voting himself to the ministry. To dedi1696. cate one's self to the ministry in a wealthy, flourishing church, where rich benefices are every day becoming vacant, requires very little virtue, and sometimes only a strong propensity to vice: but to choose to be a minister in such a poor, banished, persecuted church as that of the French pro testants, argues a noble contempt of the world, and a supreme love to God, and to the souls of men. These are the best testimonials, however, of a young minister, whose profession is not to enrich, but to save himself, and them who hear him, 1 Tim. iv. 16. After Mr. Saurin had finished his studies, 1700. he visited Holland, and England. In the first he made a very short stay: but in the last he staid almost five years, and preached with great acceptance among his fellow exiles in London. His dress was that of the French clergy, the gown and cassock. His address was perfectly genteel, a happy compound of the affable and the grave, at an equal distance from rusticity and foppery. His voice was strong, clear, and harmonious, and he never lost the management of it. His style was pure, unaffected, and eloquent, sometimes plain, and sometimes flowery: but never improper, as it was always adapted to the audience, for whose sake he spoke. An Italian acquaintance of mine, who often heard him at the Hague, tells me that in the introductions of his sermons he used to deliver himself in a tone modest and low; in the body of the sermon, which was adapted to the understanding, he was plain, clear, and argumentative, pausing at the close of each period, that he might discover, by the countenances and motions of his hearers, whether they were convinced by his reasoning; in his addresses to the wicked, (and it is a folly to preach as if there were none in our assemblies, Mr. Saurin knew mankind too well) he was of ten sonorous, but oftener a weeping suppliant at their feet. In the one he sustained the authoritative dignity of his office, in the other he expressed his master's, and his own benevolence to bad men, praying them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. v. 20. In general, adds my friend, his preaching resembled a plentiful shower of dew, softly and imperceptibly insinuating itself into the minds of his numerous hearers, as the dew into the pores of plants, till the whole church was dissolved, and all in tears under his sermons. His doctrine was that of the French protestants, which at that time, was moderate Calvinism. He approved of the discipline of his own churches, which was presbyterian. He was an admirable scholar, and, which were his highest encomiums, he had an unconquerable aversion to sin, a supreme love to God, and to the souls of men, and a holy, unblemished life. Certainly he had some faults: but, as I never heard of any, I can publish none. During his stay in England, he married 1703. a Miss Catherine Boyton, by whom he had a son, named Philip, who survived him; but whether he had any more children I know not. 1705. Two years after his marriage he returned to Holland, where he had a mind to settle: but, the pastoral offices being all full, and meeting with no prospect of a settlement, though his preaching was received with universal applause, he was preparing to return to England, when a chaplainship to some of the nobility at the Hague, with a stipend, was offered to him. This situation exactly suited his wishes, and he accepted the place. 1705. The Hague, it is said, is the finest village in Europe. It is the residence of the States General, of ambassadors, and envoys from other courts, of a great number of nobility, and gentry, and of a multitude of French refugees. The princes of Orange have a spacious palace here, and the chapel of the palace was given to the refugees for a place of public worship, and, it being too small to contain them, it was enlarged by above a half. This French church called him to be one of their pastors. He accepted the call, and continued in his office till his death. He was constantly attended by a very crowded and brilliant audience, was heard with the utmost attention and pleasure, and, what few ministers can say, the effects of his ministerial labours were seen in the holy lives of great numbers of his people. When the princess of Wales, afterward Queen Caroline, passed through Holland, in her way to England, Mr. Saurin had the honor of paying his respects to that illustrious lady. Her royal highness was pleased to single him out from the rest of the clergy, who were present, and to say to him, "Do not imagine that, being dazzled with the glory which this revolution seems to promise me, I have lost sight of that God from whom it proceeds. He hath been pleased to distinguish it with so many extraordinary marks, that I cannot mistake his divine hand; and, as I consider this long train of favors as immediately coming from him, to Him alone I consecrate them." It is not astonishing, if Saurin speaks of this condescension with rapture. They are the kind and Christian actions of the governors of a free people, and not the haughty airs of a French tyrant, insulting his slaves, that attach and inflame the hearts of mankind. The history of this illustrious Christian queen is not written in blood, and therefore it is always read with tears of grateful joy. Her royal highness was so well satisfied of Mr. Saurin's merit, that soon after her arrival in England, she ordered Dr. Boulter, who was preceptor to prince Frederic, the father of his present majesty, to write to Saurin, to draw up a treatise on the education of princes. Saurin immediately obeyed the order, and prefixed a dedication to the young princes. The book was never printed: but, as it obtained the approbation of the princess of Wales, who was an incomparable judge, we may conclude that it was excellent in its kind. This was followed by a handsome present from the princess to the author. His most considerable work was entitled Discourses historical, critical and moral, on the most memorable events of the Old and New Testament. This work was undertaken by the desire of a Dutch merchant, who expended an immense sum umes. in the engraving of a multitude of copper plates, which adorn the work. It consists of six folio volMr. Saurin died before the third was finished: but Mr. Roques finished the third, and added a fourth on the Old Testament; and Mr. de Beausobre subjoined two on the New Testament. The whole is replete with very extensive learning, and well worth the careful perusal of students in divinity. The first of these was translated into English by Chamberlayne, soon after its first publication in French. His dissertation on the expediency of sometimes disguising the truth, raised a furious clamour against our author. He does not decide the question: but he seems to take the affirmative. This produced a paper war, and his antagonists unjustly censured his morals. The mildness of his disposition rendered him a desirable opponent, for though he was sure to conquer, yet he subdued his adversary so handsomely, that the captive was the better for his defeat. But others did not controvert with so much temper. Some wrote against him, others for him. At length the synod decided the dispute in his fa vour. He published a small, but valuable piece on the state of Christianity in France. It treats of many important points of religion, in controversy between the catholics and protestants. Some There are twelve volumes of his sermons. are dedicated to his Majesty George II. and the king was pleased to allow him a handsome pension. Some to her majesty Queen Caroline, while she |