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of Seymour Lord Sudley, Admiral of Great Britain in the reign of Edw. VI. How he came by this property, and where he was born, with any other particulars of his life?

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The tradition of Brecknockshire makes him a native of that County, and a lawyer; but this is evidently erroneous. The furname is not Welth; he was of Aldermanbury when he died; his uncle was a Sir Smith; his relation, a Lady Fanfhaw; his fervant, to whom he bequeathed a confiderable part of his property, was named, Ecclefton. The answers to thefe enqui ries are fought after, for infer on in the Second Volume of my County Hiftory, which I can now inform my Subfcribers, is nearly completed, though it will confift of two parts.

THEOPHILUS JONES.

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AMONG the various difputes that

engage the attention of mankind, Natural Hiftory very properly claims a fhare. To perfons converfant on this fubject I wish to propofe a few queftions, relative to the Cancer Bernardus of Linnæus. This animal (from its hinder parts being foft and unprotected), chufes for itfelf a babitation in the forfaken fhell of fome other fish, generally that of the Buccinum vulgárum; and in this borrowed covering performs all its neceffary functions.

1. If at the creation of animals each was provided with a habitation fuitable to its wants, it is natural to conclude that the one in queftion had its fhell, or must have expofed its unprotected parts as a prey to others.

2. Had this actually been the cafe, it is reasonable to fuppofe that the Bernardus would have poffeffed a fhell peculiar to itfelf. But, on the contrary, I find it in the younger flages of exiflence, inhabiting the fhells of fmaller kind, as the Turbo Littoreus of Linnæus, Neritæ, &c. therefore the proof of its poffeffing two species of fhells, will, I think, fufficiently con tradict the first conjecture.

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3. Is it not contrary to reafon to fuppofe that the Almighty created any ace of animals without the neceffary means of protection: or, that a certain number of oue fpecies were deftroyed immediately after their creation, to fupply others with a habitation ?

4. If it is now necellary for the

Bernardus to feek fhelter from its enemies, how was it protected previous to finding a deferted manfion fuitable to its purpose ?

As I have not the ncceffary means to make a proper inquiry on this fubject, I hope fome one, more converfant in a fcience of which I confels my felf ignorant, will favour me with their conjectures on it, through the channel of your entertaining Mifcellany. Yours, &c. I. H. E.

Feb 7.

Mr. URBAN, Chippenham, Wills,
OL LXXVI. p. 1017. The plate

facing this page has a tomb-fone, on which your Correfpondent thinks there is a crofs. Is not the figure on the ftone more likely a fword?

P. 1029. The remains of Sir Thomas Wodehoufe, after whom D. enquires, were depofited in Lord Wodehoute's family vault.

P. 1097. Deacons cannot be chofen into Parliament; and Irish and Scotch noblemen are not exempt from arreft It is the poffeffion of a feat in Parliament, and not the poffeffion of a ti le, that is the fecurity.

Vol. LXXVII. p. 24. Your very accurate Correfpondent would oblige many readers by giving a lift of Irish Bifhops and Archbishops who have died fince the Acceffion of George III.

P. 39. The title of Wy Vynn is merged in that of Headley; as is the title of Hyde in that of Roden.

P. 40. For LXVI. read LXXVI. :; likewife, for Cheltenham read Chippenham.

Ibid. Earls, when created knights of the Garter, are always ftyled in the Gazette not with the proper title to which they are elevated, but by their former title :-thus the Gazette fays, William, Efq. created a Baronet. He is not ftyled Sir William is the Earl Ryled any thing more than Right Honourable.

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; nor

I fhall feel myfelf much obliged by having the following Queftions aufwered. Are thofe ladies who are called Honourable authorized, when married, to retain the title with the name of the man they marry, if he has not a title? Can any Correfpondent favour your readers with a lift of the Knights and Chiefs who accompanied William the Conqueror to England ? Yours, A VERY OLD SUBSCRIBER.

18. A Sermon, preached at the primary Vifitation of the Moft Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, holden at Afhford, in Kent, June 13, 1806. By the Rev. Edward Nares, M. A. Rector of Biddenden. Published at the Requeft of the Clergy.

