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Consider what a man this was, vnto whome also the patriarke Abraham gaue tithes of the spoyles. And verelye those children of Leui, whiche receyue thoffice of the priestes, haue a commaūdement to take (according to the lawe) tithes of the people, that is to saye, of theyr brethren, yea thoughe they sprong out of the loynes of Abraham. But he whose kinred is not counted among them, receiued tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And no man denyeth, but that he whiche is lesse receyueth blessyng of hym whiche is greater. And here men that dye, receiue tithes. But there he receiueth tithes, of whom it is witnessed, that he liueth. And to say the trueth, Leuy himselfe also, which vseth to receiue tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loynes of hys father, when Melchisedech mette Abraham.
And the lawe of Moyses commaunded this, that they whiche came of the linage of Leui, shoulde succede in the ministracion of priesthoode, and receiue tithes, but of theyr brethren alonely, that is to saye, of the posteritie of Abraham: neither doeth the auctoritie and dignitie of the Leuites stretch any further: but Melchisedech where he was an alyaunt from the Iewishe nacion, receyued tithes of Abraham, the very auctour of the whole nacion and blessed him, of whome according vnto Gods promise, the nacion of the Iewes shoulde issue. It is out of contouersie that the lesse receiueth blessing of the greater. For whose blesseth, doeth as it were, allowe by hys autoritie that whiche is done. Nowe thauctoritie to allowe is wont to remayne in the superiour, and not in him that is eguall or inferioure. And in the tribe of Leui they receiued tithes, who were also mortall menne themselues, and by whose death thesame auctoritie came vnto other. But it is sayde of Melchi∣sedech that he liueth and continueth for euer in the preeminence of perpetu∣all priesthood. To conclude, whereas thauctoritie to demaund tithes came from leuy the chiefe priest vnto other priestes, yet in that that Abraham pay∣ed tythes to Melchisedech, it semeth that Leuye also hymselfe was made bonde to paye tythes, notwythstandyng that he was wonte to receyue the same of other. Therefore as they are counted of lesse authoritie that paye tythes vnto Leuy: so was Leuy inferioure vnto Melchisedech vnto whome he gaue tythes. Some man wyll here saye: howe gaue he tythes who was not yet borne at what tyme Melchisedech mette Abraham? But forasmuche as the posteritie is in manoure counted to bee in the auctoure of the nacion, therfore I sayed after this intelleccion, that Leuy, who came of Abraham, gaue tithes vnto Melchisedech.