That is, I will multiply the exceedingly, & will make nations of thee, yea & kings shall spring out ⟨image 12⟩of thee. These words were spoken long before the children of Israel had any king. Notwithstanding, yet God prescribed unto them an order, how they should chose their king, & what manner a man he should be, where he sayeth: when thou shalt come in to the land. &c. As who should say, O ye children of Israel I know your nature right well, which is evil, and inclined unto all evils. I know that thou wilt chose a king to reign over thee, and to appear glorious in the face of the world, after the manner of Gentiles. But because thou art stiff necked, wild, and art given to walk without a bridle, and line. Therefore now I will prevent thy evil and beastly ⟨image 12⟩manners, I will hedge strongly thy way, I will make a durable law, which shall compel the to walk ordinately, and in a plain way, that is thou shalt not chose the a King after thy will and fantasy, but after me thy Lord and God. Thus, God conditioned with the Jews, that their king should be such a one as he him self would chose them.1 And was not much unlike the bargain that I heard of late should be betwixt two friends for a horse the owner promised the other should have the horse if he would, the other axed the price, he said .xx. nobles. The other would give him but .iiii. pound, the owner said he should not have him then. The other claimed the horse because he ⟨image 13⟩said, he should have him if he would. Thus this bargain be came a Westminster matter, the lawyers got twice the valour of the horse, and when all came to all, two fools made an end of the matter. Howe be it, the Israelites could not go to law with GOD, for choosing their king, for would they, nil they their king should be of his choosing, lest they should walk inordinately, in a deceivable way, unto their utter loss & destruction. For as they say communly Qui vadit plave, vadit save▪ that is. He that walketh plainly,2 walketh safely. As the Jews were styfnecked, and were ever ready to walk inordinately, no less are we English men given to untowardness, and inordinate ⟨image 13⟩walking after our own fantasies and brains. We will walk without the Limits of God's word, we will chose a king at our own pleasure.3
That is, I wyl multiply the excedyngely, & wyl make naciōs of the, yea & kinges shal spring out ⟨image 12⟩of the. These wordes were spoken longe before the chyldren of Israell had any king. Notwithstandyng, yet God prescribed vnto thē an order, how thei shuld chose their kynge, & what maner a man he shoulde be, where he sayeth: whan thou shalt come in to the lande. &c. As who shoulde saye, O ye chyldren of Israell I knowe your nature ryghte well, which is euyl, and inclined vnto al euyls. I know that thou wilt chose a kyng to raygne ouer the, and to apere glorious in the face of the worlde, after the manner of Gentyles. But because thou arte styffe necked, wylde, and art geuen to walke wythoute a brydel, and lyne. Therefore nowe I wyl preuent thy euyl and beastly ⟨image 12⟩manners, I wyl hedge strongly thy waye, I wyll make a durable lawe, whyche shal compel the to walke ordinatelye, and in a playne waye, that is thou shalt not chose the a Kynge after thy wyll and fantasye, but after me thy Lorde and God. Thus, God condicioned wyth the Iewes, that their kinge should be suche a one as he hym selfe wold chose theym.1 And was not muche vnlyke the bargayne that I hearde of late shoulde be betwixte two frinds for a horse the owner promised the other shoulde haue the horse if he would, the other axed the price, he sayd .xx. nobles. The other woulde gyue hym but .iiii. pound, the owner said he should not haue hym then. The other claymed the horse bycause he ⟨image 13⟩sayde, he shoulde haue hym if he would. Thus thys bargayne be came a Westminster matter, the lawyers gote twyse the valure of the horse, and when all came to all, two fooles made an ende of the matter. Howe be it, the Israelites coulde not go to lawe wyth GOD, for chosynge theyr kynge, for woulde they, nyl they theyr kynge shold be of hys chosyng, lest they shoulde walke inordinatly, in a deceyuable waye, vnto theyr vtter losse & destruccion. For as they say communly Qui vadit plaue, vadit saue▪ that is. He that walketh playnely,2 walketh safelye. As the Iewes were styfnecked, and were euer ready to walke inordinatelye, no lesse are we Englyshe men geuen to vntowardnes, and inordinate ⟨image 13⟩walkynge after oure owne fantasyes and braynes. We wyll walke wythoute the Limites of Goddes worde, we wyll chose a kyng at oure owne pleasure.
- 1Anotable tale.
- 2A common saying.A common saing.
- 3i. Regu. xix. a
