A19571:209
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.
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 ⟨image 45⟩we shuld consyder his diuinitee and holy spirite gyuen vnto vs to our eternall saluation.
And therefore in the same place he useth so many times these words, Think, and think not. willing us by those words, that we should not fix our thoughts & minds upon the bread, wine, priest, nor Christs body: but to lift up our hearts higher unto his spirit and divinity, without the which his body availeth nothing, as he saith him self: 1It is the spirit that giveth life, the flesh availeth nothing.