and there we beheld those who had the courage to confess it, a haling to a dungeon, a scaffold, or a galley. Here, we saw our persecutors drawing on a sledge the dead bodies of those who had expired on the rack. There, we beheld a false friar tormenting a dying man, who was terrified, on the one hand, with the fear of hell if he should apostatize, and, on the other, with the fear of leaving his children without bread if he should continue in the faith: yonder, they were tearing children from their parents, while the tender parents were shedding more tears for the loss of their souls, than for that of their bodies, or lives."

It is impossible to meet with parallel instances of cruelty among the heathens in their persecutions of the primitive christians. The bloody butchers, who were sent to them under the name of Dragoons, invented a thousand torments to tire their patience, and to force an abjuration from them. "They cast some," says Mr. Claude, "into large fires and took them out when they were half roasted. They hanged others with large ropes under their arm-pits, and plunged them several times into wells, till they promised to renounce their religion. They tied them like criminals on the rack, and poured wine with a funnel into their mouths, till, being intoxicated, they declared that they consented to turn Catholics. These cruel proceedings made eight hundred thousand persons quit the kingdom."

haps his majesty might think it essential to monarchy; perhaps the clergy might think it essential to orthodoxy; perhaps the financiers, and the king's mistresses, might think it essential to the making of their fortunes; but we have nothing to do with these private views, the questions are, Was it essential to the general safety and happiness of the kingdom? Was it agreeable to the unalterable dictates of right reason? Was it consistent with the sound, approved maxims of civil policy? In these views, we venture to say, that the repeal of the edict of Nantz, which had been the security of the Protestants, was an action irrational and irreligious, inhuman and ungrateful, perfidious, impolitic, and weak. If respect to religion, and right reason, were to compose a just title for the perpetrator of such a crime, it might call him, a most inhuman tyrant: certainly it would not call him, a most Christian king.

It was an irrational act, for there was no fitness between the punishment and the supposed crime. The crime was a mental error: but penal laws have no internal operation on the mind. It was irreligious, for religion ends where persecution begins. An action may begin in religion: but when it proceeds to injure a person, it ceaseth to be religion, it is only a denomination, and a method of acting. It was inhuman, for it caused the most savage cruelties. It was as ungrateful in the house of Bourbon to murder their old supporters, as it was magnaniIf the same actions may proceed from dif- mous in the Protestants, under their severest ferent principles, it must always be a hazard-persecutions, to tell their murderer, that they ous, and often an unjust attempt, to assign the thought that blood well employed, which had true motives of men's conduct. But publie been spilt in supporting the just claim of the actions fall under public notice, and they de- house of Bourbon to the throne. It was, to serve censure, or commendation, according to the last degree, perfidious, for the edict of Nantz the obvious good or evil, which they produce had been given by Henry IV. for a perpetual, in society. The art of governing requires a su- and irrevocable decree; it had been confirmed perior genius, and a superior genius hides, like by the succeeding princes, and Lewis XIV. hima lofty mountain, its summit in the clouds. In self had assigned in the declaration the loyalty some cases, a want of capacity, and, in others, of the Protestants, as a reason of the confirmaa fund of selfishness, would prevent a subject's tion. My subjects of the pretended reformed relicomprehension of his prince's projects, and,gion, says he, have given me unquestionable consequently, his approbation of the prince's measures; and, for these reasons, the cabinets of princes should be the least accessible, and their hearts the most impenetrable parts of their dominions: but when the prince would reduce his projects to practice, and cause his imaginations to become rules of action to his subjects, he ought to give a reason for his conduct, and if his conduct be rational, he will do so, for as all law is founded in reason, so reason is its best support. In such a case, the nature of the thing, as well as the respect that is due to the rank of the prince, would require us to be either mute or modest, on the motive; and the same reasons would require us to consider the reasonableness, or unreasonableness, of the law, for if it be not reason, it ought not to be law; and nothing can prevent our feelinging this in order to secure a set of men, who the good or ill effects of the whole action. openly avow these propositions, the Pope is suTo disfranchise, and to banish, to imprison, perior to all law: It is right to kill that prince, and to execute, some members of society, are whom the Pope excommunicates: If a prince bepartial evils: but they are also sometimes ge-come an Arian, the people ought to depose him? neral benefits, and the excision of a part may Where is the policy of banishing men, whose be essential to the preservation of the whole.doctrines have kept in the kingdom, during the The inflicting of these punishments on the space of two hundred and fifty years, the sum French Protestants, might possibly be essen- of two hundred and fifty millions of livres, tial to the safety of the whole nation. Or, per- which, at a moderate calculation, would other

