and had assistance from several gentlemen, who were skilful in that affair, and approved the design. He began to transcribe it some years before he died, and left fairly written about a third part of one of the two folios he designed. But his constant employment in the ministerial work in a large congregation, the great variety of public affairs which passed through his hands, the early decays of his constitution, and various troubles in his own af fairs, prevented that close application which the nature of the work required, in the later years of his life: So that this work was left unfinished. His character was remarkable for many excellent endowments. He had a great solidity of judgment, and uncommon capacity in distinguishing the differences, and discerning the true state of a matter. His vivacity and quickness, joined with great judgment, made a very rare and uncommon mixture: He had the solidity of cooler and slower minds, and the life and quickness of those of the warmest imagination. His industry and diligence were indefatigable: He could bear hard study, and go through a great variety of business with ease and dispatch: He was peculiarly made for the active life, and was not easily tired or discouraged by the difficulties of an attempt. His prudence was often seen in conducting a difficult affair, or managing a debate of consequence; in foreseeing probable difficulties, and finding out proper expedients, in which he was often singularly happy. His principles in religion were sober and moderate, without any zeal for useless speculations, or running into any extreme: He much attended to what was profitable. The Bible was his religion and rule, and his great encouragement and support in all his trials and conflicts, living and dying. He was thoroughly orthodox, and perfectly catholic; disposed to think well of and to honour those who differed from him, if upright and deserving, of the several denominations among us. He knew no difference in his affection and esteem between one good man and another, but what the different degrees of grace had made.

His last sickness was a complication of distempers, which gradually broke his constitution, though it seemed built for a longer standing; and became grievous to him, not only as a confinement from active service, which he most dreaded, but as it was sometimes very painful and distressing. He was preserved, however, in steadiness and composure of mind through a long exercise of faith and patience, with submission to the divine will, and was ready

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to wait the event which GoD should allot him. His lingering illness gave the opportunity of dropping several things instructive and affecting. He had the sentence of death in himself a considerable time, and rejoiced in the views of eternity. He would sometimes check himself in the midst of exquisite pain," I must not complain; GOD is good, and the will of the Lord be done. He once said, "Though I cannot affirm, in the great expression, worthy an apostle, of a late venerable minister among us, (the pious Mr. Lorimore) a little before his death, I have no more doubt of my acceptance with GoD, than I have of my own existence; yet I have good hope through grace, and such as I am persuaded will never make me ashamed." Though he was sensible of many failings, he said, "Yet he could appeal to GOD, that he had walked before him in integrity." And added, with much earnestness and tears, "I have reason of thankfulness for an early sense of religion and dedication to GOD; I have endeavoured to order the main part of life as before him, and ever desired to be faithful in the ministry: I am conscious of many failings in public and in private life; but I can rest upon the gospel-covenant for mercy: I am fully persuaded of its truth, and desire no other salvation." Subjoining at another time, "I die in the faith and hope of the gospel I have preached, and now find great comfort in it." When in acute pain, thus he spoke: "The forma lity and ceremony of taking down this tabernacle by degrees, is irksome and grievous: How much better were it, if it pleased GoD, that it might tumble at once! But the will of God be done." When he looked upon his arms swollen with distemper, and deformed by disease, he would often cry with pleasure, "This corruptible shall put on incorruption. O glorious hope!" And when in great pain of body, would exclaim, "Blessed be God for the peace of my mind."

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He told a particular friend who visited him, "That he was obliged to those who expressed so great a concern for his life, but it was not so much as his own desire:" Adding, "If I might be continued, however, for further usefulness in the church of Christ, I shall be glad to live, but if not, it is my earnest desire to finish at present." He spent whole nights in prayer to GoD, when he could not sleep, for himself, his family, his friends, and the church of God; for this was the proper breath of his soul. Upon occasion of the hours of prayer among many on this account, he said, "I heartily wish that my afflic

tion may be the means of reviving the spirit of prayer; I shall not think much of any thing I endure, provided it have that effect. Some days before his death, he began, with a trembling hand, to write some hints of meditation for the use of himself and his friends: The inscription whereof was, "What I am as a creature; as a reasonable creature; as a sinful creature; as a redeemed creature; as a creature in a state of trial for eternity; as a sociable creature, and related to other beings about me." The last thing remarkable, while he was sensible, and some of the last words he was heard to say, were, lifting up his bands, and crying out, "All is well; All is well;" and finished his course with joy in the fifty-first year of his age, May 16, 1730. Dr. Evans was of an uncommonly tall stature, yet not a lusty man. There was something very pleasing, solemn, and commanding in his countenance. He married a lady of family, and had a daughter supposed to be a considerable fortune; but it proved otherwise, and at his death there was a very handsome provision made for his wife and daughter by the congregation, out of the very great respect they paid to his memory as an accomplished preacher and a most excellent man. It was not known till after his decease, that he had been tempted to make private shipwreck of his large fortune in the fatal South-sea year, so destructive to multitudes of others as well as to him. The weight of which secret lay on his mind, and was, in some measure, productive (so one of his intimates thought) of his slow but certain death. He was buried with great solemnity in Dr. William's vault, in Bunhill Fields.-Dr. Harris spoke the funeral oration over the grave, and preached his funeral sermon.

His Works. Many sermons, published at various times, upon public and private occasions, from the year 1704 to 1727. A volume of Sermons for young persons, 1725. Two volumes of Practical Discourses concerning the Christian temper. Two letters to Mr. Cumming, upon Scripture-consequences.

JAMES SAURIN,

SAURIN's father was an eminent lawyer at Nismes, in France, and being a protestant, was obliged to fly with his family, and with thousands of his reformed countrymen,