Crisp back at Brinkworth

It was a fascinating and ultimately encouraging afternoon. Puritan preacher Tobias Crisp's words were once again heard in his parish church at Brinkworth. Dr David Samuel gave an unusually balanced lecture on Crisp and his theology to an unusually mixed audience. It can be obtained from the Protestant Reformation Society of which Dr Samuel is President. There were vicars aplenty, rubbing shoulders with Strict Baptists and Calvinistic Independents. Even a lineal descendent of Crisp was present...and a good time was had by all. The books we provided (see list in the previous post) were readily snapped up. It's good to think that although Crisp has been often dismissed, his clear spiritual understanding of free grace - God always looks upon his people as accepted in Christ, yet this is no open door to ungodliness to them - hasn't been destroyed.
Jeremy

Tobias Crisp Lecture

Dr D N Samuel is to give a lecture on Tobias Crisp DD under the auspices of the Protestant Reformation Society on Saturday 14th June at 2.30pm (tomorrow!) at Brinkworth Parish Church in Wiltshire. It is appropriately titled 'Christ Alone Exalted' because that was the great theme evident in the sermons which have been preserved in his Works. For any who don't know, Crisp (1600-1642) was a Puritan, under whose gospel ministry the Church building was filled to capacity and beyond. On the back of his pulpit seat he had a motto text carved which he would have seen every time he went up into it 'Woe be unto me if I preach not the gospel'. This took place in a quiet, remote (especially in those days) village, far from more famous people/places.

I hope to get down to the event, and will be very interested to see how Dr Samuel handles his subject. The Society have accepted my suggestion of having Crisp's sermons available for any attendees who are interested in further reading. My experience is that they express the worth of Christ and yet the freeness of his salvation. Crisp is good at meticulously removing all perceived obstacles that a sinner feels must surely stand in the way of his acceptance with God.

Books in print by Crisp which we stock are:-

Christ Alone Exalted - a 4 volume paperback edition by Gospel Mission. This is a scanned version of the original Works. £22.95

Christ Alone Exalted - a 1 volume paperback edition by Diggory Press. This has been re-typeset. £24.95

Christ Alone Exalted Series - an edition in 8 booklets by CBO Publications (that's us!). Re-typeset, containing between 3 and 5 sermons each, to comprise the first 33 sermons in his Works. £2.50 each. Bargain.

Christ's Pre-eminence - slim booklet size edition by Zoar Publications (my Dad was part of that 2 man team!). Re-typeset as an edited version of material from 2 of the sermons on Colossians 1:18. £1 each - can you believe it! I might as well give them away.

Brinkworth is on the B4042 near Malmesbury, easily accessible from the M4. A tea is to be served in the village hall afterwards.

Jeremy

Tobias Crisp

I (amongst others) was quite taken aback to come across this edition of a spiritually valuable book, and most curious to find out its background. We already have the 4 volume Gospel Mission edition, but this is a new production altogether. On getting some in stock, I find that it is published by Diggory Press located in Cornwall. But there the trail becomes difficult to follow. They are a print on demand set up, and do all sorts of book genres, although they do claim to be a Christian Company. The book is a single volume paperback containing all 52 sermons along with the comments by John Gill - hence quite a slab of a book. The text has been completely re-typeset, so it is superior to the GM edition in that respect. I would be extremely interested to know who was behind this little project - how gratifying to think that there is someone out there coming at Crisp from a different direction to ourselves, and wanting to reprint him! Well, whoever wants to spread the true gospel of Christ, 'peace be on them' (Galatians 6 v 16).

Jeremy