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ple of the scriptures in that matter, where it was proved unto him that the great servants of God were astonished with horror and fear of God's wrath in their grevious afflictions: otherwise how should they be taught obedience and reverence to stand in awe of their Father? How should they be made conformable to Christ in suffering, if they should feel no terrors of God's wrath in their soul for sins?

"After much serious conversation on the design of God in afflicting the children of men, with greate cheerfulness he did often lift up his eyes and handes, giving thanks to God that he did chastise him with a loving and fatherlie coercion, and to his singular proffitt, whether the soul live or die.

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Being advertised that David and other holy men of God, in time of their extreme danger, did call to God for help,'and solemnly vowed to sett forth the praises of God, when he should deliver them-that he should do the like, it were very good-that is, to vow, with an unfeigned heart and full purpose, if God should give him life, to consecrate the same to his service, and to make his glory the mark of all his actions. To this he answered, in words expressive of his unfeigned repentance, and of his firm resolution not to live, as he had done, for he had walked in a vague course.' And these words he spake with great vehemence both of speech and gesture, and doubled it, to the intent that it might be manifest how unfeignedly he meant to turn more thoughts unto God, than ever before.

"Continuing thus, certain days, very desirous of conference out of the Holy Scriptures, he requested that some godly book might be gotten to be read unto him, which might, as he said, increase mortification, and confirm his mind.

"He did also sundry times complain, that his mind was dull in prayer, and that his thought did not ascend up so quick as he desired: For having before, in manful sort intreated the Lord with fervent prayer, he thought he should at all times feel that fervency, and was grieved when he found any thought interrupting the same, and for the power of God's word how great knowledge is there,' said he, and how little do men feel the power and working of the same, which is inward.'

"At another time, lying silent, of a sudden he brake forth into expressions, denoting his sense of the wretchedness of man, 'a poor worm,' of the mercies of God-of the dispensations of Providence, that reacheth unto all things: and this he did with vehement gesture, and great joy, even ravished with the consideration of God's omnipotency,providence,and goodness, of whose fatherlie love in remembering to chasten for his good, he now felt, adding, how unsearchable the mysteries of God's word are. "He did grow weaker and weaker in body, and thereby gathered that he should dye, which caused him to enter yet into a more earnest consideration of himself, what assurance he had of salvation: and having by the promises of God, and testimony of his grace, which he felt working in him, gathered his assurance of God's favour unto eternal life, and made him perceive that he did chasten him as a most kind father to fashion him to his will; he said that he feared not to dye, but he was afraid lest the pangs of his death should be so grevious, that he might loose his understanding; and this fear did much disturb him.

"Being demanded whether he did not desire life merely to glorify God, if he should now give him his life, which were in a manner all one as to raise him from the dead, he answered; I have vowed my life unto God; and yf the Lord cut me off, and suffer me to live no longer, then I shall glorify him, and give up myself to his service.'

"The night before he died, towards the morning I asked him how he did? He answered: I feel myself more weak.' 'I trust,' said I, you are well and thoroughly prepared for death, yf God shall call you.' At this he made a little pause, and then he answered—' I have a doubt; pray resolve me in it. I have not slept this night: I have verie earnestlie and humblie besought the Lord to give me some sleep; he hath denied it: this causeth me to doubt that God doth not regard me, nor heare any of my prayers: this doth trouble me.' Answer was made, that for matters touching salvation or pardon of our sins through Christ, he gave an absolute promise; but for things concerning this life God hath promised them but with caution: that which he hath absolutely promised, we may assuredly look to receive, craving in faith that which he hath thus promised. 'I am,' said he, fully satisfied and resolved with this answer. No doubt it is even so: then I will submit myself to his will in these outward things.' He added further; I had this night a trouble in my mynd: for searching myself methought I had not a full and sure hould of Christ. After I had continued in this perplexitie awhyle, how strangelie God did deliver me! for it was a strange deliverance which I had. There came to my remembrance a vanity in which I delighted, whereof I had not rid myself. I rid myself of it; and presently my joie and comfort returned.'-Within a few hours after, I told him that I thought his death did approach, which indeed he well perceived, and for which he prepared himself. His fear that death would take away his understanding, did continue. 'I doe,' said he, with trembling hart most humbly intreat the Lord, that the pangs of death mayn't be so grevious, as to take away my understanding.'

