And four faint letters below. Now in the poffeflion of the Rev. Charles J. Bird, F. A. S.

In 1802 Mr. Townley exhibited fome ftones and pieces of pottery found on Thornborough farm, in Brough township, Catterick parifh, belonging to Sir John Lawton, bart.; and Dear which the iron gates were fuppofed to have been which Mr.Camden mentions. Roman urns found on Blackheath, in the kitchen-garden of the Earl of Dartmouth. A curious glafs urn was found on Blackheath about the middle of the last century. See Hafted's Kent, I. 27. We remember a capital exhibition of Roman pottery fent from this quarter, in the pond of a farm, if we miftake not, by a Mr. Flower; but about which the late fecretary, Mr. Norris, held fome myfterious conduct; and whether they found their way into

the minutes is not clear.

Nine fragments of filver, found in making a hedge near the houfe of Sir John-Edward Swinburne, bart. in Northumberland, 1747, where a Roman road remains, a mile and a half Eaft of the spot, which, on Shaftoe crag-hill, two miles North-east of CapHeaton, is for 300 yards entire; and near the bill a finall barrow, with two or three large upright ftones. R. P, Knight, efq. illuftrates thefe fragments as handles of difhes, and ornaments of them, fculptures of very high relief, and of the finest period of Grecian artilis, most accurately finished and finely preferved, caft and wrought on feparate pieces, and afterwards fet in the handles. Some of them are in lower relief, and the ornaments all worked out of the general mafs, not let in feparately; and probably the fetting and actual difpofition and employment of the emblemata is of the time of Septimius Severus; the other in parts

plated with gold, ruder, and as late as Diocletian.

Antiquities from Ireland: a stone mould for cafting different-fized brafs fpear-heads; fome ftone arrow-heads; piece of brafs twifted and tapering; a circular fone, perforated; two flint tools; a fimilar piece of brafs, &c.

Copies of original inftruments:

Two original writs of privy feal, printed on paper, fhewing the mode adopted by Charles I. in the beginning of his reign, to obtain money from his fubjects, under pretence of a loan, and the imitation of it by the Republican Party; the former requiring, the latter defring.

A writ of election of an abbot of yetham, 7 Henry VII.

Free pafs to Sir Gilbert Talbot, and other commiffioners, to prefent the order of the Garter to Guido Ubaldo, Duke of Urbino, 1503, 19 Hen. VII.

Letters patent of 44 Edward III. granting to John de Warblynton the ellice of marthal of the meretrices, and to quarter (difmembrare) malefactors, and adjudge and meafure gallons and bushels in the King's houfe. Notwithftanding the plaufible arguments adduced by Mr. Manning, Mr. Lyfons finds a French record, cited by Spelman, from the Liber Ruber Scaccarii, proving meretrices to be putains.

Seal of Walter de Banham, facrist of St. Edmundbury, temp. Henry I. reprefenting the wolf with St. Edmund's head, and before engraved.

Another copy of the feal of Bridgenorth, before mentioned.

Seal of the priory of St. Bartholomew, Weft Smithfield, after its reftoration by Queen Mary.

Sketches of antiquities, from a book of tkeiches belonging to Edward Edwards, efq. protetor of perfpective in the Royal Academy; the word prefented in homage to the Bishop of Durham; a glafs reflel found at Caffle Eden; an antient filver fpoon found in one of the piers of Newcastle old bridge; an antient candleftick, from an old cheft in the chancel of Ashbury church, Berks.

Portrait of "" Thomas Eldred, of Olivers, in Effex, who failed round the world with the famons navigator, Mafter Thomas Candith, of Trimley,

in Suffolk, efq. ;" whofe voyage is given in Hakluyt's Collection, III. 803. In the fame family is a portrait of John Eldred, another great traveller of the fame family, whofe monument in Great Saxham church is here engraved. There is a third print, of a remarkable old fhip, with four mafts, probably a king's fhip, in which Eldred accompanied Cavendish. Of the Eldred family fee Morant's Effex, II. 193. "The curious drawing, by Vertue, from aa original painting of Capt. Thomas Eldred, who failed round the globe in the fixteenth century," mentioned by Granger, 1. 248, was communicated to him by Mr. Gough, who fince purchafed the drawing, then in Dr. Du

carel's collection.

