A19571:463
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.
1Dionysius also, whom they allege to praise & extol this sacrament (as in deed it is most worthy, being a sacrament of most high dignity and perfection, representing unto us our most perfect spiritual conjunction unto Christ, & our continual nourishing, feeding, comfort, & spiritual life in him,) yet he never said that the flesh and blood of Christ was in the bread and wine, really, corporally, sensibly and naturally (as the Papists would bear us in hand) but he calleth ever the bread and wine signs, pledges and tokens, declaring unto the faithful receivers of the same, that they receive Christ spiritually, and that they spiritually eat his flesh & drink his blood. And although the bread and wine be the figures, signs, and tokens of Christs flesh and blood (as saint Dionyse calleth them both before the consecration and after) yet the Greek annotations upon the same Dionyse do say, that the very things them selves be above in heaven.
1Dionysius also, whom they allege to praise & extoll this sacrament (as in dede it is most worthy, beyng a sacrament of moste high dignitee and perfection, representyng vnto vs our moste perfect spiritual coniunction vnto Christ, & oure continual norishyng, feadyng, comforte, & spiritual life in him,) yet he neuer sayd that the fleshe and bloud of Christ was in the bread and wyne, really, corporally, sensibly and naturally (as the Papistes wold beare vs in hand) but he calleth euer the bread and wyne signes, pledges and tokens, declaryng vnto the faythfull receiuers of the same, that they receiue Christ spiritually, and that they spiritually eate his flesh & drynke his bloud. And although the bread and wyne bee the figures, signes, and tokens of Christes fleshe and bloud (as sainct Dionyse calleth them bothe before the consecracion and after) yet the Greke annotations vpon the same Dionyse do say, that the very thynges them selfes be aboue in heauen.
- 1The answer to Dionysius de eccle. Hierarch. cap. 3.The answere to Dionysius de eccle. Hierarch. cap. 3.