Rev. J. Jefferson, M. A. vicar of Grettingham, Suffolk, Weeley R. Essex. Rev. William Mairis, B. A. St. Peter R. Wallingford, Berks, vice Bethel, dec. Rev. John Brewster, vicar of Stockton, Reamarshall R. co. Durham. Rev. D. Twining, M. A. Stilton R. co. Huntingdon. Rev. Nathaniel Humfrey, Thorpe-Mandeville R. co. Northampton. Rev. Vere Isham, Cottesbrook R. co. Northampton. Rev. J. Carter, M. A. F. A. S. head master of Lincoln grammar-school, Upton V. co. Lincoln. Rev. C. B. Massingberd, Kettlethorpe R. co. Lincoln, vice Craster, dec. Rev. William Wood, B. D. Lawford R. Essex, vice Whitmore, dec. Rev. M. D'Oyly, rector of Buxted, and vicar of Pevensey, Sussex, Lewes archdeaconry; the Bishop of Bristol, elected canon-residentiary of Chichester cathedral; and the Rev. the Dean, custos of St. Mary's Rev. R. Hodges, M. A. Embleton V. co. hospital, Chichester; all vice Courtail, dec. Northumberland. Rev. John Bristow, B. D. Cotgrave R. co. Nottingham, with St. Mary V. Nottingham; Rev. Dr. Edward Hay Drummond, Rampton prebend, in Southwell collegiate church, and the Rev. William Hammerton, Tong perpetual curacy, near Leeds, co. York; all vice Haines, dec. DISPENSATIONS. Rev. J. Jefferson, M. A. vicar of Grettingham, Suffolk, to hold Weeley R. co. Essex. Rev. John Bristow, B. D. to hold Cotgrave R. co. Nottingham, with St. Mary V. in the town of Nottingham. DEATHS June 24. At Wandsworth, Surrey, Mrs. MARGARET WEBB, aged 92. Throughout her long extended life she manifested the most unfeigned humility and devotion. Her strict attention to every Christian duty, her constant endeavour to maintain peace and harmony with all around her, her patience, thankfulness, and submission to the will of God, confirmed during her life her humble stedfast faith in Christ her Saviour, and, at her death, left to her many surviving relatives the encouraging hope that she had, as a true and faithful servant, entered into the joy of her Lord. At Thaxtead, co. Essex, the Rev. Mr. MAYNARD, brother to Lord Viscount M. rector of Rudvinter, and vicar of Thaxtead. In his 85th year, the Rev. Geo. HEARNE, rector of St. Alphage, vicar of St. Mary, Northgate, Canterbury, and one of the six preachers of Canterbury cathedral. At South Shields, aged 101, MARGARET TATE; who could see to read a newspaper until two days before her death. At Inverary castle, aged 85, the Most Noble JOHN CAMPBELL, fifth Duke of Argyle. Mr. WILLIAM PARKER, of Ford-street, Derby, formerly of Dalbury Lees. While upon the race-ground at Manchester, to all appearance in good health, he dropped down and immediately expired. At Lincoln, aged 82, the Rev. Mr. MOUN SEY, late of Market-Rasen, co. Lincoln. Aged 83, the Rev. HUMPHRY SMYTHIES, M. A. rector of Alpheton, Suffolk, and of Little Staughton, Bedford. In consequence of her dress accidentally taking fire the preceding evening, the wife of Mr. EDMUND DARBY, of Gracechurchstreet. At the rectory, Essexford, co. Louth, after a short illness, the Rev. LUKE GEORGE, rector of that place, and of Bally- Adams, Queen's County. Aged 71, the Rev. ANTHONY TROLLOPE, formerly of Pembroke-hall, Cambridge; rector of Cottered with Bradfield annexed, and vicar of Rushden, Herts. Rev. JOHN BREWSHER, Vicar of St. Neots, Hunts. Aged 67, the Rev. LUKE WILLEY, many years master of the free grammar-school at Doncaster, co. York. At Wimbledon, Surrey, the seat of his son, Andrew Bernard, Esq. THOMAS BER. NARD, Lord Bishop, of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, LL. D. F. R. S. &o, &c. At Stony-Stratford, Bucks, aged 57, the Rev. THOMAS PROPERT, perpetual curate of that parish, of which he had been minister 28 years. At Tunworth, near Basingstoke, Hants, the Rev. JOHN ILSLEY, rector of Tunworth. At Wellbourn, co. Lincoln, Mrs. RIDGHILL, wife of the Rev. John R. SARAH, daughter of the Rev. HENRY GEORGE WATKINS, rector of St. Swithin's, London-stone, Cannon-street. At Spital, near Chesterfield, in his 75th year, the Rev. JOHN BOURNE, M. A. rector of Sutton, and vicar of South Wingfield, co. Derby. In his 66th year, the Rev. JOHN WILLS, D. D. warden of Wadham college, Oxford. Rev. JOHN MEYLER, M. A. formerly of Marlborough, rector of Maulden, Bedford. THOMAS VELLEY, Esq. F. L. S. late lieutenant-colonel of the Oxfordshire Militia, and a long resident in Bath. Travelling in a double-bodied stage-coach, between 9 and 10 o'clock of the night of the 6th, it stopped at the Castle inn, Reading, and while the coachman was gone in to refresh himself, the horses set off without him; and Mr. Velley, alarmed at his situation, jumped out, and fell with the back part of his head so violently on the ground, as to occasion a concussion of the brain. He languished, in a state of insensibility, till this evening, when he expired. Found dead on Liddington common, Mr. REEVES, master of the Falcon inn at Uppingham, Rutland. He was returning from Kettering, and, it is supposed, was seized with a fit, as he had evidently fallen from his horse, although no bruise of any material consequence was discovered about him. At the George inn, Bridgewater, in his 50th year, in consequence of the fracture he received in his leg by the breakingdown of the hustings at the nomination of a member for the county, on the 9th inst. SAMUEL DAY, Esq. of Burnett, and of Charter-house-Hinton, co. Somerset. