A19563:769
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.
But to avoid the saying of Saint Augustine by me alleged, you say, that Saint Augustine's rule pertaineth not to Christs supper: which your saying is so strange, that you be the first that ever excluded the words of Christ from his Supper. And Saint Augustine meant as well at the supper, as at all other times, that the eating of Christs flesh is not to be understanded carnally with our teeth, (as the letter signifieth) but spiritually with our minds, as he in the same place declareth. And how can it be that Saint Augustins rule pertaineth not to Christs supper, when by the rule he expoundeth Christs words in the sixth of John, which you say Christ spake of his supper? Did Christ speak of his supper, and Saint Augustine's words expounding the same, pertain not to the supper? You make Saint Augustine an expositor like your self, that commonly use to expound both doctors and scriptures clean from the purpose, either for that by lack of exercise in the Scriptures and Doctors you understand them not, or else that for very frowardness you will not understand any thing that misliketh you. And where you §8say, that we must do as Christ commanded us, without carnal thought or sensual devise, Is not this a carnal thought and sensual devise, which you teach, that we eat Christ corporally without teeth? And contrary to that, which you said before, that Christs body in the sacrament is a spiritual body, and eaten only spiritually? Now how the teeth can eat a thing spiritually, I pray you tell me.
But to auoyde the saying of Saynt Augustine by me alleadged, you say, that Saynt Augustines rule perteyneth not to Christes supper: which your sayeng is so strange, that you be the first that euer excluded the words of Christ from his Supper. And Saynt Augustine ment as well at the supper, as at all other tymes, that the eating of Christes flesh is not to be vnderstanded carnally with our teeth, (as the letter signifieth) but spiritually with our mindes, as he in the same place declareth. And how can it be that Saynt Augustins rule perteineth not to Christs supper, when by the rule he expoundeth Christes wordes in the sixt of Ihon, which you say Christ spake of his supper? Dyd Christ speak of his supper, and Saynt Augustines wordes expounding the same, perteyn not to the supper? You make Saynt Augustine an expositor lyke your selfe, that commonly vse to expounde both doctours and scripturs cleane from the purpose, eyther for that by lacke of exercise in the Scriptures and Doctours you vnderstand them not, or els that for very frowardnes you will not vnderstand any thing that misliketh you. And where you