knew the men too well not to distrust a favour coming from fuch fufpected hands. He, therefore, diffuaded the minifters from preaching, and the people from affembling; they agreed, and the church at Charenton was fhut on the Lord's day. Some thought, Mr. Claude took a hafty step: but others better informed faid, it was a masterly stroke. It was a turn given to the rudder of a great fhip, that was going to be wrecked; it came from the hand of a skilful pilot, whom God enabled to fave the paffengers, when he could not prevent the wreck of the veffel.

The ecclefiafticks, seeing their design defeated, and knowing by long experience that Claude muft be the man, who had rendered their scheme abortive, were enraged beyond their ufual measure; and declared, with true epifcopal heroifm, they would prevent his future over officious care of his flock, and spare him the pain of feeing their dif perfion. They made their threatening good. On Monday, Dec. 22, the edict was registered in parliament. Fifteen days were allowed the ministers to depart the kingdom. The bishops found means to abridge this time in regard to Mr. Claude, and at ten o'clock on Monday forenoon he received orders to quit the kingdom within twenty-four hours. One of the king's footmen was appointed to attend him to the frontiers of France. Mr. Claude was prepared for the event, and received the order as became a chriftian.

When God created John Claude, he laid him under the fatal neceffity of committing the unpardonable fin in the account of thofe defpotick hypo. crites, popish prelates. These men never forgive the man, who has penetration enough to discover VOL. I.

the

the true fprings of their actions, and rectitude and benevolence enough to abhor and expofe them. Such men as Claude are not made up to their mind. An ignorant monk, who does not know the world, a needy spendthrift in diftrefs for fear of his creditors, a daftardly cringing creature, who dare not call his foul his own, a lover of ease, a flave to praife, these, and others like them, are formed for fervitude, and lick the feet of their lords the prelates, who, in great wisdom and piety, in pure love to their fouls, and in a primitive laudable zeal for the glory of God, condefcend to lead them through life in epifcopal chains.

On Tuesday morning, Dec. 23, the Man of God took coach at Paris for Bruffels, intending to go and refide with his only fon, who was then paftor of the Walloon church at the Hague. The king's footman treated him with all poffible civility, his merit commanding the man's refpect. At every ftage he was complimented by perfons of diftinction. He flept one night at Cambray. The father rector of the Jefuits did him the honour of a vifit, and the house presented him with what was in season. At length he arrived at the Hague, and, in receiving and returning the embraces of his family, for that evening, forgat his perils, and the remains of a fit of fickness, which he had before he left Paris.

A few days after his arrival, he had the honour of paying his refpects to the prince and princefs of Orange, and to the chief perfons of the ftate. He was received in a manner, that overwhelmed his foul with joy; and he often declared, he could not fufficiently admire the magnanimity of thofe illuftrious men, who, the moment they quit an affembly, where they have appeared vefted with the majesty

majesty of a fovereign ftate, converfe with other men as if they thought them fellow-citizens. The contraft between this court and that of France may well be supposed to strike our exile. Dignity here must seem the foft majefty of angels: but dignity there the ferocious fwell of devils.

The Elector of Brandenburg endeavoured to prevail with Mr. Claude to fettle in his territories : but for particular reafons he declined it. The ftates provided for him at the Hague in a manner, which fhewed their great opinion of his merit. The prince of Orange too fettled a confiderable penfion on him. Here, then, he enjoyed all imaginable quiet. His houfe was the afylum of all the difperfed, and many a long night and day did he fit to hear their lamentable tales, foothing their forrows, quieting their fears, reconciling their minds to a wife providence, and juftifying the ways of God to men. Here he collected authentick materials for his laft work, The complaints of the Proteftants of France. He understood, that Boffuet, and the other French prelates, had the confummate impudence to affirm, that the government had used no force toward the proteftants, that the bishops had converted them by reafon, and argument, and gentle meafures. Shocked at the accumulated impiety of the men, he ftated the facts, painted the bishops in their own colours, published the book, and appealed to all Europe. All Europe (except the Pope, and our James II. who caufed the book to be burnt by the hands of the common hanginan.) all Europe ecchoed, Everlasting infamy cover the bishops of France!

Mr. Claude's courfe of life at the Hague was, in general, this. He rofe early, worshipped God g 2

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in private, and afterward with his family. The forenoon he spent in ftudy, afternoons he devoted to visitors, for the people, who fought to converfe with him, were innumerable: He ate a light and early fupper, and received after it his intimate friends. Here, fays one of them, in those hours of freedom, in those eafy conversations, we saw the very Mr. Claude. His ferious openness of heart, his wife and affable converfation, his penetrating genius and fweet temper, afforded us the highest delight. These converfations always ended with the ufual exercises of piety in his family. The company departed, and he retired to bed."

There was, at this time, no regular preaching in the Walloon church. Mr. Claude, however, preached there occafionally in his fon's ftead, and at other times elsewhere. Going to pay his respects to the Elector of Brandenburg at Cleve, the Duke defired him to preach in his palace at two in the afternoon. Mr. Claude did fo from these 2 Cor.v.17. words, If any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature, and so on. His highnefs was extremely pleased with the fermon, and he expreffed his fatisfaction to Mr. Claude in the most ample manner. The prince and princefs of Orange often required him to preach before them. Mr. Claude had not a fine voice but his auditors were always charmed with his fermons; and it was a fmart faying of a gentleman, who was afked after fermon, how he liked the preacher. Every voice will be for him, faid he, except his own.

It was on December the 25th, 1686, that Mr. Claude preached one of his nobleft fermons before their royal highneffes, from Luke i. 3o, &c. The auditors were all extremely affected with this dif

course,

course, and paffed the higheft encomiums on it; All thought the preacher excelled himself: but little did they think, that, while he uttered him. felf with great eagerness, and was heated in his work, he was catching that illnefs, which would bring him to the grave.

In the evening he found himself uncommonly weary. In the night he had a fever, with violent pains all over him. Each following day he became worfe and worse, and all perceived his diffolution approaching.

On Monday, Jan. 6, he sent for the senior pastor 1687. of the church, to whom in the presence of all his family he expreffed himself thus. Sir, I was defirous to fee you, and to make my dying declaration before you. I am a miserable finner before God. I most beartily befeech him to fhew me mercy for the fake of our Lord Jefus Chrift. I hope he will hear my prayer. He has promifed to hear the cries of repenting finners. I adore him for blessing my ministry. It has not been fruitless in his church; it is an effect of God's grace, and I adore his providence for it.

After pausing awhile he added. I have carefully examined all religions. None appear to me worthy of the wifdom of God, and capable of leading man to bappiness, but the chriftian religion. I bave diligently ftudied popery and the reformation. The proteftant religion, I think, is the only good religion. It is all found in the holy fcriptures, the word of God. From this as from a fountain all religion must be drawn. Scripture is the root, the proteftant religion is the trunk and branches of the tree. It becomes you all to keep fteady to it. The paftor told him, he was not surprized to hear him exprefs himself fo,' after what he had preached and printed in books, which had fo greatly

edified