Meditations on the Lords Supper, Title page – Account
MENSALIA SACRA: OR, MEDITATIONS ON THE Lord's Supper.
WHEREIN The Nature of the Holy Sacrament is Explain'd; and the moſt Weighty Caſes of Conſcience about it, are reſolv'd.
By the Reverend Mr. Francis Crow, late Miniſter of the Goſpel at Clare in Suffolk.
To which is prefixt a brief Account of the Author's LIFE and DEATH.
London, Printed for John Dunton, at the Raven in the Poultry, 1693.
A Brief Account of the late Reverend Mr. FRANCIS CROW, Author of the enſuing Treatiſe.
IT has been a Custom (I cannot ſay whether more Laudable or Ancient) to tranſmit to Poſterity ſome Account of the Lives of ſuch perſons as have been eminently Great or Good. Our Piety towards our deceaſed Friends ought not to terminate at their Graves. How fond are we even of the Pictures of thoſe who either by reaſon of their Alliance to us, or their invulgar merit, claim a large ſhare in our Esteem and Affections? Alas, theſe can but faintly repreſent the Lineaments of their outward Vizage; but Biography expreſſes their better and more noble parts. Many of the Hero's of Antiquity had been bury din Obſcurity, as well as covered with Dust, were we not beholding to the Pen of a Plutarch, or a Cornelius Nepos, who (by letting us know what in them was worthy of our imitation) have reſcu'd their Memories from Oblivion, and crown'd their Names with Immortality. It is the priviledge of the Righteous, that they ſhall be had in everlaſting Remembrance. And ſuch a one, I think, I may venture to call Mr Crow; For if a holy exemplary Life, and a no leſs Pious and Inſtructing Concluſion of it, can (juſtly) confer that Character upon any Man, certainly it was his due.
It was not my happineſs to be acquainted with him in his Adoleſcency, the paucity of my own years prohibited that; therefore this brief Account of what I obſerv'd of that bleſſed man has its Scene laid much later, and only comprehends a ſhort Tract of Time. But in that (as in a curious piece of Miniature) we have (in ſome meaſure) a proſpect of the reſt. I ſhall conſider him in two Capacities, as a Miniſter of the Goſpel, and as a private Chriſtian; In both which reſpects his Eminency was conſpicuous to all judicious and obſerving Spectators, that either ſate under his Miniſtry, or were admitted to any Intimacy of Acquaintance with him. As for thoſe Gifts and Abilities that were more immediately requiſite to qualifie him for his Honourable and Important Function, they were ſuch, and ſo many, as very rarely unite and center in any one Man; His Judgment was great, his Fancy rich, his Memory retentive, and his Elocution correſpondent.
The Hebrew and Greek are the Two Spectacles (not to ſay Eyes) of a Divine; becauſe the Holy Scriptures were written originally in thoſe Cryptick Languages. And in both of theſe his skill was ſuch as others may ſooner admire than imitate.
I my ſelf have ſeen amongst his Manuſcripts (which were full as excellent as numerous) a judicious Collection of moſt of the Etymologies, or Derivations of the Hebrew words us'd in the Old Teſtament. A work of great Induſtry and Uſefulneſs, especially to ſuch as labour in the Lord's Vineyard. Nor was he meanly vers'd in the copious Delicacies of the Noble Greek Tongue. It was one of his learned Recreations (as indeed I knew of none others that he us'd) to propound Queſtions to young Scholars that came to viſit him, concerning the meaning of ſome difficult Greek words, and after they had given their ſenſe of them, he would (with a grave ſweetneſs peculiar to himſelf) charm their Ears with a Learned Diſcourſe of the Depths, and Myſteries that he had obſerv'd in them. Indeed, I know but few that may be reckon'd his Equals in Sacred Philology.
His preaching,foreign. the proper work of a Miniſter, was ſufficient to demonstrate what a concurrence there was of the Divine Bleſſing with his Sedulous Endeavours. He did not (as too many do) ſtarve the Souls of his Hearers with Empty Notions and Flaſhy Conceits (which can have no further tendency than a barren unimprovable Speculation], but what he deliver'd was both ſerious and ſolid, weighty Matter coucht in apt Expreſſions.