FRO

ROM the words of St. Paul, 2 Tim. i. 7, Mr. N. vindicates the Chriftian Religion against thofe who mifreprefent its Martyrdoms, but at the fame time commend Apoftacy, ad mire Idolatry, vindicate Perfecution, and applaud to the fkies the oft infignificant acts of firmnefs in every caufe but the caufe of God." The fame fortiunde, if not in degree, certainly in kind, is neceflary to preferve the truth inviolate. The Church has loft nothing by the intrinfic foree of any arguments yet advanced against it, nor fuffered any real eclipfe from the rivalry and oppofition of thofe who have put themfelves out of our communion. The arguments of Freethinkers and Deifts are directly leveled against Revelation itfelf; and none of thefe arguments will be found of later date than Chriftianity itfelf, and anfwered by the primitive Fathers. The only novelty to be admired is "the confpicuous defection of one member of the Church of Rome here giving way to fcoffs and taunts, to the pert infinuations of Sciolifts, the profane fneers of infidels. It is thus that the dependence of Chriftianity on the Old Teftament has been almoft given up, and the great doctrine of Redemption loft fight of amidst the difficulties that have arifen on the fubject of the Fall." To the Rational Chriflians, as they call themfives, Mr. N. oppofes the exprefs words of Scripture and the declaration of our Lord himfelf, both on the doctrine of the Trinity and the Atonement; afking them, in the words of St. Auftin to the Manichæans, Teil us fairly that you do not believe the Bible: for while you will believe only what you choose to believe, and all that you do not choofe to believe, reject, it is plainly yourfelves only that you have any faith in, and not in the Bible." The fame anfwer may be given to the rejection of Prophecy and Infpiration. "The

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*See M. de Luc's Correfpondence with M. Teller, of Berlin, and Dr. Geddes's Prefaces to his Verfion of the Bible."

GENT. MAG. February, 1807.

practice of explaining away the literal meaning of the Scriptures is in itfelf fo fufpicious as to appear at once evidence of a weak caufe."

fo much of, of Gospel or Evangelical "As to the distinction lately heard in what eftimation can we be held? But Preachers, if we are not Gospel Preachers, it is moft reasonable, that in the cafe of the felf-denominated Rational Chriftians we should be allowed to queftion the propriety of this exclufive denomination. There is another denomination, to which the perfons to whom the former title is given, boaft alfo of being almoft exclufively entitled, that of Calvinifts, who alledge, that by fubfcribing to the Articles of our Church, you have fubfcribed gene rally to the opinions of Calvin. God forbid! To the beft of my belief, Calvin entertained some opinions to which a large majority of the fubfcribers to the Articles will never be brought to affent; fome opinions, which the compilers of the Articles, fo far from approving or confirming, have moft carefully omitted; which is certainly the cafe very particularly with the Calviniftic doctrine of Reprobation †. Nor are fuch omiffions a matter of mere conjecture, it being well known that the Calvinifts of the time when the Articles were produced, nay even Calvin himself, actually objected to, and remonstrated againft, fuch omiffions. This inftance alone is enough to fhew, that to be Gofpel Preachers we need not certainly be Calvinifts. It is alfo enough to fhew, and this is a point of confiderable importance, that from the filence and omiffions of the Articles themfelves, Calvinifm was fufpected at leaft, at that very time, of being in fome points by no means ftrictly evangelical. Calvin was but one out of many interpreters of Scripture with whom, as in fome points we agree, in fome we differ. The Eftablished Church, to judge from her Articles, has dealt the fame by the Church of Rome, the Church of Geneva, and other reformed Churches. She has done all she could do to feparate what was found in their doctrines from what was

erroneous, to adopt the former and difcard the latter. And though this method fubjected us to the taunt of having a of proceeding and judging fhould have

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Popish Liturgy, Calviniftic Articles, and an Arminian Clergy,' fo far from this being any reflection when duly confidered, it particularly, I think, redounds to our

ተ "This is admitted by Calvinifts themselves. See Overton's True Churchman, chap. II. fect. 2, 2d edit.”

1804."