proofs of their affection and loyalty. It had been sworn to by the governors and lieutenants general of the provinces, by the courts of parliament, and by all the officers of the courts of justice. What national perjury! Is it enough to say, as this perjured monarch did, My grandfather, Henry IV. loved you, and was obliged to you. My father, Lewis XIII. feared you, and wanted your assistance. But I neither love you, nor fear you, and do not want your services. The ill policy of it is confessed on all sides. Where is the policy of banishing eight hundred thousand people, who declare that a free exercise of religion ought not to injure any man's civil rights, and, on this principle, support the king's claim to the crown, as long as he executes the duty of the office? Where is the policy of do

Deum to be sung, to give thanks to God for this return of the heretics into the pale of the church, which was accordingly done with great pomp, April 28. If this persecution were clerical policy, it was bad, and, if it were the religion of the French clergy, it was worse. In either case, the church procured great evil to the state. Lewis XIV. was on the pinnacle of glory at the conclusion of the peace of Nimeguen, 1679. His dominion was, as it were, established over all Europe, and was become an inevitable prejudice to neighbouring nations; but, here he began to extirpate heresy, and here he began to fall, nor has the nation ever recovered its grandeur since

Protestant powers opened their arms to these venerable exiles. Abbadie, Ancillon, and others, fled to Berlin. Basnage, Claude, Du Bose, and many more, found refuge in Holland. The famous Dr. Allix, with numbers of his brethren, came to England. A great many families went to Geneva, among which was that of Saurin, Mr. Sau.in, the father of our author, was an

wise have gone to Rome for indulgences, and annates, and other such trash? Who was the politician, the Count d'Avaux, who, while he was ambassador in Holland, from 1685 to 1688, offered to prove that the refugees had carried out of France more than twenty millions of property, and advised the king to recall it, by recalling its owners? or the king, who refused to avail himself of this advice? Who was the politician, the intolerant Lewis, who drove his Protestant soldiers and sailors out of his service? or the benevolent prince of Orange, who, in one year, raised three regiments of French refugee soldiers, commanded by their own officers, and manned three vessels, at the same time, with refugee sailors, to serve the Dutch, while France wanted men to equip her fleets The Protestants, having been for some time, excluded from all offices, and not being suffered to enjoy any civil or military employments, had applied themselves either to the manufactures, or to the improving of their money in trade. Was it policy to banish a Mons. Vincent, who employed more than five hun-eminent Protestant lawyer at Nismes, who, dred workmen? Was it policy on the side of that prince, who demolished manufactories? or on the side of those who set them up, by receiving the refugee manufacturers into their kingdoms? Had England derived no more advantage from its hospitality to the refugees than the silk manufacture, it would have amply repaid the nation. The memorials of the intendants of the provinces were full of such complaints, 1698. The intendant of Rouen said that the refugees had carried away the manufacture of hats. The intendant of Poitiers said that they had taken the manufacture of druggets. In some provinces the commerce was diminished several millions of livres in a year, and in some, half the revenue was sunk. Was it policy in the king to provoke the Protestant states, and princes, who had always been his faithful allies against the house of Austria, and, at the same time, to supply them with eight hundred thousand new subjects After all, it was a weak and foolish step, for the Protestants were not extirpated. There remained almost as many in the kingdom as 3 were driven out of it, and, even at this day, though now and then a preacher hath been hanged, and now and then a family murdered, yet the opulent province of Languedoc is full of Protestants, the Lutherans have the university of Alsace, neither art nor cruelty can rid the kingdom of them; and some of the greatest ornaments of France, now plead for a FREE

1

TOLERATION.

