Sermons upon Deuteronomy

After that Moses hath spoken of firstfruits and offerings; he returneth again to Tithes, and treateth more fully of them. Thou shalt not forget the Levite (saith he) which is within thy gates. Every third year shalt thou lay aside the tenth of all thy fruits, and the Levites shall come and gather them, and likewise the widows, the fatherless, and the strangers, that thy God may bless thee in all the works of thy §60hands. Yesterday I began to tell you that in old time the Tithes were appointed to the Levites, because they served at the altar: & that God would not have them occupied about any such labour, as might hinder them either from teaching the law, or from doing of sacrifice & such other like things. For inasmuch as God had reserved them to that purpose, his will was that they should give themselves wholly thereunto. That was the cause why he exempted them from tilling of the ground, and from such other labours. Besides this, there was also an other reason, which was, that they should have had a portion in the land which was promised to the linage of Abraham, for there was a whole tribe of them: but God had excluded them from it, & put in two tribes in stead of that one, so as Ephraim and Manasseh the sons of Joseph made two heads. And so were there twelve portions of that Land. But yet in stead of the Levites ye see that Ephraim succeeded: for Manasseh was the firstborn of Joseph, & yet was he put after his brother & set in the second place, & made inferior to him. And so were the Levites excluded. But yet behoved it them to have their right. And therefore God recompensed them, & like as if a man should give his child a recompense some other way when he would not have him to come to the parting of the inheritance with his brethren, even so stood the case with the Levites. Those were the two chief reasons for the tithes. Nevertheless it was Gods will that the overplus should be divided among the poor & needy. For the Levites had not so large a portion given them to make them gluttons & to enrich them above other men: but to the end they should be as deacons to have a care of Gods poor folk, and to distribute his alms to his people. Now we see what was the cause of the tithes.

After yt Moses hath spoken of firstfruites and offeringes; he returneth againe to Tythes, and treateth more fully of them. Thou shalt not forget the Leuite (saith he) which is within thy gates. Euery third yeere shalt thou lay aside the tenth of al thy fruits, and the Leuites shall come and gather them, and lykewise the widowes, the fatherlesse, and the straungers, that thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thy