A Defence of the True and Catholic Doctrine of the Sacrament

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.

Fyrst the Papis•s say that in the supper of the Lorde, after the words of consecracion (as they call it) there is none other substaunce remaynyng, but the substaunce of Christes fleshe and blud, so that there remaineth neither bread to be eaten, nor wyne to be dronken. And althoughe there be the colour of bread & wyne, the sauour, the smell, the bygnes, the fashion, and all other (as they call them) accidentes, or qualities and ⟨p. 15⟩quātities of bread and wyne, yet (say they) there is no very bread nor wyne, but they bee turned into the fleshe & bloud of Christ. And this cōuersion they call Transubstantion, that is to say, turnyng of one substāce into another substāce. And although all the accidentes, bothe of the bread and wyne, remayne styl, yet (say they) the same accidentes, be in no maner of thyng, but hang alone in the ayre, without any thyng to stay them vpon. For in the body and bloud of Christ (say they) these accidentes can not be, nor yet in the ayre, for the body and bloud of Christ and the ayre, be neither of that bignes, fashion, smell, nor colour, that they bread and wyne be. Nor in the bread and wyne (say they) these accidentes can not be, for the substāce of bread and wyne (as they affirme) be cleane gone. And so there remaineth whitnes, but nothing is white: there remayneth colours, but nothing is coloured therwith: there remaineth roundnes, but no thyng is round: and there is bygnes, and yet no thyng is bygge: there is swetenes, without any swete thyng: softnes, without any soft thyng: breakyng, without any thyng broken: diuision, without any thyng deuided: and so other qualities & quantities, witout any thyng to receyue them. And this doctrin they teache as a necessary article of our fayth.