Door of Thorp-Salvin church, in Yorkshire; the font in which is reprefented in Archæologia, vol. XIII. plate XL.

Account of four fione coffins in a field North-west of Ware, 1802, which had been engraved in our vol. LXXII. p. 393, when firft they came to light, but have been kept out of fight by the Society four years.

An antient ivory comb, from Ickleton nunnery, in Cambridgeshire, in the collection of Mr. Shepherd, who has many other curiofities worth engraving.

A frefco painting of St. Erafmus and his martyrdom, by twifting out his bowels, like Amphibalus, on the wall of Trinity chapel in Cirencester church; and the arms of William Prelatte, fquire to Richard Duke of York, 1462. A whole length of Henry VI. with his name under it, was found at Warfield church, Berks.

A fione infirument from Dominica, fuppofed the workmanship of the original Charaibs.

A cairn of four apartments, opened by the Dean of Raphoe, on his glebe in the parish of Killlevy, in the county of Armagh; with three views and a fection.

An antient filver fork, open and

fhut up:

Since the last lift of prefents to the Society, his Majefty has been pleafed to fend to them, to be hung up in their meeting-room, four most interefting and valuable pictures: the embarkation of Henry VIII. at Dover; his interview with Francis I. in the Champ de Drap d'Or (both engraved by the Society); Henry VIII. and fa

mily (not yet illuftrated); and the Battle of the Spurs (never engraved).

161. A Sermon, preached at St. Mary's 1 Church, in 'Truro, at the primary Vi fitation of the Right Reverend the Bishop of Exeter, on Wednesday the 17th Day of July* 1805. By the Rev. William Gregor, M. A. Rector of Creed. Publifhed at the Request of the Right, Reverend the Bishop of Exeter., Truro: printed at the Cornifh Prefs, for the Be nefit of the Cornwall Infirmary.

THIS illuftration of the character of the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, from his own difcrimination of himself, 1 Cor. ix. 22, 23, is one of the happiest pictures of the duties and conduct of his fucceffors in the prefent times, which, with all thefe aids and directions, the practical application of the Apoftle's maxim unto them, amidst the changed and changing circumfiances of thefe latter days, will be found, on many occafions, to be a work of diffi◄ culty, doubt, and delicacy." (p. 6.)— The conduct of Minifters of the Gofpel in their general deportment and intercourfe with the world, the due regard they are to pay to cafe and circumftances, the wants and weakneffes, the peculiar modes of life and habits of thinking of thofe whofe fpiritual welfare is entrusted to their charge, are well pointed out. The duty to be followed in regard to thofe who may not be for us, or who poffibly may be against us, is a queftion which the cir cumftances of the prefent times frequently call upon us to deliberate and decide upon; and in deliberating and deciding upon it we must frive in fincerity to know what fpirit we are of. The following fhort review is here taken of the claims of the regular Ministers of our Church.

"Our Religious Eftablishment is firmly built upon the foundation of Scripture and the precedents of Antiquity: and our office and miniftry is, moreover, "juftified of her children," by the very nature of things, and the very circumftances under which it hath pleafed God, that the Gospel fhould, at prefent, be The difference, which fubfifts between propagated and perpetuated in the world. miraculous Powers, and the Church, as it the primitive Church, aided as it was by has fubfifted and ftill fubfifts, after that thofe powers have been withdrawn from it,

