A19563:723
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.
Likewise in plain speech it is not true, that we eat Christs body, and drink his blood. For eating & drinking in their proper and usual signification, is with the tongue, teeth, and lips, to swallow, divide, and chaw in pieces: which thing to do to the flesh and blood of Christ, is horrible to be heard of any Christian.
Lykewise in playne speche it is not true, that we eate Christes body, and drinke his bloud. For eating & drinking in their proper and vsuall signification, is with the tongue, teeth, and lyppes, to swallow, diuide, and chawe in peeces: which thinge to do to the flesh and bloud of Christ, is horrible to be heard of any Christian.
So that these speeches, To eat Christs body and drink his blood,1 to call bread his body, and wine his blood, be speeches not taken in the proper signification of every word, but by translation of these words, (eating, and drinking,) from the signification of a corporal thing, to signify a spiritual thing: and by calling a thing that signifieth, by the name of the thing which is signified thereby. Which is no rare nor strange thing, but an usual manner, and phrase in common speech. And yet least this fault should be imputed unto us, that we do feign things of our own heads without authority, (as the papists be accustomed to do,) here shall be cited sufficient authority, as well of Scriptures, as of old ancient authors, to approve the same.
So that these speaches, To eate Christes body and drinke his bloud,1 to call bread his body, and wine his bloud, be speches not taken in the proper signification of euery worde, but by translation of these wordes, (eating, and drinking,) from the signification of a corporall thing, to signifie a spirituall thing: and by calling a thing that signifieth, by the name of the thing which is signified thereby. Which is no rare nor straunge thing, but an vsuall manner, and phrase in common speech. And yet least this faulte should be imputed vnto vs, that we do fayne thinges of our owne heades without auctoritie, (as the papistes be accustomed to do,) here shall be cited sufficient authoritye, as well of Scriptures, as of olde auncient authors, to approue the same.