A Cluster of Grapes Taken out of the Canaanite Womans Basket, Title page – Dedication
A Cluſter of Grapes Taken out of the Basket of the Woman of Canaan. OR, COUNSEL and COMFORT FOR BELEEVING SOULES, Comming to CHRIST and meeting with Diſcouragements. BEING The ſumme of certain SERMONS Preached upon Matthew 15. from Verſe 22. to Verſe 29. Wherein among other things, is declared more particularly,
I. What ſeeming harſh entertainment the ſoul may find from Chriſt.
II. What holy, and humble behaviour the ſoul ought to have under that entertainment.
III. How bleſſed and comfortable a concluſion Chriſt will make with the ſoul at laſt.
By JOHN DURANT Preacher of the Goſpel in CANTERBURY.
London, Printed for L. C. and are to bee ſold by H. Mortlocke at the Phoenix in Pauls Church-yard neer the little North-door. 1660.
This shade's the Authors outſide: but this booke
his inside opens. prethee doe not looke
Admiringly one either; Paſse them o're
as emptye shaddowes, for they are noe more.
Both bookes, and writers (y'ea, and all things elſe)
at best are shaddowes: but the bodye's Christ.
Soul art dejected! Chriſt a lone can eaſe thee
and giuegive both comfort, and councell to raiſe thee.
A. P
Durants Counſel and Comfort for Beleeving Soules.
To the Right Worſhipful Thomas Bonner Eſq Mayor, the Recorder, Aldermen, & Sheriff, &c. With the Reverend the Miniſters, and the Saints, and Faithful ones in Chriſt Jeſus, in the Town of New-caſtle upon Tine: Grace and Peace bee multiplyed.
THat Dedication of Books hath been wretchedly abuſed, is a thing paſt doubt. Holy and wiſe men, in all ages have complain'd of it, and ſome of late years have ſcrupled it. But yet that Books may bee dedicated, is to mee beyond controverſie. Such Books as carry in them any thing beſides what is truth, and of concernment, gain no patronage by a Dedication (no perſons being great enough to patronize errour or vanity) And ſuch Dedications as are onelyonly ſtuffed with applauſe and flatteries, as they have not been owned by any wiſe Patron, ſo they have been rejected by every underſtanding Reader.
When Writings, as Veſſels, are fraught with rich and neceſſary things (and ſuch are all ſpiritual Truths,) with which kind of Treaſure I have indeavoured to fill this Tract; And when Dedications are deſigned rather for ſervice than for ceremony (which is my deſign in this) then without doubt they may paſs without ſtop or Scruple, as Ships conſigned to particular Ports and perſons: Nor can ſuch Dedications be ſuſpected as a precarious policy to ſeek patronage of what is written. (Certainly Luke never intended that, when hee dedicated his Goſpel to Theophilus) Neither may they be accuſed of Patent Monopoly, (as if they onelyonly intended, the perſons to whom they are directed.) Without doubt the ſame Evangeliſt Luke intended the General good in his Goſpel, though hee ſent it firſt to the particular hand of his moſt excellent Friend, as hee did alſo his Hiſtory of the Acts.
The following Sermons are intended by mee for the general good of many. But I thought it more than meet to conſign them particularly to your Port and perſons, which when you have received, may paſs further, as Commodities of price and profit to many ſouls.