"See Laurence's Bampton Lectures, praife.

praife. To the Church of Rome, to Cal- themfelves converted? Truly, no where vin, and to Arrainius, we have done all that I know of! This I know, that one the juftice we could do. We have given of their most confpicuous writers, one of them all the credit of being right in fome the greateft advocates for the abandonpoints though wrong in others. In all ment of thefe fondamental Articles of points in which we could agree, we have Chriftianity, tried by his pen expreffly to done all we could to keep in communion convert both Jews and Infidels; but we with them, which ought to be received as have his own acknowledgment, that as to proof enough of our fincerity in regard to Infidels he knew not that he had ever all thote points in which we have felt converted one unbeliever*; and as to the compelled to differ. Such differences in- Jews, it is remarkable that they had the deed are forely to be lamented, and most wifdom to difcover, from the very concef ardently do I wish they could be removed; fions he propofed, that He who endeavourbut, in the prefent ftate of things, they ed to convert them was himfelf no Chrifcertainly prove nothing against us. St. tian . Shall we then, with fuch vain Paul himself could not preach the Gofpel hopes of converting Jews, Turks, Infidels, fo as to fatisfy every body; though con- and Hereticks, to an adoption of the mere fiftent enough, we may be fure, in his morality of the Gofpel, abandon the very do&trine, earnest enough in his addrefs, firft principles and moft fundamental docand moft anxious for its fuccefs, of very trines of Chriftianity (for fuch I truft we many who attended him, "Some believed all efteem thofe doctrines I have juft enuthe things that were fpoken, and fome merated)? God forbid! Reafon enough believed not;" "Some received the would the Calvinifts then have to feparate word with gladness, fome mocked and themfelves from fuch pretended Preachers blafphemed." Acts xvii. (pp. 17-19.) of the Cofpel; for where is the Gospel "As then the prefent ftate of things does without the good tidings' of Redempnot feem to call for any conceffions on tion, and where are the good tidings of the part of the Eftablished Clergy, in re- Redemption to be fought for but in the gard to Faith and Doctrine, I fhall, laftly, body and blood of Chrift our God and Saendeavour (and as briefly as poffible) to viour? Such doctrines are truly fundafhew that the prefent ftate of the world mental parts of Chriftianity, and muft gives no encouragement to fuch concef- never be loft fight of, muft never be fupfions; in doing which, I fhall again take prefed; and though they may ftill keep a fhort view of those three defcriptions of us feparate from Jews, and Turks, and opponents, the Infidels, Rational or Uni- Infidels, and pretended rational Chriftians tarian Chriftians, and Evangelical or Cal- of all denominations, God knows that viniftic Preachers." (p. 19.) - In the without them we can have no hope of revery place where Infidelity fo lately reared claiming cither Papift, Calvinift, or Arher head, with an audacity and effrontery minian; who, if they differ in fome never before witneffed, after a fufficient points from the Established Church, difexperiment of the obvious effects of Irre- fer far more from thofe I have been ligion in general, all the fophifms of In- fpeaking of. Shall we then, I muft next fidelity, all the abfurdities of Atheism, all afk, in hopes of preferving the unity of the freaks and fancies of a vain Philofo- the fpirit, in the bond of peace and righphy, have been openly condemned and teoufnefs of life, follow the Evangelical renounced, and the Religion of Chrift re- Preachers into the depths of Calvinifm? ftored, with no fmall triumph, as above This end, defireable as it muft feem, all things conducive both to the glory of could never, I apprehend, be answered by God and good of man. The chief encou- fo doing. Certain I am, that if the myfragement to conceffions which the per- teries of the Eftablished Religion have fons calling themselves Rational Chrif tended to alienate thofe who call themtians hold out to us is, the greater proba- felves Rational Chriftians, much more bility there would be of our converting would the myfteries of Calvinifm have all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Hereticks. this effect. I will venture to fay, the If we would but discard all myfteries, if gloomy doctrine of arbitrary reprobawe would but renounce our belief of tion, and the extravagant depreciation of Chrift's atonement, if we would forbear moral righteoufnefs, will for ever alarm to worship him, deny his divinity, with the Rational Chriftian more than the the divinity and perfonality of the Holy Church doctrines of Atonement by the Ghoft, and be content to regard Chriftia- Blood of Chrift, or even the Trinity in nity as nothing more than a rule of life, then we are told the ftumbling-block of offence would be removed, and we might all become one Fold under one Shepherd. This is their encouragement; but where are their proofs? where are the Jews, Mahometans, and Infidels, they have

*"See Dr. Priestley's Letter to Mr. Hammon."

"See Mr. David Levi's Letters to Dr. Pricftley."

"Horribile decretum" is Calvin's own expreffion, Inft. p. 60s."

