A19563:566
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 nevertheless as the fathers had the same Christ and mediator that we have (as you here confess) so did they spiritually eat his f•esh and drink his blood (as we do) and spiritually feed of him, and by faith he was present with them (as he is with us) although carnally and corporally he was yet to come unto them, and from us is gone up to his father into heaven.
And neuerthelesse as the fathers had the same Christ and mediator that we haue (as you here confesse) so did they spiritually eat his f•esh and drinke his bloud (as we doe) and spiritually feed of him, and by faith he was present with thē (as he is with vs) although carnally and corporally he was yet to come vnto thē, and from vs is gon vp to his father into heauen.
This besides saint Augustine is plainly set out by Bertram above 6. hundred years passed,1 whose judgement in this matter of the sacrament, although you allow not (because it utterly condemneth your doctrine therein) yet forasmuch as hitherto his teaching was never reproved by none, but by you alone, and that he is commended of other, as an excellent learned man in holy scripture, and a notable famous man, aswell in living as learning, and that among his excellent works this one is specially praised, which ⟨p. 78⟩he wrote of the matter of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord, therefore I shall rehearse his teaching in this point, how the holy fathers and Prophets before the coming of Christ did eat Christs flesh and drink his blood: So that although Bertram's saying be not esteemed with you, yet the indifferent reader may see what was written in this matter, before your doctrine was invented. And although his authority be not received of you, yet his words may serve against Smith,2