Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 1 · Part 34
The foure and thirteth Chapter expoundeth the prophesie of Malachie by Martialis and Ireneus.Hesk.
M. Heskins desirous to expounde this prophesie by two verie auncient barrons of the high house of parleament, beginneth with one Martialis,Fulk. whom to make him seeme more reuerend and auncient, he hath adorned with Parleament Robes, affirming that he was the disciple of Christ himselfe, and after his Maisters death kepte companie almost continually with the Apostle Peter, & therfore willeth euerie man to giuegive audience to his speache. Now whether euer there were any such disciple of Christ, & companion of the Apostle, as the scripture maketh nomention of him so I will affirme nothing. But for as much as the Church neuer heard of any such writer, neither by Eusebius, or by Hieronyme, nor by Gennadius, all which gathered the names of all the writers yt had ben in ye Church of Christe, that were knowen in their times, and seeing that many hundreth yeares after, there is no mention of any such writer, and writinges in anye approued authour, I will playnely affirme, that the authour of such Epistles, is more worthie to stand on the pillerie for an impudent counterfeiter, then to sit in the Parleament house among ye Apostles of Christ and ye holy doctors of the Church. If there were nothing else to confute him, but the title that he giueth himselfe, it were sufficient to prooue him a shamelesse forger. Martialis Apostolus Christi, he tearmeth himselfe (in the Diuels name) as though the scripture had not defined both of the number and of the calling of the Apostles. If any man liste to heare his absurde speach, that hee maketh for the sacrifice of the masse, let him resorte to M. Heskins swynetrough, for I will not vouchsafe to defile my penne and paper to carie awaye such draffe, of such pseude-apostles and counterfeit doctors. Leauing therefore M. Heskins with his groyne serching in that swill, I will chase him away from routing in the holy auntient garden of Irenaeus, of whom M. Heskins confesseth, that hee is not to be suspected of truth, therby insinuating that his Martiall, was not so honest, but that his credite might come in question. But Irenaeus lib. 4. Chapter 32. writeth thus: Sed & suis discipulis dans consilium &c. But also giuing counsell to his disciples, to offer the firste fruites vntounto God of his owne creatures, not as to one hauing neede, but that they might be neither vnfruitefull nor vnthankefull: he tooke that bread which is of the creature, and gaue thankes, saying, this is my bodie: and likewise the cup which is of the same creature that is with vsus, hee confesseth to bee his bloude, and taught the newe oblation of the newe Testament, whiche the Church receiuing of the Apostles, offereth to GOD in all the world, to him which giueth food vntounto vsus, the first fruites of his owne giftes in the new Testament, of which Malachias amonge the twelue Prophetes hath foreshewed: I hauehave no pleasure in you, (saith the LORD Almightie) and I will receiue no sacrifice at your handes, &c.
Here M. Heskins I knowe not for what subtiltie, had translated verie absurdly primitias munerum suorum, the firste fruite of his sacrifices. But to the matter. What can bee more playne, then that Irenaeus speaketh here of the sacrifice of obedience and thankesgiuing, celebrated in the sacrament of the Lordes supper?
For he sheweth the end of the institution to be, that they should neither be vnfruitefull nor vnthankfull, which oblation the Church obserueth throughout all ye world, according to the Prophesie of Malachie, in the celebration of the Lordes supper, although not onelyonly therein. M. Heskins cauill, of the newnesse of the oblation, I hauehave answered before, that it is newe in the manner of the offering, which is without such sacrifices & ceremonies as the lawe prescribed. And whereas the incense and the pure oblation, that the Prophet sayeth, should be sacrificed to God, be both of one nature, Irenaeus doth in plaine wordes expound the incenses for spirituall sacrifice, namely, the sacrifice of prayers. Which exposition M. Heskins doth so obstinately contemne lib. 4. Chap. 33. Quoniam ergo nomen filij proprium patris est, & in Deo omnipotente Iesum Christum offert ecclesia, bene ait secundum vtra que & in omni loco incensiū offertur nomini meo & sacrificium purum. Incensa autem Ioannes in Apocalypsi orationes ait esse sanctorum. Therefore, for as much as the name of the same perteineth to the father, and in God almightie the Church offereth Iesus Christ: he sayeth well according to bothe, and in eueryevery place, an incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice. Nowe S. Iohn in the reuelation sayth, that the incense are the prayers of the Saintes. The one being a spirituall sacrifice, the other is also of the same nature: by which it is euident, howe the Church offereth Iesus Christ in God almightie: namely, when shee rendreth moste humble and hartie thankes to God, for her redemption by Iesus Christe. To which intent, much more might be alledged out of Irenaeus, but for prolixitie, and the same places shall afterwardes be cited for other purposes.