Unity. Conceffions, therefore, on the part of the Church give no hope of conciliation: what we would concede to one would more than ever alienate the other. Steadinefs and firmnefs alone, in adhering to thofe principles in which we agree with either, may afford us the happy prospect of reclaiming both. Laft of all, fuffer me to afk, do you think the Laity expect us to make conceffions? Surely far otherwife. Never was there a period in which the Laity evinced a stronger defire and refolution not to abandon the

principles in which they were educated. Careless indeed too many may, appear of the Chriftian doctrines in their fad neglect of the Sacraments, and of Chriftian holinefs in the conduct of their lives; but, generally fpeaking, fo far from encouraging any undue conceffions in us, I know not where the Clergy will find feverer judges, for any imprudent relaxation of difcipline, of doctrine, or of morals, than in the wife, confiderate, and refpectable part of the Laity of thefe realms. Nor are the wife and confiderate among the Laity a fmall part only; never had we ftronger demonftrations than the prefent times afford of a very general attachment to the Eftablishment both in Church and State-never was there a period in which undue Conceffions appeared to be lefs creditable, Firmnefs more refpectable. Reflect, I beseech you, for a moment, on the unexampled popularity of that exalted Perfonage whom, by the Laws established at the Reformation, we are fworn to regard as the visible Head of the National Church. In the whole lift of English Sovereigns few ever reigned fo long, and none furely in the whole lift altogether fo worthily. None were ever expofed to ruder demands, none had ever to combat greater licentioufnels of opinion. Yet let me afk, is his popularity the fruit of any undue Conceflions? Has he, to conciliate the favour of the multitude, ever abandoned one Article of his Creed, or violated one Principle of the Eftablished Faith? Has it not been moft efpecially owing to the unfhaken manliness of his character, to his most magnanimous refolution, to his almoft heroic fortitude on all trying occafions, that the hearts of all his fubjects are fo entirely devoted to him? In ficknefs and in health, in peace and in war, in times of public tranquillity, or even public commotions, no Sovereign ever, I think, received fuch ftrong and unfeigned marks of affection and refpect from all denominations of people. For, let me fay it to their praife, no one body of Diffenters, at all refpectable, has ever been backward to manifeft its attachment when his Perfon has been threatened, his Government traduced, or his Life

in danger. Let this then ftand as a crite rion of the good fenfe and good princi-, ples, the wifhes and intentions of the bulk of the Nation; not of the Clergy only, but very particularly of the Laity. With the encouragement of fuch an example, an example fo approved by all ranks of people, and placed, moreover, under the immediate government and in--\ fpection of a Prelate not more diftinguished by the eminence of his high ftation. than the confidence of fuch a Sovereign, let us be careful, beyond all things, to keep “the form of found words” mitted to us, to "continue perfectly joined together in the fame mind, and in the fame judgment;" to be "inftant to preach the Gofpel in feafon and out of feafon," not in the fpirit of Fear, but of Power and Confidence, of Love, and a found Mind." (pp. 21-23.)

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19. The Duty of the Clergy to enforce the frequent Receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper: A Sermon, preached at the Vifitation held in the Parish Church of Holy Rood, Southampton. By the Rev. Samuel Clapham, M. A. Vicar of Chrift Church.

IT is generally confidered as an exercife requiring much fkill and judgment to write a Sermon "entitled to the attention and worthy the meditations of a reverend Affembly" (Dedica tion); fome Clergymen being of opinion, with the Author of this dif courfe, that, "to folicit the attention of an Affembly of Clergymen to abfrac fpeculations or fcholaftic fubtle-/ ties, is an entire mifapplication of time, the very purpofe of vifitations being to excite in the Clergy an emulation to difcharge their duty in their respective parishes in fuch a manner that their feveral hearers may become wife unto falvation" (p. 2). whilft others feem to think, that, to enforce the general dury of the Clergy, or to offer to their notice a particular duty, would indicare arrogance and prefumption. Mr. Clapham is not one of thefe. He obferves the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to be very generally neglected in the Church; he therefore fhews the bleffings arifing from the devout parti cipation of it: he then exhorts the Clergy, which is the principal defign of the difcourfe, to enforce the neceffity of its celebration upon their feveral hearers. The reader will perceive, from the following extracts, that Mr. Clapham has not been educated in the Hoadleian fchool :"

"Under

"Under the Chriftian Covenant, and what we believe ratified, when we participate the body and blood of Chrift, is given us that great and precious promife which He hath promifed us, even eternal life. Chrift, by his death, became an expiatory facrifice, by which He eftablished this new and better Covenant, called the New Covenant in his Blood. Whofo cateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raife him up at the last day!"

