A19571:306
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.
And although the true sense and understanding of these words,1 be sufficiently declared before,2 when I spake of Transubstantiation, yet to make the matter so plain, that no scruple or doubt shall remain, here is occasion given, more fully to entreat thereof. In which process shall be showed, that these sentences of Christ, This is my body, This is my blood, be figurative speeches. And although it be manifest enough by the plain words of the Gospel, and proved before in the process of transubstantiation, that Christ spake of bread, when he said, This is my body, likewise that it was very wine, which he called his blood: yet least the Papists should say, that we suck this out of our own fingers, the same shall be proved by testimony of all the old authors, to be the true and old faith of the catholic church. Where as the school authors and Papists, shall not be able to show so much as one word of any ancient author to the contrary.
And althoughe the true sense and vnderstandyng of these wordes,1 be sufficiently declared before,2 when I spake of Transubstantiation, yet to make the mattier so playne, that no scruple or doubt shal remaine, here is occasion giuen, more fully to intreate therof. In whych processe shall be shewed, that these sentences of Christ, This is my body, This is my bloud, bee fyguratiue speches. And although it be manyfest ynoughe by the playne wordes of the Gospel, and proued before in the processe of transubstantiation, that Christe spake of bread, whan he sayde, This is my body, lykewise that it was very wine, whiche he called his bloud: yet least the Papistes shuld say, that we sucke this out of our owne fingers, the same shall be proued by testimonye of all the olde authors, to be the trewe and olde faithe of the catholike churche. Where as the schole authors and Papistes, shall not bee able to shewe so muche as one worde of any auncient author to the contrary.
- 1Chap. 8.
- 2