The refugees charge their banishment on the clergy of France, and they give very good proof of their assertion, nor do they mistake, when they affirm that their sufferings are a part of the religion of Rome; for Pope Innocent XI. highly approved of this persecution. He wrote a brief to the king, in which he assured him that what he had done against the here=tics of his kingdom would be immortalized by the eulogies of the Catholic church. He delivered a discourse in the consistory, in which he said, the most Christian king's zeal and PIETY, did wonderfully appear in extirpating heresy, and in clearing his whole kingdom of it in a very few months, March 18, 1689 He ordered Te VOL. I.-3

after the repeal of the edict of Nantz, retired to Geneva, 1685. He was considered at Geneva, as the oracle of the French language, the nature and beauty of which he thoroughly understood. He had four sons, whom he trained up in learning, and who were all so remarkably eloquent, that eloquence was said to be hereditary in the family. The Reverend Lewis Saurin, one of the sons, was afterwards pastor of a French church in London, Saurin, the father, died at Geneva. James, the author of the following sermons, was born at Nismes, 1677, and went with his father into exile, to Geneva, where he profited very much in learn ing.

In the seventeenth year of his age, 1694, Saurin quitted his studies to go into the army, and made a campaign as cadet in lord Galloway's company. (The next year, 1695, his captain gave him a pair of colours in his regiment, which then served in Piedmont: but the year after, 1696, the duke of Savoy, under whom Saurin served, having made his peace with France, Saurin quitted the profession of arms, for which he was never designed, and returned to Geneva to study.

Geneva was, at that time, the residence of some of the best scholars in Europe, who were in the highest estimation in the republic of letters, Pictet, Lewis Tronchin, and Philip Mestrezat, were professors of divinity there, Al phonso Turetin was professor of sacred history, and Chouet, who was afterward taken from his professorship, and admitted into the government of the republic, was professor of natural philosophy. The other departments were filled with men equally eminent in their several professions. Some of them were natives of Geneva, others were exiles from Italy and France, several of them were of noble families, and all of them were men of eminent pietyUnder these great masters, Saurin became a student, and particularly applied himself to divinity, as he now began to think of devoting himself to the ministry, 1696.To dedicate one's self to the ministry in a wealthy flourishing church, where rich benefices are every day becoming vacant, requires very little virtue and some

Two years after his marriage, 1705, he return

times only a strong propensity to vice: but to choose to be a minister, in such a poor, banished to Holland, where he had a mind to settle: ed, persecuted church, as that of the French Protestants, 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.

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 chaplai..hip to some of the nobility at the Hague, with a stipend, was offered to him. This situation exactly suited his wishes, and he i accepted the place, 1705.

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.

After Mr. Saurin had finished his studies, 1700, he visited Holland and England. In the The Hague, it is said, is the finest village in first he made a very short stay: but in the last Europe. It is the residence of the States Gehe staid almost five years, and preached with neral, of ambassadors, and envoys from other i great acceptance among his fellow exiles in courts, of a great number of nobility and genLondon. Of his person an idea may be formed try, and of a multitude of French refugees. by the annexed copperplate,* which is said to The princes of Orange have a spacious palace be a great likeness, and for which I am indebt- here, and the chapel of the palace was given to ed to my ingenious friend, Mr. Thomas Hollo- the refugees for a place of public worship, and, way, as I am to his amiable brother, Mr. John it being too small to contain them, it was enHolloway, for several anecdotes of Saurin. His Jarged by above half.The French church calldress was that of the French clergy, the gowned him to be one of their pastors. He accepted 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 har monious, 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 When the princess of Wales, afterward to the audience, for whose sake he spoke. An Queen Caroline, passed through Holland, in Italian acquaintance of mine, who often heard her way to England, Mr. Saurin had the honour him at the Hague, tells me, that in the intro- of paying his respects to that illustrious lady. ductions of his sermons, he used to deliver Her royal highness was pleased to single him himself in a tone, modest and low; in the body out from the rest of the clergy, who were preof the sermon, which was adapted to the un-sent, and to say to him, Do not imagine that, derstanding, 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 often 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 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 a Miss Catherine Boyton, by whom he had a son, 1703, named Philip, who survived him; but whether he had any more children I know not.

*The engraving accompanying this volume, is an exact fac-simile from the one in the London edition, alluded to in the text.

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 favours 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 acts 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 his tory 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 in the engraving a multitude of copperplates, which adorn the work. It consists of six folio volumes. Mr. Saurin died be¬

PREFACE,

BY THE REV. ROBERT ROBINSON.