ver 7. But still God has all along put a remarkable difference betwixt these And some by being diligent to accomplish themselves for their Master's Work are thereby render'd much more capable of doing him service than others are And such a one certainly was he He has left but few Equals I think scarce any Superiors This Pains taking of his he would hardly be perswaded to intermit even when the crasie infirm state of his body which began to give place to the impetuous Assaults of Old Age seem'd to require it at his hands But was resolv'd Taper like to give the greatest blaze at his Departure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dictum Solonis Senesco non Segnesco Hoelus Anglus That Good Old way he had so long walkt in with a most inexpressible satisfaction he would not now leave tho he was going to a place where all knowledge comes by Intuition The Object of his Studies I must confess was always Noble and Excellent 'T was not a Trivial Frothy Book tho adorn'd with never so many gaâ—dy Trappings of Rhetorick and Language that could induce him to spend a quarter of an hour about it No it must be somewhat truly masculine and edifying that he judg'd worth his consideration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Metaph lib. 11. cap. 1. Nevertheless what he had acquir'd with so great expence of Time and Spirits he as freely communicated to young inquisitive Learners imitating therein the glorious Jehovah one of whose Attributes is Omniscience and whose great delight is to convey Knowledge and Happiness to his poor creatures And this I mention not only to illustrate his Excellent Disposition but also in testimony of my own Gratitude Ingenuum est fateri per quos profecerimus Plin. having often had the Happiness to partake of such Advantages Yet did not that vast variety of Learning he had made himself Master of cause him in the least to neglect his Theological Studies as it did with Funcius that celebrated Chronologer who might have liv'd longer as a Divine but dy'd a Prince's Counsellour Disce meo Exemplo mandato munere fungi Fuge sen pestem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he still strenuously apply'd himself to the Work of the Ministry as his chief business using the others only as a by-work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir bonus cito fieri nec intelligi potest Nam ille alter tanquam fortaste Phoenix in anno quingentesimo nascitur Senec. To sum up his Character in one word He was a Laborious Student a Great Scholar an Able Minister a Kind Husband a Tender Father a Faithful Friend a Good Master a Vseful Neighbour and which crowns all a Real Christian The Distemper that depriv'd the Church of so great a Light and us of a vigilant Pastor was the Stone He had often been troubled with it before but God's Blessing upon the Physician 's Art had as often given him ease But now his decreed time was come and his Divine Master would no longer spare him out of his Heavenly Kingdom Both his Ureters were stopt which of course impeded Nature in her regular motions Yet can it not be said that any heard him using unbecoming Language or charging God foolishly His patience was very extraordinary Licet pereat Saeculum nihil moror si lucrifaciam patientiam Cyp. de Patien and no less exemplary As he found his End drawing nigh he addrest himself to leave this World with the same serenity and composure of mind as he had many times done upon going a Journey from home Mors iis solum terribilis est quorum cum vita extinguuntur omnia Cic. taking a solemn leave of such of his Congregation as came to pay their last respects to him Soon after this selecting some particular Friends to tarry with his mournful and disconsolate Widow and to behold the last act of his Life Et nunc quasi jà m mundo senescente Rerum atque Hominum decrementa sunt Aul. Gel. Noct. Artic. lib. 3. cap. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Poedag lib. 2. cap. 1. p. 104. he without any great Conflict or Agony surrendred up his Spirit into the hands of his faithful Creator He is now enter'd into that blessed place of Rest and glory where he shall never know Sin or Sorrow more and where all Tears will be wiped from his Eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Muns ex Rabin in Thalamo Justorum I can hardly with any Moderation reflect upon the greatness of our loss but am ready to use the Language of Basilius Amberbachius when he heard of the Death of the incomparable The odorus Zuingerus Piget me vivere post tanrum Virum â—ujus magna suit Doctrina sed exigua si cum Pietate conferatur Melchior Adam Vit. Germ. Medic. p. 304. It grieves me says he to live after so extraordinary a man whose Learning was very great yet but small if compar'd with his Piety When Elijah was translated Elisha cryed out My Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 currus Israel 2 Reg. 2. cap. 12. v. That is as the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds it Tu qui plus Juvabas