A19571:75
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.
1But these things can not manifestly appear to the reader, except the principal points be first set out,2 wherein the Papists vary from the truth of Gods word, which be chiefly four.
1BUt these things can not manifestly appear to the reader, except the principall pointes be first set out,2 wherin the Papistes vary frō the truth of Gods worde, whiche be chiefely fower.
- 1Chap. 17
- 2Four principal errors of the Papists. The first is of transubstantiation.Four principall errors of the Papistes. The fyrste is of transubstantiation.
First the Papists say that in the supper of the Lord, after the words of consecration (as they call it) there is none other substance remaining, but the substance of Christs flesh and blood, so that there remaineth neither bread to be eaten, nor wine to be drunken. And although there be the colour of bread & wine, the savour, the smell, the bigness, the fashion, and all other (as they call them) accidents, or qualities and ⟨p. 15⟩quantities of bread and wine, yet (say they) there is no very bread nor wine, but they be turned into the flesh & blood of Christ. And this conversion they call Transubstantiation, that is to say, turning of one substance into another substance. And although all the accidents, both of the bread and wine, remain still, yet (say they) the same accidents, be in no manner of thing, but hang alone in the air, without any thing to stay them upon. For in the body and blood of Christ (say they) these accidents can not be, nor yet in the air, for the body and blood of Christ and the air, be neither of that bigness, fashion, smell, nor colour, that they bread and wine be. Nor in the bread and wine (say they) these accidents can not be, for the substance of bread and wine (as they affirm) be clean gone. And so there remaineth whiteness, but nothing is white: there remaineth colours, but nothing is coloured therewith: there remaineth roundness, but no thing is round: and there is bigness, and yet no thing is big: there is sweetness, without any sweet thing: softness, without any soft thing: breaking, without any thing broken: division, without any thing divided: and so other qualities & quantities, without any thing to receive them. And this doctrine they teach as a necessary article of our faith.