a college,) for whose memory in that capacity he ever retained the highest respect.

By the interest of an uncle, a person of some eminence in the profession of the law, and who had been of singular service to the family of the patron, about the year 1724 he was presented to the living of Wintringham, in Lincolnshire, of which he continued rector fifty-eight years; but not being of age to take possession, it was held for him by a friend for about a year.

Not long after he settled at Wintringham, his uncle, who seemed much set upon the advancement of so promising a nephew, urged him greatly to come up to London, to show himself, as he termed it, concluding this to be the most likely way to recommend him to the favour of those who were most able to advance him in the world: but when Mr. Adam understood that his view was to put him in the way of more preferment, he was so far from embracing this advantageous proposal, that he thought it his duty to decline the invitation in as civil a manner as he could, at the same time returning for answer, that it was incumbent upon him to be with his flock at Wintringham; an answer which gave great offence to his uncle, as it frustrated all his well-meant schemes for his promotion and advancement in the church.

Nor did he ever afterwards depart from the same disinterested determination, to refuse all additional preferment.

When Dr. Thomas was promoted to the Bishopric of Lincoln, our author, whose good behaviour at the university had gained him the esteem of his governors there, was strongly recommended by them to his peculiar notice, as one whom he would find more especially deserving, amongst his clergy, of his attention and regard. And it is very probable that we find him, in consequence of this, appointed to preach

before his lordship at Gainsborough, at his primary visitation there. But how much soever the bishop might be at any time disposed to befriend him, he gave him to understand that he was perfectly satisfied with what he at present had, then not quite 7. 200 per annum, nor ever meant to engage in any second charge.

Not many years after his coming to Wintringham, Mr. Adam thought proper to change his state of life, by marrying Susannah, the eldest daughter of the Rev. Mr. Cooke, vicar of the neighbouring parish of Roxby, by whom he had one only daughter, who died in her infancy; and, after having lived together with much comfort during thirty years, or more, in the year 1760, he was called upon to resign this dearest earthly treasure into his hands from whom he had received her. He was greatly affected by this loss, but bore it with a truly Christian resignation.

There is nothing in his history, after this period, which calls for particular notice. An uninteresting sameness of events must almost necessarily attend a life passed in the obscure shade of country retirement. We shall therefore dwell upon those parts of his character as a minister and a Christian, which may furnish some considerations not unworthy of regard and imitation.

From the account which has been already given of Mr. Adam's faithful attachment to his parish at Wintringham, and his determined refusal of all additional preferment, it is natural for the reader to suppose that he was peculiarly diligent amongst his people, and instant in season and out of season, for the conversion and salvation of their souls. But this does not by any means appear to have been the case at that time: for, though he was very exact and regular, in the discharge of all the public parts of his office, and his sermons had even then a zeal and fervour in them be

yond the generality; yet, as he himself afterwards observed to a particular friend, "neither his life nor his doctrine could be of any peculiar use to them, for he lived in a conformity to the world, and his doctrine was contrary to the cross of Christ*."

We find in his private reflections a remark of his own, which will fully show his judgment of the case on the review of it many years afterwards.

"Intrusion into the ministry of worldly ends, and ábsolute unfitness for it;-in great ignorance of Christ;great unconcern for the salvation of souls; -consequent sloth and remissness ;-squandering a large income in sensual pleasure, and when I was something awakened, doing what I did in self-dependence and self-sceking, How awful!"

How long it was after his entrance into the ministry, before it pleased God to give him a clearer insight into his own state, and the nature of his calling, we cannot exactly determine; though it seems probable that his conscience soon began to be not fully satisfied. All that we can gather on this head with certainty, is, that he received his first impressions of a serious kind from the writings of the mystics, particularly from the works of Mr. Law, which appears to be further confirmed by the peculiar intimacy which he is well known to have had for many years, in the middle part of his life, with some ministers of these sentiments.

In this state he continued several years, greatly harassed in his mind and conscience; and though now more earnest respecting both his own soul and

*Lest this expression should appear in any degree obscuré to some of our readers, we would observe, that what Mr. Adam meant by it, was, that he was not preaching Christ crucified, as the foundation of hope for pardon and justification with God, but man's righteousness, thus making the cross of Christ of no effect.

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those of his people, yet a stranger to real peace, and full of continual doubts and fears. He saw indeed the law to be holy, just, and good, but found, after all his utmost care and endeavour to fulfil it, he fell so short of its demands, and was so sinful, that he was continually under its righteous condemnation.

It was not till about the year 1748, that his mind gained any effectual relief. While he continued a disciple of Mr. Law, though growing in a conviction of his sinfulness, and becoming more strict and serious, yet still he could gain no solid peace of conscience. All his strictest mortifications, or multiplied exact performance of duties, were over-ruled by the more strict law of God, whose divine spirituality he could not attain to perfectly, nor save himself from its just condemnation. In this situation, therefore, his soul was in great distress; and that which served to heighten it the more was, that he saw the word of God, instead of giving him any ground of comfort against his fears, was, on the contrary, in many places fully against him. Amongst the rest, the Epistle to the Romans was particularly offensive and distressing to him in this view. He perceived that it evidently struck at, and overthrew the very foundation of his hope, and, (as he then supposed,) made no account of a life of superior piety and godliness. As he was at this time ignorant of God's righteousness, and of any other way of salvation than by the merit of his own goodness, the levelling strain of the apostle was, in a a very high degree, grating to his self-righteous pride. He could not bear to see those that were esteemed good men treated only as sinners, and all their best righteousness passed by as of no account towards their justification. Hence he was sensible that St. Paul taught a very different doctrine from that which he held and preached; and that they were directly contrary to each other in the important article of

man's justification and acceptance in the sight of God: for being possessed of much good sense and unfeigned honesty of heart, (a leading feature in his character all through life,) and being truly desirous to know, and to teach his people the real truth of God's word, he would not suffer his conscience to be pacified and laid asleep with the too common way of persuading himself that both he and the apostle meant, in reality, the same thing, though they evidently appeared so opposite; neither could he bear the thoughts of being a teacher of false doctrine to the people committed to his charge, and that in a point of such essential consequence. Like a worthy and diligent minister of God, therefore, and a faithful pastor of his flock, he was determined to take all possible pains to inform himself clearly on the subject: to this end he applied himself, with all his power, to every probable source of information. Hammond, Whitby, Grotius, with other of the most eminent commentators, were consulted with the utmost care and attention ;-but all in vain. These gave him no relief*. He found they understood the case no better than himself, and was amazed to see men of sense and understanding take pains to impose upon themselves

*From much experience and observation, it was the advice of Mr. Adam, to young divines especially, not to be too forward in taking their sense of the Scriptures from Commentators. And we will venture to assert the justice of the caution. If it be asked, Where then can we can go in cases of difficulty? It is answered-Where Mr. Adam went, i. e. to God in prayer; comparing one part of the word of God with another, and humbly looking to him for his teaching and direction. Let this be duly tried, and we doubt not its success will prove the soundness of the observation. A clear insight will then be often given into the true sense by such a satisfactory solution as no comment can afford, and our faith stand not in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God. Psalm cxix. 18. John vi. 45. James i. 5.