A MEMORIALL TO PRESERVE Vnſpotted to Poſterity the Name and Memory of Doctor CRISPE.
YOu that know what truth is, and doe now feare,
You ſhall no more her pleaſing doctrines heare,
Since Doctor Criſpe is dead, unleſſe it be
From unglos'd Scripture, truth's pure treaſury.
You that were lately preſt with ſinne, and found
A hell in your owne hearts, you that were bound
In errors, fetters, and could never ſee,
Though you were Chriſtians cal'd, your liberty
Wherein Chriſt made you free, till this man drew
Your vaile of darkeneſſe off, and form'd you new.
You all know how to priſe his worth, and can
Beare witneſſe with me that he was a man
That beſt deſerv'd the Pulpit, that his breſt
Was full of what he ſpake, and did digeſt
His Doctrines firſt in his owne heart, his braine
Labour'd with no devices or forced ſtraine
To pleaſe the eaſie people, or beget
An audience baſely by delighting it.
He ſcorn'd that truth ſhould ſtoope, or be made ſtale
To vitious ends, he hated more to vaile
Her glorious luſtre, or eclipſe her light
By mingling falſe lights with her, 'cauſe mens ſight
Is weake and dazled at her brightneſſe; no
He might mens common errors foſter ſo.
Such as doe uſe ſuch arts doe rather aime
T'advance themſelves then truth, to get a name,
And ſo a living: But this Doctor ſtrove
Rather to draw men up to truth and love.
To allure them with her ſweetnes, for no by -
Reſpect, but their owne Soules felicity.
He knew the power of truth, and therefore us'd
No artificiall baits, but rather chus'd
Inſtead of words, and the deceitfull dreſſe
Of popular Eloquence, her owne nakedneſſe.
'Twas from his Soule he ſpake, and not becauſe
He might obtaine a Legacy, or applauſe,
Not to enhaunce his tithes or quarter-gifts,
Nor that he might ſeeme learned: ſuch vile ſhifts
And mercenary arts he did deſpiſe
(Though much in faſhion now) as a fit guiſe
For holy ſeeming Hypocrits, who have made
Religion not their practiſe, but their trade.
Truth was his end, and each mans good his aime,
Mens perſons he reſpected not, but came
Freely t'impart glad tidings unto all,
The love of God he knew was generall.
The man in Pluſh and braver was no more
In his eſteeme then whom the world cals poore;
He look't upon mens Soules, for their array,
'Tis no part of the man whether't be gay
Or for neceſſity, vertue may lie
And oftner under rags then Taffety.
He was compo'd of love, meeke as a Lambe,
Without all affectation ſtill the ſame.
Mild in diſcourſe, impaſſionate, and free
From wild contentions of Philoſophy,
And other nice diſputes; 'bout what is vaine,
He troubled not his owne or others braine.
He knew the Apoſtles no ſuch cuſtomes us'd,
And therefore onely uſefull Subjects chus'd;
Such as had greateſt vigour to remove
Long ſetled errors, and beget true love,
To God and man: All his abilities,
His Labour, ſtudy, health, and faculties,
He did imploy to doe his brethren good,
'Twas chiefe of his delight, his Soules beſt food
To make men reall Chriſtians not in name,
But in beliefe and practiſe, to the ſhame
Of what moſt men that beare that title are.
His Doctrines (though ſince ſcandal'd) were ſo farre
From giving raines to vice, or Liberty
To a looſe life and all obſcenity,
As ſome that feare their trade will downe, object,
Whoſe teaching on their profits ſtill reflect:
That there's no precepts, no inſtructions can
Beget a godly life, and make a man
An honour to that faith he doth profeſſe,
To abandon luſt and all ungodlineſſe,
But thoſe firme truthes he preacht; for what can more
Perſwade with men to live well and give o're
What ever misbeſeemes them or beget
Our Saviours owne minde in them, then to ſet
Before their eyes what he for them hath done,
His boundleſſe love and his Compaſſion;
How he did pay their deſperate debts and free
Their Soules from Deaths, hells, conſcience, Tyranny;
How he did dye that death they ſhould have dyed,
Cleared the law, Gods juſtice ſatisfied,
Aton'd us with his Father, all our feares
Diſpeld, adopted us his Sonnes, Coheires
With Chriſt himſelfe, caſt all our proud foes downe,
Purchas'd a Kingdome for us, and a Crowne;
And all this too not when we were his friends,
Obedient to his ſacred lawes, and ends;
But when wee were his foes, ye when we lay
Weltring in blood and ſinne, and did betray
Our onely friend, when we did cruciſie
Our Maſter, and more wicked yet deny
The Lord that bought us, that his grace might be
Above our wonder, and our eyes might ſee
That he was goodneſſe ſelfe, and that his love
To man, was all his other workes, above,
Even in this ſtate he dyed for us, and paid
His precious bloud our ranſome, then he laid
His life downe for us and his dignity,
That we might live to all eternity.