Now if I bee demanded a reaſon of this particular Aſſignation unto you, ſpare mee to ſay the truth, which is this, I do heartily deſire, 1 to witneſs how much I honour you whom God hath honoured: And 2 alſo to acknowledge a debt, wherein (with and for my Brother jointly, and my ſelf ſingly) I am ingaged unto you, which albeit I cannot repay, yet I muſt remember. I know your Virtue and Prudence will not bear thoſe worthy words of your own worthineſs, which yet may bee ſpoke concerning you with truth and ſoberneſs. And I can truly ſay, I never loved to rub their itching ears, who count no ſound ſweet, but what trumpets their own praiſes: Upon this account I ſhall forbear to ſpeak that of you, to your ſelves, which yet I think, I am bound (for the benefit of the example) to tell others. Yet this I muſt needs crave your Licenſe to print, that having heard of you much by the hearing of the ear, I ſaw more by the ſeeing of my eye, when I was amongſt you. And though my ſtay was not long, yet my obſervation was ſuch, as that I muſt ſay, that thoſe good reports of your Town, do not (like the bad rumours of the times) exceed the truth. If fame bee found ſo faithful in its reports of all perſons and places, as of yours, henceforth It will bee a Slander to call her Liar. You are indeed as you have been famed, perſons fearing God, doing juſtice, holding forth the truth, and practiſing godlineſs. I muſt ſay of many Towns which I have ſeen, The fear of God is not in thoſe places; but of New-caſtle, I may ſay in a ſober ſenſe, JEHOVAH SHAMMAH, the Lord is there.
For you, Right Worſhipful Magiſtrates, ſuffer mee, though not to applaud, yet to approve, (how much ſoever you are above my approbation) your worthy doings in the management of your power and places, wherein if you have any equals, I am ſure you have no Superiors. I could wiſh others did imitate that, wherein you excell. You are found to bee Miniſters of God to ſuch as do good; for good; and thoſe that do evill, Know you bear not the Sword in vain. Sabbath-breakers, Swearers, (but why ſhould I inſtance in particulars?) all ſorts of vicious perſons feel your Sword ſharp, and you a Terror to them; whereas your eies are upon thoſe that are faithful: Miniſters and people, fearing God, and doing that which is good, have of you the praiſe of the ſame. I beſeech you give mee leave, (not to praiſe your ſelves, but to provoke others to a godly jealouſie) to tell theſe Southern parts, that there is fair weather in the North; And if in any place in England, certainly in your Town, and under your Government men may and do lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſty. And this one thing I muſt needs ſay, Were all the Miniſters in England ſo carefully and tenderly provided for, and encouraged, as they are in New-caſtle, there would not be that complaining in our ſtreets, as there now are upon that account. Indeed the Miniſters of your place have their double honour; Your incouragement of them, and proviſion for them is ſuch, that I know not whether I ſhould intreat other parts to imitate your Bounty or Wiſdome moſt: Certainly both are laudable; You know not any Miniſter among you by any Character, but of Chriſt. To preach and practiſe the power of godlineſs, is the work you equally countenance and encourage them in: and though there bee (as where is not?) ſome difference amongſt them, yet that makes no difference of them to you, who have the like care of all. What can I ſay of this? Spare mee to take up the Pſalmiſts words, For my brethren and companions ſakes, I will now ſay, Peace be within thee, yea, the peace of God (which the Learned know to comprehend in it all bleſſings) be for ever upon you, and yours, for your unparallel'd care and kindneſs to Chriſts Miniſters amongſt you.
And for you (my Reverend Brethren) Let mee beſeech you to improve ſo choice a mercy, as you have under your Magiſtrates. I know you deſire not (how much ſoever you deſerve) praiſe: yet let mee ſay, you are to bee praiſed, for that you are of one heart, (though in all things not of one head) you minde and ſpeak the ſame things of faith and life; Though yee diſagree in ſome things of Church-rule and Order, your publick worſhip is in the ſame place, and with the ſame Spirit. There is not heard in your Pulpits (where you preach by turns) the noiſe of Axes and Hammars; Heats, Debates, Diſputes, are exiles at your Aſſemblies: you faſt and pray together, your deſign is the ſame, and your endeavours are joint, to convert ſinners, and to eſtabliſh Saints. Thoſe looſe and vain opinions which have peſtered and plagued many places, by your zeal and unity for truth, are (through Chriſts bleſſing) marvelouſly prevented in your Congregations: and as for thoſe unchristian Diviſions and Animoſities (which are elſewhere the ſinne and ſhame of diſſenting Profeſſours) by the Spirit of Love and Peace, (which rules in your hearts, and appears in your labours) they are either not at all, or not prevailing in your place. But that I may not trouble you with more, I will onelyonly adde this further, that I perceive yee have well ſtudied that Text, Pſal. 77. which ſpeaks of this, as Iſraels happineſs, that God led them by the hand of Moſes and Aaron. Surely the people of your Town ſeem to bee led but by one hand: Indeed Moſes goes before, (as it is but fit) and Aaron comes after: Your Magiſtrates in Civils, and your ſelves in Spirituals, are ſo one in hand (and I hope in heart) that though you have offices diſtinct, yet your indeavours are joint, and both make up one great mercy to the people under you. As they incourage you, ſo yee reverence them: They are not ſuch who aſſume power in Spitituals, but leave your work to your ſelves, and yee, (I hope none of yee) are as thoſe who deſpiſe Dominion, nor intermeddle with the politick affairs. Let that heart be filled with ſorrow, and that hand and head be curſed of the Lord, that indeavours (in the leaſt) the breach of that holy and righteous harmony that is betwixt you: I preſume, yee will ſay, Amen, to my prayer for you in this particular.
