Canaans Flowings, Errata – To the reader
ERRATA.
PAge 3. ſentence 23. for, for all, read all for. p. 17. ſ. 135. for Gods, read God. p. 28. ſ. 223. for overread undervalued. p. 31. ſ 254. for fearfull, read faithfull. p. 35. ſ. 280. for complements, read complement, p. 39. ſ. 312. for robs, read rob.
In the Paradoxes.
Page 10. ſentence 49. for ye, read yea.
CANAANS FLOVVINGS. Or a ſecond part of MILK & HONEY; BEING Another Collation of many Chriſtian Experiences, Sayings, &c. WITH An Appendix called the HEATHEN IMPROVED; OR, The Gibeonites hewing of wood, and drawing of water for the Sanctuary.
By RALPH VENNING.
Deſpiſe not ſmall things; you may make much of a little.
London, Prinred by S. Griffin, for John Rothwell, at the Fountaine and Beare in Goldſmiths Row in Cheap-ſide. 1653.
To the READER.
Friend,
I Cannot tell how to invite thee, becauſe I know not whether the entertainment be worthy of thee; if thou look for dainties, and rarities, I fear thou wilt not make a good meal here; if plain fare will be acceptable, come and welcome, and much good may it doe thee: as to my ſelf, if thou wonder why I write thus, be pleaſed to know that I write not to pleaſe men, or for the praiſe of men; for I am ſufficiently aſſured, that theſe are not the things, nor this the way, by which I ſhould get glory, if it were in mine eye: the beſt of it is, I am afore-hand with all men in this, that none can think more meanly of what I have done, then I my ſelf doe; and therefore I ſhall not think my ſelf undervalued, though thou put no value upon it; 'tis ſuch as I believe, all will not like, nor will all diſlike; though all will not be pleaſed, yet ſome will not be diſpleaſed to read it. I call on no man to commend it, but on any (that finds fault) to come and mend it, to doe better things then theſe, or theſe things better. 'Tis common and eaſie to find faults in our ſelves and others that are to be mended, but hard and rare to mend the faults that are to be found.
Haply ſome would perſwade thee and me to believe, that ſome other things of mine, and writing another way, might be more ſerviceable; have a litle patience, and if God give life and ability, I may in due time make trial, for I would willingly doe good by any and every talent that God hath given me.
Theſe are not the firſt, but (though I have remains) are very like to be the laſt of my Juvenilia, or youthful collections. Some Scriptures are onelyonly alluded to, that I might give an hint to this, that the Scriptures a ſtore-houſe, which would furniſh with ſuch variety of illuſtration and exemplification, that we need not goe down to the Philiſtines to ſharpen our axes, nor travel ſo much for Outlandiſh rarities to garniſh (Sermons and Dicſourſes) the diſhes of Goſpel-grace withal. I have made ſome application of Heathen inſtances alſo, and could wiſh that many who go under a better name, were but ſo good men, and that the Iſraelites did the Sanctuary as much ſervice as the Gibeonites. Some ſtories are interwoven, which I hope may paſſe for more then table-talk, and ſerve in better ſtead, then many vain, idle, ſoul-infecting ſtories, which are too too often told to paſſe away time, without any tendency to ſpiritual improvement. If it be ſaid, many of theſe things are to bee found elſewhere; I grant it, yet many will finde them here, which elſe perhaps had never known they had been elſewhere. To be ſhort, if thou think 'twill doe thee any good, goe on; if not, forbear; though I hope thou wilt not place it among thy loſt time, if thou peruſe it; nay, haply thou wilt allow mee ſome grains for my weakneſſe, when thou perceiveſt that I meant well, and was (at leaſt) willing to doe thy ſoul good. If it bee not done now, I will watch and wait, when, and till I can, for ſurely I ſhall be a lover of ſouls, and endeavour to doe them good, while I have a beeing.
Auguſt 1654. RALPH VENNING.