A19563:753
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.
Seldom (saith he) is any difficulty in proper words, but either the circumstance of the place, or the conferring of divers translations, or else the original tongue wherein it was written, will make the sense plain. But in words that be altered from their proper signification, there is great diligence and heed to be taken. And specially we must beware, that we take not literally any thing that is spoken figuratively. Nor contrary wise we must not take for a figure any thing, that is spoken properly. Therefore must be declared (saith S. Augustine) the manner how to discern a proper speech from a figurative. Wherein (saith he) must be observed this rule, that if the thing which is spoken, be to the furtherance of charity, then it is a proper speech and no figure. So that if it be a commandment, that forbiddeth any evil or wicked act, or commandeth any good or beneficial thing, then it is no figure. But if it command any ill or wicked thing, or forbiddeth any thing that is good and beneficial, then it is a figurative speech. Now this saying of Christ: (Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you shall have no life in you) seemeth to command an heinous and wicked thing, therefore it is a figure, commanding us to be partakers of Christs passion, keeping in our minds to our great comfort and profit, that his flesh was crucified and woū dead for us. This is briefly the sentence of S. Augustine in his book De doctrina Christiana.
Seldome (sayth he) is any difficulty in proper words, but either the circumstance of the place, or the conferring of diuers translations, or els the originall toung wherin it was written, will make the sence playn. But in words that be altered from their proper signification, there is great diligence and hede to be taken. And specially we must beware, that we take not litterally any thing that is spoken figuratiuely. Nor contrary wise we must not take for a figure any thing, that is spoken properly. Therfore must be declared (sayth S. Augustine) the maner how to discerne a proper spech from a figuratiue. Wherin (sayth he) must be obserned this rule, that if the thing which is spoken, be to the furtherance of charity, then it is a proper spech and no figure. So that if it be a commaundement, that forbiddeth any euill or wicked act, or commaundeth any good or beneficiall thing, then it is no figure. But if it commaund any ill or wicked thing, or forbiddeth any thing that is good and beneficiall, then it is a figuratiue spech. Now this saying of Christ: (Except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you shall haue no life in you) seemeth to commaund an haynons and wicked thing, therfore it is a figure, commaunding vs to be partakers of Christes passion, keeping in our mindes to our great comfort and profite, that his flesh was crucified and woū ded for vs. This is briefly the sentence of S. Augustine in his booke De doctrina Christiana.