"It was proved to him by testimonies, and infallible reasons out of the Scriptures, that, although his understanding and senses should fail, yet that faith which he had now, could not fail, but would hold still the power and victory before God: yea, in that respect all one, as if he had his senses and understanding. At this he did, with a chearful and smiling countenance, put forth his hands, and slappt me softlie on the cheeks. Not long after, he lift up his eyes and hands, uttering these words- I would not chaunge my joye, for the empire of the worlde!' for the nearer he saw death approach, the more his comfort seemed to increase.

"And after this, for the space of three or four hours, he did still call to be spoken unto out of the word of God. As long as it was not grevious to him to speak, he would make answer; and if any testimonie alledged seemed hard, he would ask the meaning, and if there were any interruption of speech, he would, by and by, call and say, ‘I praye you speak unto me still,'-in the midst of these speeches, which were for the confirming of faith to gather an assurance of God's law, touching the vanity of this life-the victory of Christ over death-and the glory which the body shall have at the resurrection-and that present felicity which the soul should be admitted to by the holy angels.

"As the light of a lamp is continued by pouring in of oyl, so he sought to have the burning zeal and flame of his prayer, upon which his heart was still bent, cherished by the comforts of the holy word; accounting it a great injury, if we did not seek to give wings to his faith to carry up his prayers speedily, uttering grief when he felt any thought interrupting him.

"And although he had professed the gospel, loved and favoured those which did embrace it, entered deeply into the concerns of the church, taken good order and very good care for his family and soldiers to be instructed, and to be brought to live accordingly, yet entering into deep examination of his life now in the time of his affliction, he felt these inward motions and workings of-(The words following obliterated in the manuscript from which Dr. Zouch copied this account)-sorrow for his former conduct.

"Having made a comparison of God's grace now in him, his former virtues seemed to be nothing: for he wholly condemned his former life. For there being a learned man which could speak no English, he spake to him in Latin. Among other things he uttered this-that godly men in time of extreme afflictions did comfort and support themselves with the remembrance of their former life, in which they had glorified God. It is not,' he said, 'so in me. I have no comfort that waye; all things in my former life have been vaine! vaine! vaine !

"Perceiving that death did approach, he did, with a few short speeches, for it was too grevious for him to speak much, exhort his brethren in a loving manner, giving instruction in some points, and to learn by him, that all things here are vanity.

"His speech failing, he made sign with his hand to be still spoken to, and could less endure that I should make any intermission; even as one that runneth a race, when he approacheth unto the end, doth straine himself most vehemently; he would have the help that might be to carry him forward, now in the very end of his race to the goal.

"It now seemed as if natural heat and life were almost utterly gone out of him, that his understanding had failed, and that it was to no purpose to speak any more unto him. But it was far otherwise: I spake thus unto him;—' Sir, if you heare what I saye, let us by some means know it, and if you have still your inward joy and consolation in God, hould up your hand.' With that he did lift up his hand, and stretched it forth on high, which we thought he could scarce have moved, which caused the beholders to cry out with joy, that his understanding should be still so perfect, and that the weak body should so readily give a sign of the joy of the soul. After this, requiring of him to lift up his hands to God, seeing he could not speak or open his eyes, that we might see his heart still prayed, he raised both his hands, and sett them together on his breast, and held them together after the manner of those which make humble petitions: and so his hands did remain, and even so stiff, that they would have so continued standing up, being once so sett, but that we took the one from the other.

“Thus his hearing going away, we commended him to God divers times by prayer, and at the last he yielded up his spirit into the hands of God, unto his most happy comfort."

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A Sketch of the Life and Character of the Rev. THOMAS ADAM, Rector of Wintringham, Lincolnshire, England.

THE Rev. THOMAS ADAM was born at Leeds, in the West-Riding of Yorkshire, Feb. 25, 1701; his father, Mr. Henry Adam, was of the profession of the Law, and Town-Clerk of that Corporation. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Jasper Blythman, Esq. Recorder there, by whom he had six children, Jasper, Henry, Thomas, Catherine, Elizabeth, and Sibyl.

Our author, Thomas, was first put to the public Grammar-School in that town, under the care of the pious and worthy Mr. Thomas Barnard, then head master of that school, and afterwards to the school at Wakefield; from whence, about the usual time of life, he went to Christ's College, Cambridge. But, after he had resided there about two years, he removed to Hart-Hall, (now Hertford College,) in Oxford, under the care of that famous disciplinarian, Dr. Newton, (head of that seminary, and its founder as

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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

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