A19571:214
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.
1Yet there is another place of saint Ambrose, which the Papists think maketh much for their purpose,2 but after due examination, it shall plainly appear, how much they be deceived. They allege these words of saint Ambrose in a book intituled De ijs qui initiantur mysterijs. Let us prove that there is not that thing which nature formed, but which benediction did consecrate, and that benediction is of more strength than nature For by the blessing, nature it self is also changed. Moses held a rod,3 he cast it from him, and it was made a serpent. Again he took the serpent by the tail, and it was turned again into the nature of a rod. Wherefore thou seest, that by the grace of the prophet, the nature of the serpent and rod was twice changed.4 The floods of Egypt ran pure water, & suddenly blood began to burst out of the veins of the springs, so that men could not drink of the flood: but at the prayer of the prophet, the blood of the flood went away, and the nature of water came again.5 The people of the Hebrews were compassed about, on the one side with the Egyptians, and on the other side with the sea. Moses lifted up his rod, the water divided it self, & stood up like a wall, and between the waters was left a way for them to pass on foot. And Jordan against nature turned back to the ⟨p. 41⟩head of his spring. Doth it not appear now, that the nature of the sea floods, or of the course of fresh water, was changed? The people was dry,6 Moses touched a stone, and water came out of the stone. Did not grace here work above nature, to make the stone to bring forth water,7 which it had not of nature? Marath was a most bitter flood, so that the people being dry, could not drink thereof. Moses put wood into the water, and the nature of the water lost his bitterness, which grace infused, did suddenly moderate.