The Coronation of David, Title page – Epitome
THE Coronation of Dauid: Wherein out of that part of the Historie of David, that ſheweth how he came to the Kingdome, wee have ſet forth unto us what is like to be the end of theſe troubles that daylie ariſe for the Goſpels ſake. By Edm. Bunny.
Pſalm. 89.20.
I have found David my ſeruant, with mine holy oyle have I annoynted him.
Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Gubbin, and Iohn Perin.
1588.
¶ VntoUnto the right honorable, Henry, Earle of Huntingdon, Knight of the moſt noble order of the Garter: L. Preſident of her Ma. Counſell in the North parts eſtabliſhed; and Lieutenant Generall of her Ma. people, and forces there.
IT is ſufficiently knowne to vsus all, that of late yeeres the Lord hath diuerſly exerciſed vsus, vnderunder his gentle chaſticing hand. For hauing touched vsus before in our cattle & corn; and, that more is, in certaine daungerous, ſtraunge, and vnnaturall practices againſt our Soueraign, tending to the ouerthrowe of vsus all: now of late he hath threatned vsus with hoſtilitie and forrein inuaſion, and with the worſt, that a proud, an idolatrous, and an inſolent people is able to do. Wherein although hee hath not forgotten vsus cleane, but in the middeſt of thoſe threatnings, hath hitherto vſed great merciemercy towardes vsus, yet do we our ſelues plainly perceiue, that as yet he hath not left off calling vponupon vsus, but ſtill doth put vsus in mind of our wayes, as otherwiſe alſo, ſo especially by hostilitie now, and by the continuance of our enimies malice againſt vsus. Jn which caſe ſo long as we ſtand, it is needefull we take good heede to theſe two thinges: that the cauſe be right wherein wee ſtand, and that we our ſelues do take it in hand in ſuch ſort as we ought to doe, The equitie of the cauſe both is now, and euer hath beene ſo plaine in it ſelfe (ſeeing that it is for the Ghospels ſake, that ſo they bende themſelues againſt vsus) that when of late I entred into a deeper conſideration of theſe callings of God, and thought it needefull to ſet foorth ſomewhat concerning the ſame: yet notwithſtanding J then thought it needeleſſe to beſtow any labor in beating out that which was plaine ynough in it ſelfe, and rather choſe to imploy my pen in the other, to ſhew in what ſort this good cauſe of ours ſhould be taken in hand of vsus. Whereupon I did then ſet foorth an admonition out of the Prophet Joel, the better to gather vsus neerer to God, by occaſion of the ſcarcitie wherewith at that time wee were ſomething touched: a text that then did, not onelyonly in reſpect of that ſcarcitie, but otherwiſe alſo, and yet doth fitly agree to theſe preſent dayes, and out of which we might take to our ſelues, both then and now, inſtruction and comfort in plentifull meaſure.
Since which time I hauehave often marked, that what by our enimies themſelues, & by their fauourites that are among vsus, and what by the weakneſſe of diuers of vsus likewiſe, there is ſuch a deſperate fear conceiued of many, that they are vtterly void of any good hope, that theſe our troubles may be ouerblowne, or at any time ſorted to proſperous end. For the enimie (we ſee, and often hauehave founde) whenſoeuer by his owne ſtrength or our looſeneſſe he doth hope to preuail, is then paſſing full of preſumptuous boaſting and reſolute threates. Their fauourites alſo doe as redily then get holde thereof, and helpe them forward the beſt that they can: euer blowing ſuch terrors abroad, and, for the moſt part, encreaſing them alſo, & euer caſting, whereſoeuer they come, great perils themſelues. And when they are foiled, and hauehave gotten the worſe, and finde that God in thoſe their attempts is flatly against them: yet doe they not thereupon leaue of and turne vntounto him: but euer continue their former malice, and buſilie repayre their forces againe. Among vsus likewiſe as there be ſome, that by ſuch occaſions drawe neerer to God, and acknowledging that our ſinnes deſerue, that we ſhould be cleane cut off, doe neuertheleſſe, in the goodneſſe of the cauſe, and the mercies of God, conceiue good hope: ſo are there others, that refuſing the comfort that thoſe groundworkes do yeelde, do ſo much relie on the iuſt deſert of our ſinnes, and the ſeueritie of God againſt it, or being of a timerous nature, are ſtroken with ſuch feare by the enimies threates and continuall malice, and by the great perils that their confederates do caſt at home, that they hauehave left them no hope at all, but verily thinke that in the end all will be naught.
