A19571:521
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.
The second lye or falsehood is, that they falsify the authors words and meaning, subverting the truth of his doctrine. For where Theophylactus (according to the catholic doctrine of ancient authors) saith, that almighty God (con descending to our infirmity) reserveth the kind of bread & wine, and yet turneth them into the virtue of Christs flesh and blood: They say ⟨p. 74⟩that he reserveth the forms and appearances of bread & wine, and turneth them into the Verity of his flesh and blood. so turning and altering kinds into forms and appearances, and virtue into Verity, that of the virtue of the flesh and blood, they make the verity of his flesh and blood. And thus have they falsified as well the name as the words of Theophilactus, turning verity into plain and flat falsity.
The second lye or falshod is, that thei falsifie the authors wordes and meanyng, subuertynge the truth of his doctrine. For where Theophylactus (accordynge to the catholike doctrine of auncient authors) sayth, that almightie God (cō descēdyng to our infirmitee) reserueth the kynde of bread & wyne, and yet tourneth them into the vertue of Christes fleshe and bloud: They saye ⟨p. 74⟩that he reserueth the formes and apparances of bread & wyne, and turneth them into the Uerite of his fleshe and bloud. so tornyng and alteryng kyndes into fourmes and apparances, and vertue into Ueritee, that of the vertue of the fleshe and bloud, thei make the veritee of his flesh and bloud. And thus haue they falsified as well the name as the wordes of Theophilactus, turnyng veritee into playne and flatte falsitee.
But to set forth plainly the meaning of Theophylactus in this matter▪ As hot and burning iron is iron still, and yet hath the force of fire, and as the flesh of Christ still remaining flesh, giveth life, as the flesh of him that is God: so the sacramental bread & wine remain still in their proper kinds, and yet to them that worthily eat and drink them, they be turned not into the corporal presence, but into the virtue of Christs flesh and blood.