A19571:357
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.
Hitherto I have rehearsed the answer of S. Augustine unto Boniface a learned Bishop, who asked of him, how the parents & friends ⟨p. 65⟩could answer for a young babe in baptism, and say in his person, that he believeth and converteth unto God, when the child can neither do nor think any such thing.
Hytherto I haue rehersed the answere of S. Augustine vnto Boniface a learned Byshoppe, who asked of him, howe the parentes & frendes ⟨p. 65⟩coulde answere for a yong babe in baptisme, and saye in his person, that he beleueth and conuerteth vnto God, when the childe can neither doo nor thinke any suche thinge.
Whereunto the answer of S. Augustine is this that for as much as baptism is the sacrament of the profession of our faith, and of our conversion unto God, it becometh us so to answer for young children coming thereunto, as to that sacrament appertaineth, although the children in deed have no knowledge of such things.
Whervnto the answere of S. Augustine is this that for as muche as baptisme is the sacramente of the profession of our faith, and of our conuersion vnto God, it becometh vs so to answere for yong children comming thervnto, as to that sacrament appertaineth, although the children in deede haue no knowledge of suche thinges.
And yet in our said answers we ought not to be reprehended as vain men or liars, forasmuch as in common speech we use daily to call sacraments and figures by the names of the things that be signified by them, although they be not the same thing in deed. As every Good friday (as often as it returneth from year to year) we call it the day of Christs passion: and every Easter day, we call the day of his resurrection: and every day in the year, we say that Christ is offered: and the sacrament of his body, we call it his body: and the sacrament of his blood, we call it his blood: and our baptism S. Paul calleth our burial with Christ And yet in very deed Christ never suffered but ones, never arose but ones, never was offered but ones, nor in very deed in baptism we be not buried, nor the sacrament of Christs body is not his body, nor the sacrament of his blood is not his blood. But so they be called, because they be figures, sacraments, and representations of the things them self which they signify, and