Israelem precibus quam Currus falcati Equites Vattab in loc Thou who more helpedst Israel with thy Prayers than all the Chariots or Warlike Supplies that she had belonging to her The Righteous are taken away from the evil to come And their Death is a sad presage of approaching Calamities Astrologers say Quum Luminaria patiuntur Eclipsm mâ—lum omen est mundo Gassendi Astron When the Lummaries are eclips d it fore bodes mischief to the World God has been pleased to call many of his Servants the Prophets out of our Land within this few years Oh! that we would learn Righteousness then his Judgments are walking abroad upon the Earth Possidonius in the Life of St. Augustineâ— tells us that he was remov'd by Death when the Goths and Vandals had just begun tâ— besleâ—e Hippo. Thus of good King Josiah 't is said that he should be gathered to his Grave in peace and not see all the evil that God would bring upon Jerusalem Hidelburgh could never be taken so long as Paraeus the Palladium of the place was a ive May the Death of Mr. Crow and divers other Godly Ministers that are lately snatcht to Glory aâ—raken us all to a timely Repentance that so Destruction may not be our rort on Let us all be endeavouring to live the Life of these righteous men that our Latter End may be like theirs Sic mihi contingat vivere sicquè mori MENSALIA SACRA OR Sacramental Exhortations and Preparations 1. THAT we may not stumble on the Threshold and miss the Mark it wi l be needful to understand the proper Ends of this Ordinance of the Lord's Last Supper which are 1. To commemorate Christ's Death till he come again 2. To
Invocation of the Adorable Trinity Without this Preparative all our Studies and Endeavours will turn to little Effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig Comment in Johan Vâ—l 2. Tom. 8. p. 124. For the Divine Assistance is absolutely necessary to all Humane Vndertakings This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Crow well understood and often water'd with his Tears in private that Heavenly Seed he had been sowing in publick Nor less careful was he to preserve the Worship of God in his Family And when engag'd in that Sacred Duty he behav'd himself like one that had an awful Reverence of that Tremendous Majesty in whose Presence he appear'd And his manner of expressing himself was Pathetical and Affecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Conc. 9. de Orat. He did not generally at such times use many Words I believe out of an unwillingness to make so very necessary a part of God's Worship lookt upon as Burdensome A great concern did he express for the eternal Welfare of all those that liv'd under his Roof instructing his Son according to his Young Capacity and his Servants as he had Opportunity His Language and his Actions were so many Lectures of Vertue and Christianity And they must be bad indeed that did not come from him Wiser or Better than they went to him Examples are more prevalent than Precepts Man is as Jamblicus observes of all Creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most prone to Imitation And 't is Lactantius's Advice Si Praecipientem sequi non potes sequere Antecedentem Instit lib. 4. cap. 24. If you cannot conform your self to Rules endeavour to eye those that take the best Courses In hoc homine nunquà m peccavit Adamus Now tho I dare not say of Mr. Crow as the Papists falsly did of Bonaventure That Adam never sinn'd in him yet I may venture to declare That the greater part of his Conversation seem'd to be a lively Comment upon the Holy Writ And as he was a conscientious Observer of his Duty to God so he still took care to be just and equal towards Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. jud as all that profess Christianity ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet Stoici dictum Non est minus malum referre injuriam quam inferre Lactan. His Charity both in Giving and Forgiving Injuries was very extensive His Natural Temper Genius and Disposition was tender and sympathising 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. multorum viscerum But it was much improv'd by his being so long educated and so good a Proficient in the School of Christ The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon him and he made the Widows heart sing for joy The next illustrious fruit of Regeneration that I shall take notice of in him was his singular Humility and mean extenuating thoughts of his own worth For notwithstanding his being so great a Scholar so good a Preacher and so eminently serviceable to the Church of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was not tempted to think better of himself than he ought Tho he delighted to communicate his Notions to some particular Friends whose Advantage he was solicitous for yet he was content to court Wisdom in private and to enjoy Light in the Dark And he labour'd as much not to seem eminent as really to be so For as that glorious Source of Light the Sun is then