Hauing therefore already done my endeuour, by my former admonition out of Joel to ſtir vsus vp to a ſenſible feeling of thoſe gracious callings of God, & vnfeignedly to turne vntounto him: I hauehave nowe thought good, out of ſome one text or other for to declare what comfort the faithfull may iustly conceiue, out of the nature of the cauſe that we hauehave in hand, being as it is, for the goſpels ſake, that we are ſo much maligned. For which matter I hauehave made choice of that part of the hiſtorie of David, that ſheweth how he, being annointed of God to the kingdom, neuertheles could not come vntounto it, but thorough many perils, & with much buſines before. But although hee were kept out for a ſeaſon, and had many lets (for a long time together) caſt in the way: yet in the end he came to the crown, and had it confirmed vntounto himſelfe and his line for euer. Jn which ſtorie we may ſee, as it were in a table, both what croſſes we muſt looke for to be caſt in the way of the goſpel now: & how notwithſtanding it ſhall preuail in the end against them all. And as it was the godleſſe and looſe gouernment of Saul, that gaue that occaſion of remouing that ſame, and of the bringing in of the godlier regiment of David: euen ſo, in the late days of ignorance, the gouernmēt of moſt of our princes hath bine ſuch, ſo far ſhort of that which it ſhould, as that it ought to be leſſe maruel to any, if now it the be pleaſure of God to aduance the goſpel (the ſcepter of the ſonne of David) to reforme whatſoeuer before was decayed. Which ſtorie lieth in the latter part of the firſt booke of Samuel, & in the beginning of the ſecond: for which cauſe alſo (ſeeing that it lieth altogether within this compaſſe) therefore hauehave I but ſeldome ſet down in my quotations the name of the Book, but the chapters, & verſes only. And ſeing that it goeth of this matter only (wheras there are many other ſtories & places of ſcripture beſides, that would yeeld the ſelf ſame cōfort) therfore hauehave J thoght The Coronatiō of David, to be the meeteſt name for the treatiſe.
Now, ſuch as it is, if it pleaſe your honour to accept in good part, I thought it my duetie, for to offer the ſame vntounto you, For beeing of this mind, that as I wiſh the benefit therof vntounto al, ſo notwithſtanding J ſpeciall, wiſh it to the people here, ſuch as belong to your Ho. Liuetenancie (to whō I alſo, in diuers good reſpects, am moſt bounden) in al theſe parts I was not able to find any one, that was more exerciſed in theſe affairs: or to whom my ſelf (in al humble duety) was more beholding, or vnderunder whoſe protection I could rather wiſh the ſame to come foorth. Which although I had finiſhed and ſent vp to the print before, to hauehave come foorth the last terme, before the attempt of this late forrein inuaſion: yet, by reaſon that (vponupon ſome priuate reſpect) a ſmall occaſion was taken by ſuch as ſhould print it, to require my further aduice in one speciall point, the long vacation that hath come betwixt, hath eaſily brought to paſſe, that it could not come foorth till now. In which mean time, the daunger of the forrein inuaſion (God be thanked) is grown to be litle, and the feare thereof with vsus much leſſe. But yet notwithſtanding, neither is that daunger clene remoued, neither may we looke for any other, but that ſtill they will bee doing with vsus, if they may get vsus at the aduantage: and, beſides that, we may in this one attempt of theirs (being ſo much broken as alreadie, and but hitherto it is) ſee ſome part of that trueth, that out of the Scripture is in this Treatiſe deliuered vntounto vsus. Which things beeing conſidered, although nowe it come foorth ſomewhat with the lateſt in ſome respect: yet in others J doe not doubt, but that it may, and will bee thought, nowe alſo to come foorth fitly ynough.