* So it fhould be, and not, as here printed, Augugi,

neceffarily

neceffarily requires, in many refpects, a difference of adminiftrations. The Gofpel, which the Apoftles preached, confifted of the declarations, which they made of the things which they had seen and heard, and of the Truths which had been fupernaturally revealed unto them by the Holy Spirit. The Gofpel which has been preached fince their days, and which we preach, is the written Gospel, which is the lafting record of their Teftimony and their infpirations. Language, therefore, is the medium, through which it hath pleafed God "that his ways fhould be made known upon earth, and his faving health cenveyed unto all nations." The miraculous interpofition of God is vouchfafed by rule, and meafure, and in exact proportion to neceffity. He who thought fit to fuperfede Miracles and Infpiration by written records, and who ceafed from doing more for man, when he had furnished fucceeding generations with the means of "knowing the certainty" of those things, which he had done for him, ordained, that the Gospel fhould be committed to one language only. What human zeal, induftry and erudition could effect, that He left to be effected by them: and, in this refpect, the natural and acquired powers of man have been found, under the ordinary aids of the Holy Spirit, "fufficient" for him,-Whofoever conceives that literary attainments and a fkill in languages are not required as qualifications in a Minifter of the Gofpel, but that any perfon "may take this office upon him," muft, at leaft, confefs that they were effential in thofe who made the version of the original Gofpel into his own tongue. The felf-appointed and illiterate Preacher muft alfo acknowledge his obligations to human learning, through which he is enabled to read that Gofpel which he undertakes to preach. This is not all. Our cafe is not clofed here.The Gofpel which we preach was not only written in an antient language, but is converfant with an antient people, antient uses, and antient events: all of which have a material influence upon what is written. That which was at firft addreffed unto Jews and Heathens, which was called forth by the peculiar exigencies, and adapted to the special and tranfient occafions of former days, cannot, in the nature of things, be transferred exactly and indifcriminately to ourfelves at prefent.-It becomes, therefore, a matter of indifpenfable neceffity, that a Minifter of the Gospel in thefe days fhould be able to diftinguish thofe parts of the Holy fcriptures which were intended to be temporary, from thofe which are of general application;

it becomes his bounden duty, to be able, from his fkill in languages and his knowledge of antiquity, to reconcile feeming contradictions, to elucidate that which is obfcure, and to reftrain and modify the apparent and literal interpretation within those bounds, which the various particularities of time, perfons, and occafions,' impofe upon it.' (pp. 12-14.)

Candour, Liberality, and Toleration, are terms which are become fo common and current, that nearly all traces of preçifion as to the ideas which legitimately belong unto them, feem to be effaced. We have them confidently tendered unto us by all perfons and on all occafions: but frequently we are at a lofs to difcover "whofe is the image and fuperfcription which they bear. The Liberality and Toleration of fome, in respect to religious tenets, is but the indifference of a heart which "careth for none of these things." And in the mouths and writings of others, they are but the "high fwelling words of vanity" and craft, which are defigned to ferve as the plaufible paffports to the "praise of men."-But it muji not be fo with us.

Neither Indifference, nor Vanity, nor Selfifhnefs, muft influence our opinions or condu&t. Toleration and Li, berality have their precife meaning, their definite objects, and their due limitations

If

all that we do muf be "for the Gof pel's fake." God forbid that we fhould attempt to enfnare the Faith, or to exercife dominion over the confciences of our Brethren, We difclaim fuch arts and fuch ufurpation, as being equally injurious and difgraceful to them and to ourfelves: but what is Faith? is it not the fober affent which our understandings yield to the Truths contained in the Scriptures? And what is Confcience? is it not the Judgment, which we difpaffionately form refpecting our conduct and opinions in regard to their agreement or difagreement with the Law of God? fuch be the Faith of thofe, who diffent from us in religious tenêts: if of fuch a fort be the Confciences of thofe, who have feparated themfelves from our ChurchCommunion: We judge them not-to "their own Mafter" they stand or fall.But if, after the manner of fome, every Doctrine, which is received by the ' 'itching ear," which captivates the imagination, and is welcomed by the paffions, is confidered at once as an object of Faith: if every fleeting conceit, every fhadow of a doubt, every capricious fcruple be dignified with the name of ConScience, which is to justify us in the fight of God, for what we do or leave undone : God forbid, that we, as Chriftian Minifters, fhould take no part or interest in the Faith or Confciences of thofe whole

fpiritual

fpiritual welfare hath been entrusted to our charge, unless all opinions be alike; unless confidence of perfuafion be the test of Truth, God forbid that we should be unconcerned "how" or what they hear : or that we should ceafe to be "jealous over them with a godly jealoufy," left "the light, which is in them be darknefs!" (pp. 16, 17.)

