Sermons upon Deuteronomy

And he addeth yet further, from out of all your tribes. Here the people might be tempted to a kind of jealousy, for we know that men do willingly draw things to themselves, and that it is a grief and a corsey unto us when others are preferred before us. The same might be also among the Jews. The land of Canaan is divided into twelve tribes, for the Tribe of Joseph made two, and the Levites had no portion at all. But yet for all that, ye see there were twelve Tribes,¹ which had every one his portion to inherit. Now GOD told them that his Tabernacle should be set in Jerusalem, and that his ten ple should be builded upon mount Zion. Hereupon the residue might have quarrelled thus: What? Are not we the children of Abraham aswell as they? with whom is it that GOD hath made his covenant? Are we not all of one stock? Why then should the Tribe of Judah be preferred before us? specially seeing he is not the first begotten. Doth the birth right belong unto him? Why then should he be more honoured than all the rest Whence hath he this privilege? After that manner might the matter be debated. Also it might be alleged that the Ark ought to be removed every month of the year from one tribe to an other throughout all the twelve Tribes. There are twelve months in the year, and we be twelve tribes of us: and therefore we ought to begin according to the order of birthright, so as the eldest have the carrying of the Ark the first month, and every Tribe after in his order. Were it not reason it should be so? Ye see then that the rest of the Tribes might have made that allegation when they saw the Tribe of Judah preferred before all the other Tribes. But Moses preventeth that, saying, it belongeth unto thy GOD to choose and to commanded what he thinketh good. According whereunto it is said in the Psalm, that the land of Canaan was in deed made holy, and that God had promised it to his servant Abraham. But what? He refused the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim,² and rested not there, but choose the Tribe of Judah. And why? because it pleased him. If a man should look upon the outward appearance, it is well known that the kingdom of Israel was far greater than the kingdom of Judah. True it is that in king Davids time they were all one kingdom: but when the people fell away, then the Tribe of Ephraim became of greatest honour among them:

And he addeth yet further, from out of al your tribes. Here the people might bee tempted to a kind of ielosie, for we know that men do willingly drawe things to themselues, and that it is a greefe and a corsey vnto vs when others are preferred before vs. The same might bee also among the Iewes. The lande of Chanaan is diuided into twelue tribes, for the Tribe of Ioseph made two, and the Leuites had no portion at al. But yet for all that, yee see there were twelue Tribes,