A19563:604
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.
1And where you speak of the participation of Christs flesh and blood, if you mean of the sacramental participation only, that thereby we be ascertained of the regeneration of our bodies, that they shall live, and have the fruition of God with our souls for ever, you be in an horrible error, And if you mean a spiritual participation of Christs body and blood, then all this your process is in vain, and serveth nothing for your purpose, to prove that Christs flesh and blood be corporally in the sacrament, under the forms of bread and wine, and participated of them that be evil (as you teach) which be no whit thereby the more certain of their salvation, but of their damnation, as S. Paul saith.
1And where you speake of the participation of Christes flesh and bloud, if you meane of the sacramentall participatiō onely, that therby we be ascertayned of the regeneration of our bodies, that they shall liue, and haue the fruition of God with our soules for euer, you be in an horrible errour, And if you meane a spirituall participation of Christes body and bloud, then all this your processe is in vaine, and serueth nothing for your purpose, to proue that Christes flesh and bloud be corporally in the sacrament, vnder the formes of bread and wine, and participated of them that be euill (as you teach) which be no whit therby the more certain of their saluation, but of their damnation, as S. Paul saith.
- 1Heb. 10.
1And although the holy supper of the Lord be not a vain or fantastical supper, wherein things should be promised, which be not performed, to them that worthily come thereunto, but Christs flesh and blood be there truly eaten and drunken in deed, yet that mystical supper can not be without mysteries and figures. And although we feed in deed of Christs body, and drink in deed his blood, yet not corporally, quantitatively, and palpably, as we shall be regenerated at the resurrection, and as he was betrayed, walked here in earth, and was very man. And therefore although the things by you rehearsed, be all truly done, yet all be not done after one sort and fashion, but some corporally and visibly, some spiritually and invisibly. And therefore to all your comparisons or similitudes here by you rehearsed, if there be given to every one his true understanding, they may be so granted all to be true. But if you will link all these together in one sort and fashion, and make a chain thereof, you shall far pass the bonds of wanton reason, making a chain of gold and copper together, confounding and mixing together, corporal and spiritual, heavenly and earthly things, and bring all to very madness and impiety, or plain and manifest heresy.