A19563:660
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.
Hitherto you have heard Vigilius speak, that Christ (as concerning his bodily presence and the nature of his manhood) is gone from us, taken from us, is gone up into heaven, is not with us, hath left us, hath forsaken us. But as concerning the other nature of his Deity, he is still with us, so that he is both with ⟨p. 100⟩us, and not with us, with us in the nature of his Deity, and not with us in the nature of his humanity. And yet more clearly doth the same Vigilius declare the same thing in another place,1 saying.
Hetherto you haue heard Vigilius speake, that Christ (as concerning his bodely presence and the nature of his manhode) is gone from vs, taken from vs, is gone vp into heauē, is not with vs, hath left vs, hath forsaken vs. But as concerning the other nature of his Deitie, he is still with vs, so that he is both with ⟨p. 100⟩vs, and not with vs, with vs in the nature of his Deitye, and not with vs in the nature of his humanity. And yet more cleerely doth the same Vigilius declare the same thing in another place,1 saying.
- 1Contra Euticē lib. 4.Contra Euticē lib. 4.
If the word and the flesh were both of one nature, seeing that the word is every where, why is not the flesh then every where? For when it was in earth, then verily it was not in heaven: and now when it is in heaven, it is not surely in earth. And it is so sure that it is not in earth, that as concerning it, we look for him to come from heaven, whom as concerning his eternal word: we believe to be with us in earth. Therefore by your doctrine (saith Vigilius unto Eutiches, who defended that the divinity and humanity in Christ was but one nature) either the word is contained in a place with his flesh: or else the flesh is every where with the word. For one nature cannot receive in it self two divers and contrary things. But these two things be divers and far unlike, that is to say, to be contained in a place, and to be every where. Therefore in as much as the word is every where, and the flesh is not every where, it appeareth plainly, that one Christ himself hath in him two natures. And that by his divine nature he is every where, and by his human nature he is contained in a place, that he is created, and hath no beginning, that he is subject to death, and cannot die. Whereof one he hath by the nature of his word (whereby he is God) and the other he hath hy the nature of his flesh, whereby the same God is man also. Therefore one son of God, the self same was made the son of man, and he hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh, and no beginning by the nature of his Godhead. He is created by the nature of his flesh, and not created by the nature of his Godhead. He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh, and not comprehended in a place by the nature of his Godhead. He is inferior to angels in the nature of his flesh, and is equal to his Father in the nature of his Godhead. He dyed by the nature of his flesh, and dyed not by the nature of his Godhead. This is the faith and catholic confession, which the Apostles taught, the Martyrs did corroborate, and faithful people keep unto this day.