:

There is a clafs of Chriftians, who, although they differ from us in fome points, yet ftill profefs themselves to be members of our Church: we meet them at the Baptifmal Font: we draw near with them, to the fame Table, where we commemorate the atoning blood of our Redeemer and we unite with them in the fame prayers, praifes, and thankfgivings, offered up unto our God. My Text affords us fome directions as to our conduct towards thefe perfons: and we may certainly learn from it, not only to take heed, that we wilfully give them no offence, but that we alfo abftain, as far as it may be confiftent with other duties, from all appearances of it.-Our Duty, indeed, enjoins us "to keep back nothing that is profitable" (Acts xx. 20,) unto our hearers: neither muft we dwell continually upon particular Doctrines or Subjects, in order to gratify the tafte, or to fall in with the favourite notions, of a part of our congregation, to the exclufion or neglect of other Gofpel Truths." (pp. 18, 19.)

a

"I am led to make a few remarks upon a fubject, which must have miniftered unto all of us matter both for aftonishment and concern.-I allude to the accufations which have been publicly preferred against us, as Minifters of the Gofpel, that we preach not the Gospel; and that, whilft we complain of Diffentions from our Church, we ourselves are the real Diffenters from that Church, whofe Doctrines we have folemnly pledged ourfelves to maintain.-This charge, which had long fince been circulated in fecret whifpers, vague infinuations, or general declamation, by the enemies of our Efftablishment, has of late affumed fhape more ferious and important. "It was not an open adverfary that did magnify himself against us, but thofe with whom we ought to walk in the Houfe of God as friends," yea, our accufers have arifen" of our own felves." (Acts xx. 30.) We judge not of motives, but we may, and we can judge of the tendency of meafures and it becomes our bounden duty to be able to give a reafon" of the Faith that is in us, when of our Faith and Hope, and every thing that is dear unto us, we are called in queftion.' give place by fubjećtion" to thofe who thus accufe us, if we be "all things"

If we 66

66

unto them, it cannot be "for the Gofpel's fake."-If we be not refpected as Minifiers of the Gospel, our Miniftry is in vain and how can we be refpected, whilft the imputation of fuch ungodly infincerity cleaveth unto us? We are therefore, my Brethren, called upon, from a regard unto our own Characters and for the Gofpel's fake, to defend ourfelves againft this heavy charge thus brought against us. The Calviniftic Interpretation of our Articles is the affumed Text, it feems, whereby our adherence to Chriftian verity and to the Church of England, is to be determined. But we challenge the competency of our Judges: we difclaim this criterion: we appeal unto the Articles themfelves, to Hiftoric Testimony, to the Scriptures, and to common sense. It has been juftly obferved *, that all the peculiar Doctrines of Calvin may be comprifed in his fingle and famous Doctrine of Predeftination: they are the secondary, though effential parts or contrivances 'fitly framed together" in the ingenious mechanism of his Syftem. How the very existence of thefe Articles, as the meafure of Teaching, or even the appointment of Teachers themfelves, can be confiftent with this Doctrine, it is not eafy to difcover. Nay, if it be an effential Truth of that Gofpel, which was announced to be "good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people," that Some amongst mankind must be faved, whilft others cannot be faved: if, by the decree of Him, whom our bleffed Saviour hath commanded all his followers, without diftinction, to addrefs in prayer, by the endearing appellation of " our Father," there is, even in this world, a great gulph fixed" between the elect and the reprobates, impaffable by either; why "have we Mofes and the Prophets?" To what purpofe is the Gospel given ? And how can a Minifter of that Gofpel prefume to mock his hearers by preaching Repentance and Faith? What is Repentance? Doth it not confift in forrow for pafi fins, and a hearty refolution, through the grace of God that is promised unto us, to flee from them in future?-By the Calviniftic fcheme, the idea of Repentance is utterly annihilated: to be forry for that which it was impoffible for us to avoid, and to refolve to have done that which it will be equally impoffible for us by any means to do, involves the moft glaring contradiction and abfurdity. And of what fort muft that Faith be, which leads to the very

