472 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. descendants, upwards of an hundred persons have been received and entertained in his house at 'the same time when ample provision _was made for them and their horses. " Dr. Crisp set out," it is said, " in the legal way of preaching, in which he was exceedingly zealous, and had an earnest desire to glorify God in his life and ministry. He did not seek, but refused all that worldly advancement, to which his way was open through his parentage and friends; but gave himself up wholly to the preaching of the word, and a conscientious practice of it, being unblamable in his life and conversation. None were more constant in preaching, praying, and repeating sermons, performing public, family, and private exercises, and in the strict observation of theLord's day. His zeal fOgflorifying God in this way, did not abate, but increase, after he had a clearer knowledge of Christ, and of the doctrines of grace; working from better principles, and with betterviews, being willing to spend and be spent, for the service of the meanest of God's people. He was far from pride, vanity, and self- conceit; and full of meekness, lowliness, and tender,affec. tion. Hereby it appeared that the gospel of Christ had a very great influence upon his soul, which engaged him to preach it freely without any expectation of worldly advan- tage, and in a way whichwas sure to bring uponhim not the favour and esteem of men, but reproach and persecution. His doctrine," our author adds, 44 was falsely charged with antinomianisrn ; but the innocency and harmlessness of his life, and his fervency in goodness, was a manifest prac- tical argument to confute the slanders of Satan, against the most holy faith which he preached. "* Mr. Neal says, " that the doctor, in his younger days, had been a favourer of arminianisna; but, changing his opinions, he ran into the contrary extreme of antinomianism." Though the former part of the charge will be admitted by most persons, the latter some will deny ; and observe, that his sermons upon 44 Free Grace the Teacher of Good Works," and 44 The Use of the Law," with some others, contain an abundant refutation of the charge. But the above writer observes, 46 that he was certainly a learned and religious person, modest and humble in his behaviour, fervent and laborious in his ministerial work, and exact in his morals." Mr. Lancaster, the publisher of his works, says, " that his Life of Dr. Crisp, prefixed to his Sermons, p. 7, 8. Edit. 1791.
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