Observe how God would be honoured by the firstlings of men and cattel; by the first-fruits of trees, and of the earth, in the sheaf, in the threshing-floor, in the dough, in the loavs: All which teach us to consecrate the first and prime of our years unto the Lord.

CHAP. III.
Of Tithes.

We are here to enquire: First, what things in general were titheable: Secondly how many kind of Tithes there were: Thirdly, the time when each sort of tithes began to be titheable.

First, their yearly encrease was either Cattel, fruits of the trees, or fruits of the land; of all these[647] they payed tithes, even to mint, anise, and cumine, These things they ought not to leave undone, Mat. 23. 23.

[647] Vid. Sixtin. Amama de decimis.

Secondly, the sorts of tithes payed out of the fruits, both of the trees and the land, by the Husbandman, were two, payd in this manner: When the Harvest had been ended, and all gathered, then the Husbandman laid aside his great Theruma, otherwise called the first-fruits of his threshing floor, of which it hath been spoken in the Chapter of the first fruits. This being done, then out of the remainder he paid a tenth part unto the Levites, and this they termed Magnasher rischon,[648] the first tithe, Tob. 1. 7. This was always paid in kind, and as it seemeth to me, it was not brought up to Jerusalem by the husbandman, (others[649] think otherwise) but payed unto the Levites in the several Cities of tillage, Neh. 10. 37. out of this first tithe the Levites paid a tenth portion unto the Priests; this they termed Magnasher min hammagnasher,[650] the tithe of the Tithes, Neh. 10. 38. and Decima sanctitatum, the tithe of holy things, 2 Chron. 31. 6. this the Levites brought up to the house of God, Neh. 10. 38. When the Levites had paid this tenth portion unto the Priests, then the Levites and their Families might eat the remainder of the first tithe in any place, even out of Jerusalem, Num. 18. 31.

[648] ‎‏מעשר ראשון‏‎

[649] Decimæ primæ necessario aut à colono ipso aut ejus vicario Hierosolymas deportandæ erant. Sixtin. Amama de decimis.