To you then (holy and beloved Brethren) Who fear God, and have faith in Jeſus, and are bleſſed by, and a bleſſing to ſuch a Magiſtracy and Miniſtry. Let mee ſpeak alſo a few words, I bear you witneſs to others, that there is amongſt you, the Spirit and converſation of the good old Puritans, (whom I mention with honour) it is your credit that you are not in this day of reproach and blaſphemy, (which is upon profeſſion for Profeſſors faults) a ſhame to that worthy name wherewith yee are called. The itch of novel opinions, the botch of vain faſhions, the plague of neglect of duties, and ſlighting Ordinances and Miniſtry, theſe are not ſeen amongſt you, or on you. I verily ſaw much of Chriſt in you, your carriage was ſeeming exact, and I hope your ſtudy is to bee what you ſeem for. Wo be to Hypocrites and Sinners (hollow-hearted Profeſſours, or ignorant and profane perſons) in New caſtle. They that are bad under Magiſtrates and Miniſters ſo good, will bee damned without mercy under two of the greateſt witneſſes that can bee againſt a people. But I hope better things of you, though I thus ſpeak. I beſeech you ſo live, that by your good examples, (concurring with the power of your Magiſtrates, and preaching of your Miniſters) yee may help to convince and convert evill doors, at leaſt, to put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men.
To you all, Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, and Saints, jointly and ſeverally, let me return my hearty & humble thanks for that ſingular reſpect, which for many years yee have expreſſed to my ever dear and beloved Brother, whoſe lot is caſt among you. It is to mee matter of joy and praiſe before the Lord, that ſince it pleaſed God (who diſpoſes of all our perſons and places) to carry him ſo far from all relations, that he did vouchſafe to fix him amongſt your ſelves, who abundantly make up all relations, in your care and kindneſs to and for him. Now the bleſſed God for ever reward your love to him and his. Let your goodneſs accept of mee (who am obliged in and for him) this ſhort, but ſincere acknowledgement for the ſame. I ſhall not trouble you with the remembrance of that kindneſs, which (when by the good hand of God I viſited my brother, and ſaw yee,) you were pleaſed to expreſs. It is your goodneſs you had rather ſhew kindneſs than hear praiſe. Therefore I judge it would trouble you, if I ſhould blaze that, which yet was ſuch and ſo great, as I have and muſt ſpeak of to others, and before the Lord with thankſgiving: your receiving mee, and love to mee, was in the Spirit of the Goſpel; yee did receive mee in the name of a Prophet, and in the name of a Diſciple, (howbeit I am unworthy that honour.) Oh that hee who rewards a cup of cold water, given upon ſuch an account, would abundantly reward your large and loving reſpects to me (even poor me) in that way, and upon that ſcore. My gratitude would overflow, did not the conſideration of your Modeſty (which loves not to hear its own applauſe) ſet mee bounds. I will therefore conclude thus, May your Perſons, your Government, your Labours, your whole Town, and your Univerſal All, be alwaies under the ſpecial favour of the bleſſed God, and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in whom I remain,
Right worthy, Reverend, and Beloved Sirs, Your moſt obliged, and moſt affectionately humble ſervant, JOHN DURANT.