slowest of motion when highest in the Zodiak so the Vertue of Humility generally accompanies men of the greatest merit And this extraordinary modesty of his brought it to pass that as the World was not worthy of him so neither did it know his Worth From this so rare a principle he did in the Pulpit use plain and Familiar Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mallem ut me reprehendant Grammauci quam ut non intelligant Populi D. August that his Country Hearers might the better comprehend his Drift Tho still he was as far distant from vulgar meanness as from elaborate Periods And hence I conceive it was that he did not much affect a popular way of preaching which often captivates the Affections but seldom reaches the Heart He desir'd not to advance himself in the Esteem of any but to preach up Jesus Christ and him crucifi'd Indeed in this loose and degenerate Age we have too many amongst us who out of an unreasonable and immoderate desire of Applause or some other Temporal Emoluments do trick up discourses with great art and care but with no other design or intention than to be had in Admiration of those to whom they preach Not considering that if their reward were only in this Life they were of all men most miserable Of such Methodius a very ancient Writer elegantly complains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Method apud Epiphan Haer. 64. The Doctors says he no longer regarding an honest plain and sound way of teaching begin now to endeavour to please and to be favourably receiv'd by their Auditors just as Sophisters are wont to do who reckon their Labours well rewarded by their Auditors applauding their learning selling themselves at this so cheap a rate For as for the Ancients their Expressions were always very brief their Ambition in those days being not to please but to profit their Hearers His unwillingness to let his Friend's Faults pass unreprov'd deserves a very great Encomium He was a mighty lover of Freedom of Speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would be sure to use it to those that had the greatest share in his Affections if he had any good Reasons to conclude that they needed an Admonition But his Reproofs were always tempered with that Moderation Gravity Sweetness Compassion to the Soul and carefulness of the Reputation as rather tended to engage the Affections than exasperate the Passions of those whom he took in hand His Industry and Diligence were incredible but the delight he took in his Intellectual Improvements made sufficient amends for the pains he was at to attain them The Arabians have a Proverb That the Riches of the Understanding are most rich Ditissimae sunt intellectus divitiae 3 Pro. 14. v. To be sure the Merchandize of Wisdom is better than the Merchandize of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold To be Owner of this inestimable Treasure did Mr. Crow not unsuccessfully macerate his Body by a severe course of Study The fruit and effect of it was that he did obtain a good Understanding in all things Nihil sine magno labore mortalibus tribuit Deus Senec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This through the blessing of him that is the Author and Giver of all true Wisdom render'd him so skilful rightly to divide the word of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2 cap. 15. ver The Gospel is indeed dispens'd to us in Earthen Vessels or Vile Oyster shels as the Original word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. cap. 4.
that tho we faâ—l in many things yet our heart stands to it delighting in the Law according to our inward man to shew that a man does not repent but his engagement is still pleasant to him as if it were to do again a man would do the same thing if it were every hour to let the world see there is not a heart drawing back from God and that the heart that is naturally unstable may become fixed for God And yet tho this making and renewing Covenants by this Ordâ—nance be so useful Christ hath not tied himâ—elf to Sacramental Seals for that Faith that eats and drinks the Blood of Christ without a Sacrament doth save And that Covenant whâ—sâ—â—ver believes in Christ shall be saved passeth the sâ—als effectually to a believer tho there were never an occasion of sealiâ—g iâ— sâ—cramâ—ntally Crede manducasti Bâ—lieve â—nd thoâ— hâ—st eaten saith Aâ—stin God needs no Seal to bâ—nâ— himself but to secure and settle uâ— Yet since we are graciously allowed the opportuniâ—y of contemplaâ—ing a crucified Saviour here these two thâ—â—gs among many others ought to be wonder'd at viz the price and the purchase And this adds to the wonder of bestowing Heaven on us that it comes as the reward of our service tho purchased by Christ All Heaven to them who had little or nothing on Earth all Christs â—lood for them who had nothing of his Spirit or Grace by Nature O wonder that a Heaven full of pleasures should be at last the portion of them who have had hearts full of sin and