A19571:577
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.
But Saint Augustine answering to both these heresies, saith: That neither heretics, nor such as profess a true faith in their mouths & in their living show the contrary, have either a true faith (which worketh by charity and doth none evil) or are to be counted among the members of Christ. For they can not be both members of Christ and members of the devil. Therefore (saith he) it may not be said that any of them eat the body of Christ. For when Christ saith, he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. he showeth what it is (not sacramentally, but in deed) to eat his body and drink his blood: which is, when a man dwelleth in Christ, that Christ dwelleth in him. For Christ spake those words, as if he should say: He that dwelleth not in me, and in whom I dwell not let him not say or think, that he eateth my body or drinketh my blood.
But Saint Augustine aunsweringe to bothe these heresyes, saith: That neither heretiques, nor such as professe a true fayth in their mouths & in their lyuyng shew the contrary, haue either a true faith (which worketh by charity and doth none euel) or are to be counted among the membres of Christ. For they cā not be both membres of Christ and membres of the diuell. Therefore (saith he) it maye not be saide that any of theim eate the bodye of Christe. For when Christe saythe, he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bludde, dwelleth in me and I in him. he sheweth what it is (not sacramentally, but in deede) to eate his bodye and drynke his bludde: whiche is, when a man dwelleth in Christe, that Christ dwelleth in him. For Christe spake those wordes, as if he should say: He that dwelleth not in me, and in whom I dwell not lette him not saye or thinke, that he eateth my body or drinketh my bloode.
These be the plain words of S. Augustine, that such as live ungodly, although they may seem to eat Christs body (because they eat the sacrament of his body) yet in deed they neither be members of his body, nor do eat his body.
These be the plaine wordes of S. Augustine, that suche as liue vngodly, although they may seme to eate Christes body (because they eat the sacrament of his body) yet in deede they neither bee membres of his body, nor do eate his body.