A19571:582
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.
And in the same place saint Augustine saith further. The sacrament of the unite of Christs body and blood, is taken in the Lords table of ⟨image 101⟩some men to life, & of some men to death: but the thing it self (whereof it is a sacrament) is taken of all men to life, and of no man to death. And moreover he saith. This is to eat that meat and drink that drink, to dwell in Christ, & to have Christ dwelling in him. And for that cause, he that dwelleth in him. And for that cause, he that dwelleth not in Christ, and in whom Christ dwelleth not, without doubt he eateth not spiritually his flesh nor drinketh his blood, although carnally and visibly with his teethe, he byte the sacrament of his body and blood.
And in thesame place sainct Augustyne sayth further. The sacrament of the vnite of Christes body and bloud, is taken in the Lordes table of ⟨image 101⟩some men to life, & of some men to death: but the thyng it selfe (wherof it is a sacrament) is taken of all men to life, and of no man to death. And moreouer he sayth. This is to eate that meate and drynke that drynke, to dwell in Christ, & to haue Christ dwellyng in him. And for that cause, he that dwelleth in him. And for that cause, he that dwelleth not in Christe, and in whom Christe dwelleth not, without doubt he eateth not spiritually his fleshe nor drynketh his bloud, although carnally and visibly with his teethe, he byte the sacrament of his body and bloud.
Thus writeth saint Augustine in the xxvi. Homily of saint John. And in the next homily following,1 he saith thus. This day our sermon is of the body of the Lord, which he said he would give to eat for eternal life. And he declared the manner of his gift & distribution, how he would give his flesh to eat, saying: He that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. This therefore is a token or knowledge, that a man hath eaten and drunken, that is to say, if he dwell in Christ, and have Christ dwelling in him. If he cleave so to Christ, that he is not severed from him. This therefore Christ taught & admonished by these mystical or figurative Words, that we should be in his body under him our head, among his members, eating his flesh, not forsaking his unity.