lives full of blemishes If a poor Beggar came iâ—to the King's Treasury and saw all the bags of Gold and Silver and one should tell him they are all laid up for you what would the man think It would strike him with a strange astonishment But whâ—t are these to Bags that wax not old and Treasure in Heaven laid up for you wher of if we had once a believing sight would make uâ— for ever think less of earthly riches nay you would be ready to go home and throw your bags of Gold and Silver to the Moles and to the Bats and say get ye hence ye stumbling-blocks of mine iniquity But again wonder at such a price paid for us so worthless worth nothing and yet cost him so dear Good Lord what do we for him that laid out so much for us If we have nothing he needs nothing yea he requires nothing but to accept his bounty and be ravisht with his love Tho we be utterly unable to pay being broken debtors yet let us even be ready to praise and be thankful debtors For this very End is this Eucharistical Feast instituted At this Festival Commemoration let the Founder of the Feast be remembred with praise and honour And here take we hold of the most solemn occasion for the most passionate and thankful remembrance of that love that gave us so great a gift as Christ to do and suffer for us And without this affectionate frame of heart we now frustrate the very end of the Institution 16. Here have we the Beloved standing and knocking and putting in for entrance at the door of our hearts saying open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled one Here is my divine lasting love that for all her sinful sloath and sleepy temper she was fallen into yet he never changâ—th her name but courts her love with kindest compellations still But the motive he presteth his acceptance by is melting and convincing above all open to me fâ—r my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night He begs a place in our hearts by all inconveniences he suffered for us O the dark and dismal night of his undergoing the wrath of his holy Father when our iniquities were laid on him Thus stands our Lord now knocking and begging our good will and likeing our Love and fellowship by all the wounds he received on the Cross for us Here are we called to behold they pierced my hands and my feet and shall not this pierce our hardest hearts to see the anguish of his Soul The rejected and slighted obtestations of a crucified Jesus will rise up aginst many in the day of their distress that they were besought to mortify their lusts and live to God by every drop of Christs blood shed for them but they would not hear That the requests of a suffering Saviour may have their due influence is this ordinance appointed bringing all his pain shame and sorrow to our remembrance We see he hath a good mind to be in our eye and thoughts If you see a Criple lay out his sores they beg tho' be hold hiâ— peace And if our suffering saviour this day be unlapping his wâ—â—â—â—d and laying his sâ—res open to view shall not they beg more powerfully and prevaile and remember all the wounds of our Lord he had in the house of his friends Now the very great voice of all his wounds are 1. Repent Look on me whom you have pierced and mourn 2 Believe when you see your ransom and sacrifice slain If Justice say I have enough and am satisfied why do not we think it enough even apply it and rest in it Take peace and content yea rejoyce in God thro' Jesus Christ by whom you have now received the atonement 3. The voice of Christs sufferings is my Son â—dive me thy heart If I have loved thee and washed thee in my blood It 's reason I have love again 4. It says 〈◊〉 bey and hearken to thy High priâ—st Hear him in all he hath to say he hath deâ—â—ly bought your obedience and attention to all his motions and Instructions Prov. 8.31 â—2 The force and strenâ—th of that tâ—erefore is never to be studied and undeâ—â—â—ood enough Get Christs Cross to give your lusts a deadly wound rest not till you see him and feel th m thereby disabled and miled to his Cross As for your Darling the world in its profits pleasures and honour hear Christ saying It frowned on me and will my ransomed smile on it It was despised and a little thing with me who knew so well a better and shall it be great with you Remember that to take Christ in and put Christ on are the two great Calls of Heaven in the Gospel And since your suffering Redeemer iâ— taken into heaven these gates of Glory flew wide open to him at his Ascention shall he be kept out of our hearts Are they better than it No but there was he better known and here his own received him not for they knew him not nay not only â—eaven hath received him and therefore so should our hearts but there hath he entred for us which also hath its own weight for his entring into our hearts here 17. Here come we to get more grace and strength to reâ—â—st the Devil and stand againâ—â— his temptations Now our encouragements to encounter this enemy of ours that roaring Lyon 1.