8. Historical Notices. — The corruption of the nation after tlie time of Solomon gave rise to neglect in tliese as well as in other ordinances of thf law, and restora- tion of tliera was among the reforms brought about bj' llezekiah (2 Chron. xxxi, 5, 11). Nehemiah also, at the return from captivitj', took pains to reorganize the offerings of first-fruits of both kinds, and to appoint places to receive them (Neh. x, 35, 37 ; xii, 44). Per- version or alienation of them is reprobated, as care in observing is eulogized by the prophets, and specially mentioned in the sketch of the restoration of the Tem- ple and Temple-service made bj' Ezekiel (Exod. xx, 40; xliv, 30; xlviii, 14; Mai. iii, 8).
An offering of first-fruits is mentioned as an accept- able one to the prophet Elisha (2 Kings iv, 42).
Offerings of first-fruits were sent to Jerusalem by Jews living in foreign countries (Josephus, Ant. xvi, G, 7).
Offerings of first-fruits were also customarv in hea- then systems of worship (Homer, II. ix, 529 ; OJ^s. iii, 444; Eurip. Orest. 96; P/icen. 1523; Callim. in Cerer. 19 ; Theocr. vii, 31 ; Stat. Tkeb. ii, 742 ; Aristoph. Ran. 1272; Pausan. i, 43, 4; ix, 19, 4; Long. Pastor, ii, 2 and 22 ; Diod. Siculus, i, 14 ; Plutarch, Isid. 66 ; Pliny, xviii, 2; iv, 6; Calpurn. Eel. iv, 122 ; Ovid, Met. viii, 273; X, 431; Fast, ii, 519; Tibul. i, 1, 13; Spanheim, ad Callim. Del. 283 ; Porphyry, De A bstin. ii, 56, 32 ; Epictet. 38 ; etc.). See Patrick, On Dent, xxvi ; Spen- cer, De T,e{j. IIe.hr. iii, 9, De Primitiarum Origine ; Les- lie, On Tithes, in Works, vol. ii ; Dougteei Analect. i, 89 ; Lakemacher, Ant. Gr. p. 402; Munter, Relig. der Kar- thag. p. 54.
9. Figinrifire Allusions. — In the New Testament, the "first-fruits" are emblematical of abundance and ex- cellence, and also the earnest or sample of a full har- vest at hand. Paul says (Rom. viii, 23), Christians "have the first-fruits of the Spirit," i. e. the first gifts of the Spirit, the earnest, the pledge of future and still higher gifts. fSee the monograplis on this text by Gruner [Hal. 1767]. Anon. [Gott. 1767], ]Mliller [Sa- turn Ohs. ridlol. p. 120], Keil [Lips. LsOlt].) Christ is called "the first-fruits of them that sle])t," i." e. the first who rose from the dead (1 Cor. xv, 20, 23 ; xvi, 15; Eom. xi. 16; James i, 18; Rev. xiv, 4).
10. Literature. — Mishna, Biknrim, Ti-rninn, Ckala, and Orla; Maimonides, Jod Ha-Chtzaka, Ililcholh Biku-
rim, iii, 121; Lewis, Antiq. of the Hehreiv Republic, i, 145, etc. (Lond. 1724) ; Saalschlitz, Afosaische RechI, p. 343 sq., 416 sq., 433 sq. ; Herzfeld, Geschichte d. Volkes Israel, ii, 128 sq. ; Jost, Geschichte des Judenthinns, i, 172 sq. ; Carpzov, Appar. p. 611 sq. ; Bauer, Gottesd. Verf. i, 251 sq. ; Gruner, De pnmitiarum ohlutione (Lugd. B. 1739; also in Ugolino, xvii). — Kitto, s. v. ; Smitli, s. V. See Offering.
FIRST-FRUITS. "1. True Christians are called ' a kind of first-fruits of God's creatures (James i, 18), as being specially consecrated to him.' 2. The com- munications of God's grace on earth, as an earnest of future glor}-, are also so called (Rom. viii, 23), and for the same reason, the resurrection of Christ, as 'the pledge of the resurrection of the just' (1 Cor. iv, 20). 3. In an ecclesiastical sense, this term is applied to the Jirst yearns produce of benefices, which tlie pope de- manded of foreigners to whom he gave ben-efices of the Church of England. Henry VIII rescued this payment from the pope, but annexed it to the crown. Queen Anne, however, gave them back to the Church for the augmentation of small livings" (Eden). See AsN.\TES. The vulor henejicioriim, commonly called the value in the King's Books, was made at the same time as the statute 26 Henrj- VIII, c. 3, by which these payments were transferred to the crown. A former valuation had been made, 20 Edward I, which still exists in the exchequer. By this statute and one subsequent, 1 Elizabeth IV, every spiritual person ad- mitted to a benefice must paj' his first-fruits within three months after induction, in proper proportion : if he does not live half a j'ear, or be ousted before the expiration of the first year, only one quarter is re- quired ; if he lives the year, or be ousted before eigh- teen moutlis, one half; if a j'ear and a half, tliree quarters ; if two j'ears, the whole. Archbishops and bishops have four years allowed them, and shall paj' one "quarter every year, if they live so long on the see. Other dignitaries pay as rectors and vicars. By sev- eral statutes of Anne, all livings under £50 per annum are discharged of the payment of first-fruits and tenths. Tlie following notice of the valuation in the King's Books, and the former payments to the pope as primi- tiw, is taken from Godwin's work, De Pr(fsulibus Angl. The florin was 4s. Q>d., the ducat 8s. English :
Canterbury
For a pall
London
Winchester
Ely
Lincoln
Litchfield and (Joventry.
Sali^^bury
Bath anil Wells
ICxeter
Norwich
Worcester
Hereford
(,;iiiche-^ter
Rochester
Oxford
Gloucester
I'eterborough
Rristol
St. David's
Llandaflf