A19563:766
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 the Authors term it here a figure, not thereby to cover the mystery but to open the mystery, which was in deed in Christs words by figurative speeches understand. And with the figurative speech were the Ethnic and carnal ears offended, not with the mystery which they understood not. And not to the Ethnic and carnal, but to the faithful and spiritual §4ears, the words of Christ be figurative, and to them the truth of the figures be plainly opened and declared by the Fathers: wherein the Fathers be worthy much commendation, because they travailed to open plainly unto us the obscure and figurative speeches of Christ. And yet in their said declarations, they taught us, that these words of Christ, concerning the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood, are not to be understanded plainly (as the words properly signify) but by a figurative speech.
And the Authors terme it here a figure, not therby to couer the mistery but to open the mistery, which was in deed in Christs words by fyguratiue speches vnderstand. And with the figuratiue spech were the Ethnik and carnall eares offended, not with the mistery which they vnderstood not. And not to the Ethnik and carnall, but to the faythfull and spirituall §4eares, the wordes of Christ be figuratiue, and to them the truth of the figures be playnely opened and declared by the Fathers: wherin the Fathers be worthy much commendation, because they trauayled to open playnly vnto vs the obscure and figuratiue speches of Christ. And yet in their sayd declarations, they taught vs, that these words of Christ, concerning the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud, are not to be vnderstanded plainly (as the words properly signify) but by a figuratiue speech.
Nor S. Augustine never wrote in all his long works as you do, that §5Christ is in the sacrament corporally, carnally, or naturally, or that he is so eaten, nor, I dare boldly say he never thought it. For if he had, he would not have written so plainly (as he doth in the places by me alleged) that we must beware, that we take not literally, any thing that is spoken figuratively. And specially he would not have expressed by name the words of eating Christs flesh and drinking his blood, and have said, that they be figurative speeches. But S. Augustine doth not only tell how we may not take those words, but also he declareth how we ought to take