(xi)

The following is the prayer, which Mr. Saurin generally used immediately before Sermon.

LORD! Our God and Father! thou seest us pros

O trate in thy presence to render the homage due to thy

Majesty, to confess our sins to thee, and to implore thy favour. Had we followed the first emotions of our consciences, we should not have presumed to lift our eyes to heaven, but should have fled from thy sight. We are creatures mean and infirm, a thousand times more unworthy of appearing before thee for our depravity, than for our natural meanness. But, O Lord! though our sins and miseries depress us, yet thy mercy lifts us up. Thou art a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in goodness; thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner; but that he should repent and live, and thou has given thy Son to the world, that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life. So many benefits, so many promises encourage our trembling consciences, and inspire us with the liberty we now take to approach the throne of thy mercy, and to implore the powerful aid of thy grace. We have always need of thine assistance: but now, O Lord, we feel a more than usual want. We are assembled in thy house to learn the doctrines of our salvation, and the rules of our conduct: but, O God! our duty suppasses our strength, we cannot succeed without thy holy Spirit. Grant a double portion of this to us who preach thy word; grant, after we have understood thine oracles, we may be first affected with the truths they contain, before we propose them to others, and may we anounce them in a manner suitable to their excellence. But suffer us not to labour in vain; dispose our hearers to receive thine orders with submission, and to practise them with punctuality; so that all of us, being animated with one spirit, and aiming at one end, may sanctify our conduct, and live agreeably to the holiness of our calling. We pray for all these blessings in the name of thy well beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Father, &c.

L

B 2

The

The following is the approbation of the Walloon church
at Dort, employed by the Synod of Utrecht

to examine the Sermons of Mr. Saurin.

E have found nothing in all these sermons contrary
to the doctrine received among us. We have re-
marked every where a manly eloquence, a close reasoning,
an imagination lively and proper to establish the truths of
our holy religion, and to explain substantially and elegantly
the duties of morality. Accordingly we believe they will
effectually contribute to edify the church, and to render
more and more respectable the memory of this worthy ser-
vant of God, whose death the examination of his works
hath given us fresh occasion to lament. We attest this to the
venerable Synod at Utrecht. In the same sentiments we send
the present attestation to our most dear brother Mr Dumont
pastor and professor at Rotterdam, whom the late Mr. Sau-
rin appointed by his will to take the charge of publishing
such of his works as were fit for the press. Done at the
Consistory of the Walloon church at Dort, May 20, 1731,
and signed by order of all by

The different Methods of Preachers.

1 CORINTHIANS iii. 11-15.

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205

SERMON XI.

The deep Things of God.

ROMANS xi. 33.

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223