A19571:331
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.
First when our saviour Christ in the sixth of John said, 1that he was the bread of life, the when che ⟨p. 60⟩whosoever did eat, should not dye, but live for ever. & that the bread which he would give us, was his flesh, and therefore whosoever should eat his flesh and drink his blood, should have everlasting life, and they that should not eat his flesh and drink his blood, should not have everlasting life. When Christ had spoken these words, with many more of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood, both the Jews & many also of his disciples were offended with his words, and said: This is an hard saying. For how can he give us his flesh to be eaten?Christ perceiving their murmuring hearts (because they knew none other eating of his flesh, but by chawing and swallowing) to declare that they should not eat his body after that sort, nor that he meant of any such carnal eating, he said thus unto them. What if you see the son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that giveth life, the flesh availeth nothing. The words which I spake unto you, be spirit and life.
Fyrst when our sauiour Christ in the sixte of Iohn sayd, 1that he was the bread of life, the whē che ⟨p. 60⟩whosoeuer did eate, should not dye, but liue for euer. & that the bread whiche he would geue vs, was his fleshe, and therefore whosoeuer should eate his fleshe and drynke his bloud, should haue euerlastyng lyfe, and they that should not eate his fleshe and drynke his bloud, should not haue euerlastyng life. When Christ had spoken these woordes, with many mo of the eatyng of his fleshe and drinkyng of his bloud, both the Iewes & mani also of his disciples wer offended with his wordes, and sayd: This is an hard saiyng. For howe can he geue vs his fleshe to be eaten?Christ perceiuing their murmuring heartes (because they knewe none other eatyng of his fleshe, but by chawyng and swalowyng) to declare that they should not eate his body after that sorte, nor that he ment of any suche carnall eatyng, he sayd thus vnto theim. What if you see the sonne of man ascende vp where he was before? It is the spirite that geueth life, the fleshe auayleth nothyng. The wordes whiche I spake vnto you, be spirit and life.