A19571:512
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.
Thus far they rehearse of Chrysostoms words. Which words although they sound much for their purpose, yet if they be throughly considered, and conferred with other places of the same author, it shall well appear, that he meant nothing less, than that Christs body should be corporally and naturally present in the bread and wine, but that in such sort he is in heaven only, and in our minds by faith we ascend up into heaven, to eat him there, although sacramentally as in a sign and figure, he be in the bread and wine (and so is he also in the water of Baptism) & in them that rightly receive the bread & wine, he is in a much more perfection than corporally (which should avail them nothing) ⟨image 90⟩but in them he is spiritually with his divine power, giving them eternal life.
Thus farre they reherse of Chrysostomes wordes. Whiche woordes although they sound muche for their purpose, yet if they be throughly considered, and cōferred with other places of the same author, it shall well appeare, that he mente nothyng lesse, than that Christes bodye should be corporally and naturally presēt in the bread and wyne, but that in suche sorte he is in heauen only, and in our myndes by fayth we ascend vp into heauen, to eat him there, although sacramentally as in a signe and figure, he be in the bread and wyne (and so is he also in the water of Baptisme) & in theim that rightly receiue the bread & wyne, he is in a much more perfectiō than corporally (whiche should auayle them nothyng) ⟨image 90⟩but in them he is spiritually with his diuine power, geuing them eternall lyfe.
And as in the first creation of the world, all living creatures had their first life by gods only word. (for god only spake his word, and all things were created by and by accordingly) and after their creation he spake these words:1 Increase and multiply▪ and by the virtue of those words, all things have gendered and increased ever sithens that time: even so after that Christ said;