This having done, and knowing 'twas above
Vs men to comprehend this devine love,
(Nought being within our reach but what doth lye
In reaſons circumſcrib'd capacity)
Gods love extended further, knowing well
Without the knowledge of his love, a Hell
Would ſtill poſſeſſeus, and a thouſand feares
Diſtract our mindes, and drowne us in ſad teares,
Our ſinnes being ever preſent 'fore our eyes,
Our ſad Soules frighted at our conſcience cryes,
That we might not be left thus comfortleſſe,
And ignorant of all our happineſſe.
He ſent his bleſſed Spirit to declare
Peace to our Soules, and what our comforts are.
Which the ſame Spirit hath done, to thoſe were ſent
To tell the ſame to all, to the intent
All teares might be wip't off from our ſad eyes,
And wee left feareleſſe of hells miſeries.
Theſe were his Doctrines, thus he preacht, the ſame
Glad tidings from Gods bleſſed Spirit came.
That Chriſt hath purchaſd our Redemption
Without our aid, without condition,
That'tis already done, and freely too,
Wants no addition from what we can doe.
Therefore let's pleaſe our luſts: Perverſe man, no,
He nor the Scripture did not conclude ſo.
What waſt conſtrain'd th'Apoſtles to deny
All worldly luſts and to live ſoberly,
To abound in all good works? What waſt ſay you?
The love of God conſtrain'd him ſo to doe.
Why ſhould the ſame love then by us be thought
The ready way to make us vile and nought?
The holy Scriptures motive for to tie
Our Soules and bodies, God to glorifie,
Is becauſe he hath bought us with a price,
And for us paid himſelf a Sacrifice.
The greateſt bond on earth is love, if ſo
What greater love then this did man ere know?
Looke on his Auditors, ſee their lives, and ſay
Who have more vertue or more love then they.
This was his way to allure mens Soules with ſight
Of the moſt glorious comfortable light
Of Gods eternall truth, and not to aw
Their ſadned Soules, with terrors of the law,
Or keepe 'em downe that ſo he might ſubject
Their purſes and obedience, and erect
Their ſpirits as their contributions roſe,
He loath'd ſuch Tyrannous practiſes, and choſe
To make men wiſe and good for their owne ſake,
Strict againſt Vice, chiefly againſt ſuch as make
Their liberty a cloake to wickedneſſe,
And turne the grace of God to wantonneſſe;
Gainſt ſuch as theſe, the ſhame of men, he would
Expreſſe an anger great as good men ſhould,
They were the chiefeſt foes Religion had,
No enemies ſo great as they, ſo bad,
Although he knew none of them but by fame
Of their ill life, and rumours of their ſhame.
For ſuch howe're that thus abuſe the free
Goodneſſe of God he knew this remedy.
See what good Counſell firſt will doe, and when
They'le not returne, publikely ſhame'em, then
If they ſhall ſtill perſiſt, let juſtice draw
Forth her correcting rod to overaw
Their ſtubborne hearts with feare of puniſhment;
If then they ſhall conſider and relent
With armes of love embrace them, let them ſee
The difference twixt good life and vanity.
If when all this is done they ſhall remaine
Vitious men ſtill, or ſhall returne againe
To their looſe life and manners, let them be
Excluded quite from all ſociety.
Thus diſcipline ſhould meet with vice, and free
The Church from ſlander, vice, and Calumnie.
After this briefe expreſſe of what is true
Of my dead Friend, and ſhort of what's his due,
Let no mans forward malice ſtrive to caſt
Dirt on his fame, or with falſe rumours blaſt
His honeſt life or Doctrines, becauſe they
Perceive ſome of their audience drop away;
If they ſhall yet perſiſt and vainely ſhew
They feare truth will yet thrive, let ſuch men know
I doe denounce 'em mine and plaine truths foes:
He that can bite in verſe, can ſting in proſe.
FINIS.