ceived, and of his earnest zeal and ability to communicate it for the advantage of others.

About the time that this change took place, he stumbled (to use his own expression in the case) on some of the writings of that famous champion of the reformation, Martin Luther. If he had seen these in his former state, when he was well contented with his own righteousness, we may justly suppose he would at once have rejected them with the utmost disdain and abhorrence, as the very quintessence of Antinomianism; and however he might reverence St. Paul, as being an inspired apostle, would have made no hesitation to have spurned them from him, as contrary to the Gospel of Christ, and subversive of all true godliness. This many, doubtless, have done through want of the same divine teaching respecting their real state, of which Mr. Adam was now happily become the subject. But his mind being now brought down, and, by the discipline of the law, convincing him deeply of his sinfulness, even in his best state, he was so far from being offended at the boldness of expression and freedom of sentiment which he there met

* It will readily be allowed, that there are in the writings of Martin Luther some expressions which seem to savour of Antinomianism, and from which imputation it would be very difficult to defend them against a critical scrutiny; but that they were never meant in that light is evident, not only from their admitting of a very different sense when candidly considered with their context, but from Luther's writings against the Anabaptists of his times on this very account.

The genius and temper of the writer must be considered, as well as the age in which he lived, and the fundamental errors which he combated. He was a plain blunt man, and had an aversion to those softenings which are so fashionable in the present day, and thought they would injure the force of what he said, and make it less pointed against those errors which he had it in his heart to demolish. And although such bold strokes may give offence to those that feel nothing of this real want of a Saviour; yet they that know the urgency of their case, like Mr. Adam, will find them the only remedy that can reach their disorder. And while the cold enervated exactness of the wise and

with, that he perceived them to be the very thing which his soul wanted, and the doctrine of St. Paul; and that however many may affect to admire the one, who yet at the same time reject and make light of the other, they must, in reality, stand or fall together; since they both speak one and the same thing, and all the objections which are prudentially brought against the reformer, lie equally in all their force against the inspired apostle also, and against the doctrine which he so strenuously inculcates.

This celebrated writer, therefore, was always his peculiar favourite; and often would he, with much thankfulness to God, and gratitude of heart, acknowledge to his friends the singular help which he found from his writings, particularly from his excellent comment on the epistle to the Galatians, highly recommending it to their serious perusal, for its admirable use and truly evangelical doctrine*.

In this blessed and happy faith of the Gospel he went on from this time to the very end of his days, growing in grace, and in the knowledge of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and adorning the doctrine of God his Saviour in all things by his truly Christian life and conversation: nor did increasing years, experience, and reading, give him any ground to alter the opinion which he had now espoused, or to depart from it in

prudent affords them no relief, this will be a balm to their wounded consciences, and the richest cordial to their fainting souls, And may we not add, that the divine blessing, which has in all ages attended Luther's works, is no inconsiderable argument in favour of their truth and soundness?

* From the deficiency of our sources of information respecting Mr. Adam, in this part of his life, it is very difficult to know how to arrange the two last-mentioned circumstances. Of the facts themselves we are certain, but cannot positively affirm that we relate them in their exact order as to time; nor, indeed, is it very material.

any degree; but, on the contrary, he was daily confirmed more and more both in the truth and in the necessity of these doctrines, while he found them, in sickness and in health, a sovereign cordial to his heart, and the alone, but all-sufficient, support of his soul. This testimony he fully bore to them in his last illness, frequently repeating to his friends around him, I find my foundation able to bear me.

His departure was full of that serenity and peace which arise from a true acquaintance with Christ and his salvation. His body, worn out with the repeated attacks of his disorder, and with increasing years and infirmity, gradually sunk into the arms of death, while his soul winged its happy flight into the bosom of that blessed. Redeemer, who had long been his portion and his all.

On the 31st day of March, 1784, and in the 84th year of his age, he departed without a groan, and sweetly fell asleep in Jesus.

Thus lived and died this eminent servant of Jesus Christ, full of days and full of grace; gathered as a shock of corn in its season into the garner of his heavenly Master. May we have grace to follow his good example; and may the Holy Spirit lead us on by the same way, to the same rest which remaineth for the people of God!

His character, as a scholar, was very respectable. He had learning without ostentation, and, to a good acquaintance with the Greek and Latin classics, joined a considerable knowledge of Hebrew and the writings of the fathers. But, though a man of taste, and well able to distinguish himself in the circle of letters, he made it a point of conscience to lay aside the scholar when he addressed his people, and studied to accommodate himself to the capacity of the meanest of his hearers, that none might be unedified.

His views of the ministry were serious and honourable. We have already seen how far he was from looking upon it as a profession of advantage, in the answers which he gave to his uncle and to the Bishop of Lincoln. He could not bear to see or to hear of the prostitution of the sacred character to such low and unworthy ends. A minister of Jesus Christ appeared to him a person devoted to the service of God and the souls of men, and, therefore, not at liberty to live after his own will, and spend his income as he would that of an estate; but, as this is appropriated to him out of the substance of the people for the labour of their souls, he is in all duty and conscience bound to reside amongst them, to lay himself out for their good, and attend to their benefit and instruction. "Meditate upon these things,-give thyself wholly to them," — was his standing motto for a minister of the Gospel of Christ.

His discourses, which have been already published*, sufficiently show his ability as a divine, and the faithful manner in which he discharged his great office amongst his people they are full of weighty matter, and are most honest and direct addresses to the heart and conscience. The heart, indeed, was ever his peculiar study. Being deeply acquainted with its exceeding deceitfulness and evil, his attention was always particularly directed here. Hence it was the great object of his ministry to undeceive his fellow-creatures respecting their own imagined righteousness, to detect them to themselves, to strip them of their vain pretences, and to bring them in guilty before God and their consciences. For he well knew, that till this is done, Christ and his salvation are of little or no value. They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."

Mr. Adam published a volume of Sermons in 1781, besides some single discourses preached on different occasions.

After the example of his divine Master, it was his constant endeavour to establish true humility as the groundwork of Christ's religion. Not that affected resemblance of it, which is often put on to please the world, and leaves the heart, all the time, unhumbled, and only more pleased with itself, because of this its supposed excellence; but that true lowliness of soul, which is founded in a deep sense of its own sinfulness, and exceeding unworthiness before God. This was the humility which he laboured after for himself and others; a humility proceeding from a divine principle, and influencing the whole man. He pitied the high and inconsiderate profession of many who love to put themselves forward, and to be looked upon as somebody in the religious world; and esteemed the complaints and self-accusations of a broken and contrite heart a far better evidence of a Christian state, than the loudest pretensions of the bold and self-confident.

The practical parts of Christianity had ever his most sacred attention and regard, and were strongly enforced as the necessary and inseparable consequence of true saving faith for, though no man ever gloried more in the cross of Christ, or was more full and clear in maintaining the doctrine of Christ's blood and righteousness as the only justification and hope of the soul, yet did he ever in the strongest terms inculcate, that they who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works*. A strict and conscientious adherence to integrity and uprightness in all our dealings, and to truth and sincerity in our words, was a matter of high consequence in his estimation. Hence he entertained a very unfavourable opinion of the religion of those who could suffer themselves to deal in smuggled or prohibited goods; to neglect the duties of their station and calling; to gratify their pride, at the expense of common honesty, by living above their

* See Letter, No. II. Appendix.