A19571:208
A Defence of the True and Catholic Doctrine of the Sacrament
A defence of the true and catholic doctrine of the sacrament of the body and blood of our saviour Christ with a confutation of sundry errors concerning the same, grounded and stablished upon God's holy word, [and] approved by the consent of the most ancient doctors of the Church. Made by the most reverend father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and Metropolitan.A defence of the true and catholike doctrine of the sacrament of the body and bloud of our sauiour Christ with a confutacion of sundry errors concernyng the same, grounded and stablished vpon Goddes holy woorde, [and] approued by ye consent of the moste auncient doctors of the Churche. Made by the moste reuerende father in God Thomas Archebyshop of Canterbury, primate of all Englande and Metropolitane.
Imprinted at London : In Poules churcheyarde, at the sign of the Brazen serpent, by Reginald Wolfe. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum, Anno Domini. M.D.L. 1550Imprinted at London : In Poules churcheyarde, at the signe of the Brasen serpent, by Reginald Wolfe. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum, Anno Domini. M.D.L. 1550
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.
In all these negatives, our saviour Christ spake not precisely & utterly to deny all the foresaid things, but in comparison of them to prefer other things, as to prefer our father and lord in heaven, above any worldly father, lord or master in earth, and his fear above the fear of any creature, and his word and gospel above all worldly peace. Also to prefer spiritual and inward honouring of God in pure hart & mind, above local, corporal & outward honour, and that Christ preferred his fathers glory above his own.
In all these negatiues, oure sauiour Christe spake not precisely & vtterly to deny al ye forsayd things, but in cōparison of them to prefer other thinges, as to preferre our father and lord in heuen, aboue any worldly father, lord or master in earth, and his feare aboue the feare of any creature, and his word and gospell aboue al worldly peace. Also to preferre spirituall and inward honoryng of God in pure hart & mynd, aboue locall, corporal & outward honor, and that Christe preferred his fathers glorye aboue his owne.
Now forasmuch as I have declared at length, the nature and kind of these negative speeches, (which be no pure negatives, but by comparison) it is easy hereby, to make answer to S. John Chrysostom, who used this phrase of speech most of any author. For his meaning in his foresaid homily, was not that in the celebration of the Lords supper is neither bread nor wine, neither priest, nor the body of Christ (which the Papists themselves must needs confess) but his intent was, to draw our minds upwards to heaven, that we should not consider so much the bread, wine, priest, and body of Christ ⟨image 45⟩we should consider his divinity and holy spirit given unto us to our eternal salvation.
Now forasmuch as I haue declared at length, the nature and kynd of these negatiue speches, (whyche bee no pure negatiues, but by comparison) it is easy hereby, to make answere to S. Iohn Chrysostome, who vsed this phrase of speche moste of any author. For his meanynge in his foresayde homily, was not that in the celebration of the Lords supper is neyther bread nor wyne, neither priest, nor the body of Christe (which the Papistes themselues must nedes cō fesse) but his entēt was, to draw our myndes vpwardes to heauen, that we shuld not consider so muche the bread, wine, priest, and body of Christ