The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened…The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened…

Thirdly, he proveth their rejection is not irrecoverable, but rather that there is certain ground of their conversion from the holiness of their Ancestors, which deriveth in like sort holiness to them, as the first fruits being holy, derive holiness (by Gods institution) to the whole lump; and the root being holy, deriveth holiness (by Gods Covenant) to the branches, ver. 16.

Thirdly, he proveth their rejection is not irrecoverable, but rather that there is certain ground of their conversion from the holinesse of their Ancestors, which deriveth in like sort holinesse to them, as the first fruits being holy, derive holinesse (by Gods institution) to the whole lump; and the root being holy, deriveth holinesse (by Gods Covenant) to the branches, ver. 16.

Whereupon, by the way he inserteth a grave admonition to the Church of Rome, to beware of boasting, either against the Jews for their Apostasy, or within themselves for their own stability in the saith. For the Holy Ghost did foresee that the Church of Rome, (above all the Churches of the Gentiles) would be most forward to boast of their infallibility and stability in the faith, by reason of the promise pretended to be made to Peters Chair, above all the promises made to Jerusalem of old; which boasting, the Apostle represseth, 1. By calling them to consider their former state, they were branches of the olive tree wild by nature, vers. 17. 2. By putting them in mind they received the Gospel ⟨p. 90⟩from the Jews, not the Jews from them, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee, v. 18.3. By the greater danger or possibility of apostasy and rejection of the Romans, then of the Jews: for if God spared not the natural branches (to wit, the Jews) take heed lest he also spare not thee, v. 19. to 22. 4. He both together represseth the Arrogancy of the Romans, and withal proveth that the Rejection of the Jews is not irrecoverable, but their conversion more hopeful, then the conversion of the Romans was, by an Argument taken both from Gods power, v. 23. and also from the natural estate of the branches, v. 24. which maketh their conversion more easy, If thou Roman wert cut off the Olive Tree, which is wild by nature, and wert (by a power above nature) grafted contrary to nature into a good Olive Tree: how much more shall these which be natural Branches, be grafted into their own Olive Tree? 5. He Represseth the same Arrogancy of the Romans, and with all proveth the conversion of the Jews, by a word of prophecy both by his own Testimony, v. 25. and by the Testimony of the Prophet Isay, v. 26, 27.