66

fame conclufion as Infidelity? The fincere believer in Calvin's Gefpel and the profligate. unbeliever may, with equal confiftency, leave all care concerning a future ftate to chance, and fay, "let us eat and drink for to-morrow we die."We may object unto our accufers, that the peculiar doctrine of Calvin* is not able to make us wife unto falvation; and that it is profitable for nothing, neither for reproof, nor for correction, nor for inftruction in righteousness ;" but that it confifts of a fpeculative and barren dogma, to fpeak the moft favourably of it. Now, if our Articles be Calvinistic, how ill do they accord with Scripture, from which they are profeffedly framed! How utterly unlike are they alfo "to the Doctrine according to Godliness," which the Chriftian Minifter is fo folemnly warned exclufively to preach-If the broad line of diftinction between the elect and the reprobate could be ascertained at prefent, the negative qualities of this doctrine would be fuperfeded by pofitive tendencies of the moft pernicious nature: cither Prefumption or Despair muft be the, portion of us all! Faith, Hope, and Charity, must be excluded! Thofe that perfuaded themselves that they were "of the elect, would thank God that they 66 were not as other men are." And the Reprobate might, in the anguifh of his foul, apply the words, which Efau fpake concerning his temporal allotments, to his everlafing condition: Yes, he might cry, with an exceeding great and bitter cry, "Haft thou but one bleffing, O my Father? Blefs me, even me, O my Father!" or, hardened by defperation he might make anfwer unto that Saviour, who faith "Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy laden;" What have I to do with thee, Jefus of Nazareth; art thou come to torment me before my time?"-Thefe are fome of the reafons, fuggefted by common fenfe, against the probability of our Articles being Calviniftic: for the framers of them were wise, good, grave, and moderate men. There are many arguments, which directly prove the impoffibility of their being fuch: fome of which may, with peculiar force and propriety, be addreffed unto the accufers of their Brethren. "It is an eftablished rule in the conftruction of our Laws, that thofe Statutes which are upon the fame fubject must be conftrued with reference to each other: fo that what is clear in one shall be called in to explain what is obfcure or ambiguous in another." This wife principle hath been applied to the cafe in question.

We have recourse to the Liturgy*, which is continually in our mouths, in order to explain the Articles, which we have subfcribed. And here again we might obferve, that the very existence of the Liturgy is incompatible with the doctrine of Predefi nation: Why is the Liturgy enjoined, and wherefore do we employ it? "forasmuch as we know, that our labour is not in vain in the Lord."-This principle is implied in the fcriptural quotation, which ftands first and foremoft in the Service, as being a preliminary condition, and as an introductory encouragement unto thofe who devoutly ufe it. "When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he fhall fave his foul alive." Have we, "as ambaffadors of God," folemnly uttered thefe words in the prefence of our affembled congregation; and have we addreffed them unto finners with equivocation, mental evasion, and fecret refervation? and whom have we made a party to our diffimulation? I tremble to think, I dare not utter his name.-What do we, the Minifters of Chrift, fay, in another folemn office of our Liturgy, to those who bring infants to be baptifed? "Doubt ye not, but earnejily believe that our Saviour Chrift will favourably receive this prefent infant, that he will embrace him with the arms of his mercy, that he will give unto him the bleffing of eter nal life, and make him partaker of his everlafting kingdom." Thefe words every Minister of the Church of England declares concerning every child that he admits to Baptifm; and the Charity of our Church, which "believeth all things, and hopeth all things," prefumeth that each infant "will ever remain in the number of God's ele&t ;" and that the reft of his life hath been "according to this beginning :" for this charitable hope we exprefs in that folemn fervice, which we read over the bodies of our departed Brethren, and over the bodies of all without diftinction! And could our Church command her Minifters to make this folemn affurance, and to declare this folemn hope, concerning all perfons, if it were

a thing impoffible" for all to attain unto falvation? and could fhe command this, if her doctrines were Calvinistic? But our Accufers difavow thefe confequences: and we rejoice at their difavowal. Their Calvinifm, therefore, is not the Faith of Calvin. But if the doctrines of our Church fo clearly appear to be at direct variance with Calvin's peculiar fyftem,