is this wondered at in the Sacrament of Christs holy Table, how the same life is continued and endureth for ever, by continual feeding upon Christs flesh and his blood. And these wonderful works of God towards us, we be taught by Gods holy word, and his Sacraments of bread, wine, and water, and yet be not these wonderful works of God in the Sacraments, but in us.
But this fourth man (say you) hath no participation with faith, condemning all the true publick faith testified in the church from the beginning hetherto, which hath euer with wonder marueiled at the mistery of the Sacrament, which is no wonder at all, if bread be but a signification of Christ his body, this is a wonderfull saying of you, as of one that vnderstoode nothing vtterly, what a Sacrament meaneth, and what is to be wondred at in the Sacrament.1 For the wonder is not, how God worketh in the outward visible Sacrament, but his marueilous worke is in the worthy receauers of the Sacramentes. The wonderfull worke of God is not in the water, which oely washeth the body, but God by his omnipotent power, worketh wonderfully in the receauers thereof, scouring, washing, and making them clean inwardly, and as it were new mē, and celestiall creatures. This haue allolde authors wondered at, this wonder passeth the capacities of all mens wits how damnation is turned into saluation, and of the Sonne of the deuill condemned into hell, is made the Sonne of God, and inheritour of heauen. This wonderfull worke of God all men may maruel and wonder at, but no creature is able sufficiently to comprehend it. And as this is wondred at in the Sacrament of Baptisme, how he that was subiect vnto death, receiueth life by Christ, and his holy Spirite. So is this wondred at in the Sacrament of Christes holy Table, how the same life is continued and endureth for euer, by continuall feeding vpon Christes flesh and his bloud. And these wonderfull workes of God towardes vs, we be taught by Gods holy worde, and his Sacramentes of breade, wine, and water, and yet be not these wōderfull workes of God in the Sacraments, but in vs.