Vert i6. the Epifixle to the Romans. mer reafon touching the univerfall re "bring of the Jewes unto grace, be fore the end of the woald, where Pau meant both to comfort the Jewel, and to warn the Gentiles that they doe not proudly contemn the Jewes. This proofis taken from force of the league, and promises made to Abraham, and to other anceflors of the Jewes, who be here compared unto the firft frnits and root, and the Jewes who came of thefe anteceffors, unto the lump and bran- ches. The proof ftandeth thus; The Jewes arean holy Nation by the pro. miles made to their Fathers, therefore God will not cart them away : but as the firft fruits and rdot being holy, do make the lump and branches holy, fo Abraham and the fore-fathers of the Jewes, being holy by vertue of Gods covenant to be their God,will caufe ho- line(fe in Gods good time to be derived to their pofterity ; for there is like con- dition of caufes and effeas, of root and branches. T z M. Vpon what parts Both this Text Confits S z L. Upon two comparisons : the firfi whereof is taken from the obser- vation ofthe Mofaicall Law, touching ftrft- fruits : the other,from natural! ex- perienceof the root and branches.. It is the nature of the root to draw good sap out oftheground,and to difperfe it into the flock and branches to make them fruitful'. Therefore what the root is, filch will be the branches; if the root be fappy, and full of good juyce,it will cause good nourifhment to the tree, and plentifulneffe of good fruits. T z M. What was the Law to be obferved by the Jew, touching ftrft-fruits ? S z L. This : of all the increafe of the earth, God commanded the first- fruits to be given him,as 21(umb. z 5. zo.Lev.z 3. zo,t 1. Alfo,when they made a maffeof dow, there was a part for God,whereof were fweet cakes or Shew-bread made, to be fet beftre the Arke : and this done, the ref/ of their fruit and breadwas fanaified unto them, (that is) the ufe andeatingoftheir fruit and bread be- came holy and wholfome. 4 T , M. For what caufes did God ordain the Law offtrfl- fruits ? I S t L. Forfundry good purpofes and caufes. Firfl,that by such a ceremony, the Jewes might know and acknow- ledge that it is God to whom they owe thanks for all their fi nits, as being his free gift; as worldly Princes will have their servants to pay Ióme penny a year for fome great Lordship bellow- edon them, only to teflifie their de- pendance upon their Soveraign, and not to enrich themfélves ; fo it is here. Secondly, by fuch oblations the holy Miniflery of Prief}s and Levites with their families were maintained : and there is such ncceffary use of the ntiaf- fiery of the word, as men are to up- hold that, though unto their great coil, Gal 6. 6. t Cor. 9.5, 6,7, 8, 9. Thirdly, in all their firft- fruits were reprefented Chrift, the brit-born of every creature, and the first fruits of them which rife again from the dead, whereby all the faithful! are fanaified to an happy refurre&ion, i Cor. 15. zo. Lafily, the firft-fruits were a type and figure of the eflate of the Jewith Church : wherein the Patriarchs, Abraham, Ifaae, Jacob, and other godly Fathers, were like unto the first fruits, to convey the holi- nefleof the covenant made with them, to the remainder of the Jewes which came ofthem. And alfo in this refpea they were refembled by a root, which tmparteth all the sap it hash to bran- ches; fo the godly Patriarchs impart the grace ofGods covenant unto their off- fpring , whereupon it is not to be doubted, but the Jewes which lie now as men dead, abjeE, and without hope to fee to, yet than be' received to be Gods people, and revived ; albeit they are as it may feem defperate,as men laid in thegrave and buried. T i M. Now that we :have feen to what purpofe Paul ufed thefe two Metaphors and f militudes, paffe forwards to the Doiïrines, and tell us what they be ? L z L. First, we learn that whenfo- ever we reap the fruits of the earth, we ought to (hew thankfulneffe to God, by giving the firfi to him; that is,to Our R r z teachers
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