A19571:586
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.
By all these sentences of S. Augustine it is evident & manifest, that all men, good and evil, may with their mouths visibly & sensibly eat the sacrament of Christs body & blood, but the very body and blood them selves be not eaten but spiritually, & that of the spiritual members of Christ, which dwell in Christ, & have Christ dwelling in them, by whom they be refreshed & have everlasting life.
By all these sentences of S. Augustyne it is euident & manifest, that all men, good and euil, may with their mouthes visibly & sensibly eate the sacrament of Christes body & bloud, but the very body and bloud them selues bee not eaten but spiritually, & that of the spirituall membres of Christ, whiche dwell in Christ, & haue Christ dwellyng in them, by whom they be refreshed & haue euerlastyng life.
And therefore saith saint Augustine,1 that when the other Apostles did eat bread that was the Lord, yet Judas did eat but the bread of the Lord, and not the bread that was the Lord. So that the other Apostles with the sacramental bread did eat also Christ him self, whom Judas did not eat. And a great number of places moe hath saint Augustine for this purpose, which for eschewing of tediousness, I let pass for this time, & will speak some thing of saint Cyril.
And therefore sayth sainct Augustyne,1 that when thother Apostles did eate bread that was the Lorde, yet Iudas did eate but the bread of the Lorde, and not the bread that was the Lorde. So that the other Apostles with the sacramentall bread did eate also Christ him selfe, whō Iudas did not eate. And a great numbre of places moe hath sainct Augustyne for this purpose, whiche for eschewyng of tediousnes, I let passe for this tyme, & wyll speake some thyng of sainct Cyrill.
- 1In Johan. Tract. 57.