Yet, in the Latin translation of the Epistle contained in the library of Worcester Cathedral, this passage, the decisive strength of which was evidently felt and tacitly acknowledged, has been carefully erased. [64d]
3. The treatment of the writings of Theodoret will afford us yet a third specimen.
This Father, who lived in the fifth century, had expressed himself so strongly against the doctrine now denominated Transubstantiation, that John Clement, perceiving the force of his testimony, and losing his own temper, tore out and burned the guilty leaf which contained the passage. [65a]
Now such a summary process might emendate John Clement’s individual copy of Theodoret: but, unluckily, other copies were abroad in the world. What, then, was to be done? Why, truly, as the Douay Doctors advise in such cases, a commodious sense, by dint of excogitating a comment, must be affixed to the noxious passage.
Theodoret, avowedly opposing the phantasy of Transubstantiation, had written, concerning the eucharistic bread and wine after consecration, that they remain in their former SUBSTANCE and shape and appearance. [65b]
But three modern Romish Doctors, Mr. Berington, Bp. Trevern of Strasbourg, and Mr. Husenbeth, excogitating a more commodious sense which never occurred to John Clement, make Theodoret say, in despite both of greek grammar and clear context, that the consecrated bread and wine remain in the shape and form of the former SUBSTANCE. [65c]
Now this translation, as every schoolboy who reads the original Greek will at once perceive, is grammatically impossible. But let that original be withheld from the gaze of the curious: and ten to one but the commodious sense will pass muster among the Romish Laity, nay even among some of the Protestant Laity, without any further difficulty.
4. A fourth specimen is yet again afforded by the liberality of the same Bp. Trevern of Strasbourg.
Speaking of a moral, not of a literal or substantial, change in the consecrated elements, as they themselves distinctly assure us in the way of explaining their own language, the old Fathers often say: that the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ.
But Bp. Trevern, by deliberately in more than a single instance interpolating the decisive word SUBSTANCE, while from the eyes of his readers he carefully withholds the originals, makes them speak, not their own sentiments, but those of the Church and Clergy of Rome.