J graunt, it were to be wiſhed rather, that neither now, nor at any time elſe, there neede to be any vſe of this, or of any ſuch like, but the cauſes remaining, the effect alſo muſt needes continue. Our enimies will bee enimies ſtill: the ſeede of the ſerpent will euer lye in waite, for to annoy the ſeede of the woman. Though now they bee foiled, and often hauehave beene (yea, and though they had bene cleane ouerthrowne): yet notwithſtanding they will not giuegive ouer, but caſt about it againe for ſome other aduantage, and redily take it, whenſoeuer it falleth into their handes, ſo long as they are not yet ſubdued vntounto the obedience of the Goſpell, but remaine enimies ſtil, there is nothing els to be looked for of them, but that on al occaſions they will be readie to exerciſe, whatſoeuer enmitie they are able againſt vsus. We alſo on the other ſide, hauehave many thinges among vsus that ſhould be amended, which we are not diſpoſed to amend, nor ſo much, as to heare of them neither. Hauing found the ſpoile of many of our Churches in our late Monaſteries and Chaunteries (as apparant dens of theeues, as euer were any) wee are not therewith contented. Thoſe that are left we ſuffer their Patrons (if they bee greedie, and wilie withall) to abuſe at their pleaſure. Whereby God is robed of his glory, and the people of their ſaluation. We ſuffer alſo mercileſſe men, daily more and more to eate vp the pore: to diſpeople fermings, and townes, and to take in all to them ſelues. If therefore there were no more but theſe thinges onelyonly (which in deede I take to bee the greateſt): yet were they ſufficient, without any other, ſo ſtrongly to cry to the Lorde for vengeance, as that it may be no maruell vntounto vsus, if the Lord do still raiſe vp enimies against vsus. If needes wee will ſpoyle the Lordes houſes heere, and his people withall, both of his word, and of their owne liuings, and will not reſtore, nor grow to amendment: the more that we doe ſuch thinges our ſelues, the leſſe may we maruel if the Lord ſend in enimies to do the like, and to be auenged on the Lords behalfe, of that which we mean not to amend.
Being therfore ſo likelie a matter as it is, that ſome heauie iudgements of God are growing againſt the vngodlie that are among vsus, (and ſo conſequently much buſineſſe to al, one with another indifferently) and being ſo certaine, that the Lord is euer wont to exerciſe thoſe that are his, it cannot bee but to needefull purpoſe, that this kind of argument ſhould be debated: that ſo the godly may ſee what ſecuritie is layd vp for them, and others likewiſe may know of that refuge, whenſoeuer they are diſpoſed to vſe it, and turn to the Lord. And ſo now hauing ſayd, what J thought moſt needeful, to expreſſe the cauſe & generall end of the Treatiſe enſuing, J am not to trouble your Honour any further at this preſent: moſte humblie beſeeching the Lord of his goodneſſe, that as nowe alreadie theſe many yeres he hath beſtowed great bleſſings on theſe parts by your godly, milde, and prudent gouernment, ſo it may pleaſe him long to continue your L. among vsus, and to encreaſe all his graces and mercies towardes you in Chriſt Ieſus.
At York, 28 of August. 1588. Your Honours moſt humble in the Lord, Ed. Bunny.
A Table declaring what is the Method, or maner of handling the matter enſuing.
Beſides the enterie into the Treatiſe, in the firſt Section, and the Concluſion, Praier, & Pſalms, in five of the laſt: wee have heere ſet downe, out of the hiſtorie of Davids advancemēt, what hope we may conceive (in theſe troubleſome times) for the like advancemēt of the Ghoſpell alſo: and
Firſt, out of that which is alreadie done with us: becauſe it doth ſo fitly agree with that which was done for David before: But heerein,
Firſt, how God did bring him foorth, to be in a readines to enter into the kingdom, when the time ſhould come. Sect. 2, 3.
Then, how he brought him unto the Kingdome, but heerein,
Firſt, of his perſecutions, which were chiefly two. Sections 4. 7.
Then, how God perfoormed his promis unto him: firſt bringing him unto ſome part of the Kingdome, and then to the whole. Sect. 8, 9.
Then, concerning our further hope, to have the Goſpell yet better aduanced,
Firſt, it is declared, what courſe it is, wherein we may conceive ſuch hope. Sect. 10, 11.
Then, how to anſwere certain objections that may be conceived againſt it, upon the difference that may be ſuppoſed to be, betwixt his caſe, and ours. Concerning which,
Firſt wee are taught, that in ſuch caſe there is with God no regard to that matter. Section. 12.
Then it is further ſhewed,
Firſt, as touching Davids owne perſon, that hee alſo was not without his infirmities. Sect. 13.
Then, as touching his Kingdome, that ther was not more neede of it then, for wāt of better government in Saul, than there is now for the like cauſe alſo. Sect. 14, 15.