In the following fentence the Author fhews, in ftill fronger terms, the indifpenfable neceffity of devout communion:

"Our Lord gives us a pofitive command to obferve this ordinance-Do this in remembrance of Me. Now, whosoever fhall keep the whole Law, fhall be moft punctual in the obfervance of moral duties, and yet fhall, intentionally and wilfully, offend or tranfgrefs, in one point, fhall be confidered as guilty of all. Is not every command then deferving of equal regard? He who iffued the prohibition, Do not commit adultery, enjoined the precept, Do this in remembrance of Me. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou contemn the authority of the Law-giver, in respect to another command, thou art a tranfgreffor of the Law."

upon

After elucidating the fubject of the Sacrament, Mr. Clapham calls the Clergy, in the following earneft manner, to inculcate the neceflity of receiving it:

"To enforce a devout and frequent ce

lebration of Chrift's death in the Holy Sacrament, the Minifters of the Gospel are impelled by the most powerful and urgent motives. When we look around on our flocks, and perceive, more especially the higher, and, in a worldly fenfe, the more. refpectable, parts of our congregations, imitated, unhappily, where imitation is inoit culpable, voluntarily depriving them felves, with an unaccountable infatuation, of that fpiritual nourishment, which endureth unto everlasting life, when we contemplate the train of evils which ufually purfues fuch aftonishing infenfibility-in difference to public worship, neglect of family prayer, abfence of religious principle-who, interested in the house of God, and folicitous for the falvation of man, does not feel himself constrained to employ, according to the state of his feveral hearers, all thofe powers with which the Gofpel has fupplied him, mild perfuafion, vehement exhortation, urgent reproof that he may, in love to their fouls, become an inftrument in the hand of God, to deliver them from the pit of corruption,

and from that deplorable condition in which, instead of peace, they have great bitterness? Who does not feel himself conftrained to fet before them the horror of fo fhamefully and perverfely difregard. ing the voice, and tranfgreffing the law, of their Redeemer and Judge? It feems, indeed, fcarcely poffible that the feelings and fenfibility of a minifter of a parish fhould be more keenly excited than when he perceives, fome of his parishioners live ing in an entire neglect of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; people too, whose behaviour, according as it is exemplary or profligate, pious or profane, is productive of abundant good, or of most pernicious evil. And, whilft we contemplate their infatuation, do we not, inftin&tively, extend our concern to their children and far milies? Do we not look forward to the next generation, and anticipate them, like their fathers, abfenting themfelves from God's holy ordinance? To prevent then, if it be in our power, a thoughtless parent from entailing upon his offspring a difregard of God's commands, let us, my Reverend Brethren, thus reafon with ourfelves-Hath the Lord ordained me to preach the Gospel? Hath He given me a tongue, that should know how to speak a word in feafon to him that is difobedient ? I will pour out my foul before Him to help me with his grace; and, however I may be oppofed by Irreligion, derided by Thoughtleffhefs, or fneered at by Formality, I know that I shall not, in fuch a caute, be afhamed,"

Mr. Clapham's folicitude for the fpiritual welfare of the inferior orders of

fociety is fo amiable and praife-worthy that our readers will, we are fure, perufe ly's ob/ervations with as much pleature as we did ourselves.

Whilft we are jufly folicitous to prevail with the higher claffes of the community to celebrate worthily the Holy Sacrament, it is equally our duty to direct our attention and devote our thoughts to thofe in the loweft fphere, who ufually live in an entire neglect of it. Of them it may, unhappily, with certain limitations, be faid, that when they hear, they do not understand; their ignorance is indeed deplorable, their infenfibility is truly alarming. That this order of men fhould, above all others, feel the confolations of Religion-that they fhould be entitled to forgivenefs of fins, fhould be fupported by the affiftance of God's Holy Spirit, and fhould, through the obfervance of the dying command of their Redeemer, haye a well-grounded hope in futurity--is an impreffion which, it might be fuppofed, cannot but be made upon the mind of every clergyman-an impretiion

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