For he did not ſtudiouſly affect a lofty unintelligible Jargon, which ſome Men are apt to miſcall Rhetorick; But only conform'd himſelf to ſuch a modeſt decency of Stile, as was ſufficient to preſerve him from the contempt of thoſe who (principally] regard the Form (not the Subſtance) of a Sermon. And no wonder if ſuch a Miniſtry had its Seals. I ſuppoſe many a poor Soul, in and about Clare, may (upon his account) uſe the Language of Auguſtine to God, upon his going to Millain to hear Ambroſe preach; I come not to him as to an Inſtructor;Non ad illum ut ad Doctorem veni, per te en…m ducebar neſcius, ut ad te per illum ſciens aducerer. Poſſid. in vita D. Auguſt. Thou broughteſt me to him ignorantly, that he might bring me to thee knowingly.
A moſt ſingular Dexterity had he in expounding Obſcure and Difficult Texts of Scripture. He was (in this reſpect) like Joſeph, Zophnath Paaneah ſive foreign.a revealer of hidden things. And this was (to his great honour) remark'd by a Worthy Miniſter that preach'd his Funeral Sermon.
His Catechiſing of Children (and ſome of Riper Years) was ſo well intended, and ſo ſucceſsfully proſecuted by him, that, tho I ſhould be ſilent, many of thoſe who have been educated at the Feet of this ſo great a Doctor of the Divine Law, are yet alive to trumpet forth his praiſe. And his Memory will even for this be pretious to ſucceeding Generations.
But hitherto I have ſpoken of him as an Embaſſador of Jeſus Chriſt, as a Workman that needed not be aſhamed: And tho much more might be truly ſaid of him as ſuch, yet it no ways comporting with my preſent Deſign, I ſhall wave that, and deſcend to the other part of his Character, which is to conſider him as a Private Chriſtian.
But before I make any progreſs in that, I judge it convenient (in two or three Lines to premiſe, that his Life and Doctrine were exactly parallel; and what was ſaid of Origen may (with no leſs reaſon) be apply'd to him; As he liv'd,Quemadmodum vixit, ſic docuit, & quemadmodum docuit, ſic vixit. ſo he taught; and as he taught, ſo he liv'd.
His ſincere Piety, and real Holineſs deſerves particularly to be taken notice of. This alone is capable of repairing the defects of our Nature, contracted by Adam's Fall. foreign Greg. Nyſſen.And it is nothing elſe but an imitation of the Divine Nature of God. And how cloſely did he walk with his Creator? Could the Walls of his Study ſpeak, they would tell you how often he was upon his knees, ſecretly worſhipping of, and praying to him.foreign Damaſcen. lib. 3. Orthod. Fid. Prayer is an Elevation of the mind to God. An Invocation of the Adorable Trinity. Without this Preparative all our Studies and Endeavours will turn to little Effect.foreign. Orig Comment. in Johan. V…l 2. Tom. 8. p. 124. For the Divine Aſſiſtance is abſolutely neceſſary to all Humane Ʋndertakings: This,foreign. 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. foreign. 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,foreign. the moſt prone to Imitation.
And 'tis 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 nunquàm 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,foreign. Phil. jud. as all that profeſs Chriſtianity ought to be.
foreign. 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.foreign. (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,foreign. 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,foreign. 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.foreign. 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, foreign.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. foreignThis 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. foreign, 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.foreign, 2 Cor. cap. 4. 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. foreign. 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. 'Twas not a Trivial, Frothy Book, (tho adorn'd with never ſo many ga…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.foreign. 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) foreign.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.foreign. 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 Ʋſeful 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 jàm mundo ſeneſcente, Rerum, at que Hominum, decrementa ſunt. Aul. Gel. Noct. Artic. lib. 3. cap. 10 foreign. 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.foreign 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, …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. foreign 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, m…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. Auguſtine… tells us, that he was remov'd by Death when the Goths and Vandals had juſt begun t… beſle…e Hippo. Thus of good King Joſiah 'tis 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, a…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.