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. We should have been amused with the testy letter of O. if we had not felt that it called rather for feelings of commiseration. We shall very gladly be saved the expence of paying postage for such letters. His counsel with respect to Ecclesiastical Preferments has been uniformly followed. (See Gent. Mag. for May last, p. 474.) If O.'s papers combined good taste and good temper, he would have no reason to reproach us for their non-insertion, We are sorry that we cannot gratify the laudable curiosity of J. M. S. without a breach of confidence. His paper is under consideration. A PLAIN HONEST MAN; MINIMUS; A CHURCHMAN; R. S. T.; NARCISSA; Q. S.; JACOBUS; P. D.; M. R.; Y. 'T'. S.; and λ. μ. v.; shall likewise be considered. THEOPHILUS; and R. Q.; have been received. The latter is left at the Publisher's. After a full consideration of the ingenious paper on the miracle of restoring sight to the blind, we are of opinion that the reasoning which it contains is not supported by sufficient evidence. M. HUGHES is referred to p. 441 of this Number. The continuation of letters to a young Clergyman, and P. EX. EFF. in our next. We are unable to give a correspondent who signs himself CW, any further information respecting the works either of Baron Biberstein or Mr. Smith. We are much concerned that we should have failed in fulfilling our promise to HONESTAS. It had entirely slipped our memory. Such accidents will unavoidably occur in the conduct of a periodical work, and the omission is more likely to be seen and felt by the writer than by the Editor. We will endeavour to find his letter. ERRATA. LAST NUMBER. P. 356, col. 1, 1. 15, for two hundred and fifty read twice one hundred and fifty. P, 359, col. 1, 1. 22 from bottom after now read never, PRESENT NUMBER. P. 395. col. 2, 1. 16 from bottom, for Lysa read Lyra. For the CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. Account of the Right Honourable the Lady MARY VERE, Relict of Sir HORACE VERE, Baron of Tilbury, who died the 25th December, 1671, aged 90 Years; extracted from the Sermon preached at her Funeral by that learned and pious Divine the Rev. WILLIAM GURNALL, M. A. of Emanuel College, and Pastor of Lavenham, Suffolk. Nobilis genere, sed multo nobilior sancti tate. ALL who knew the Lady VERE esteemed her to be a Christian indeed. Truly if we may not think so of her, we shall be at a great loss to find such characters, by which we may judge any at all to be so. Her parentage was high and ancient on both sides. By her mother's side she sprang from the chief of the Throgmortons family; and by the father's, from the ancient family of the Traceys, at Todington, Gloucestershire. She was the youngest of fifteen children, born on the 18th of May, 1581. Her mother died three days after she was born, and her father when she was but eight years old. Thus soon was she an orphan; but indeed they only are orphans who have no Father in heaven. When her father and mother forsook her the Lord took her up. The frequent experience she had, all along her life, of God's most tender care over her, led her to chuse this for her motto, which is found written by her in the front of most of the books in her closet, "GOD WILL PROVIDE." She took much delight in speaking of one of her ancestors, as one of the greatest honours to her family, William Tracey, of Toding CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 56. ton, Esq. who for the sound profession of his faith, made by him in his last will, was after his decease condemned to have his body taken out of the ground and burnt. She was twice married, first to Mr. Willium Hobby, at nineteen years of age, by whom she had two sons who were religiously educated by her. The happy fruit of her care she reaped in their pious deaths; for they both went young to heaven, the younger dying in his fourteenth year, and the elder, who was much admired for his parts and loved for his piety, in his twenty-third. Her second husband was Sir Horace Vere, afterwards Baron of Tilbury, a noble and excellent person, whose personal achievements in the field ennobled him more than the high blood he borrowed from his anceshigher character. By the other he tors. But his piety gave him a still got a great name like unto the great obtained a good name. men that are in the earth; by this he He was one who could wrestle with God, as well as fight with men, and may be thought to have got his victories upon his knees in the closet, before he drew his sword in the field. His good lady would say, she honoured him for his valour, but most, for the grace of God which shone in him. Thus did she shine by the rays of her husband's excellencies; but not with these only, for she had radiant beams of her own by which she cast like honour on him*. But to pass * Archbishop Usher in writing to the death, uses these expressions. "The thing Lady Vere, about forty years before her that I bave most admired in your noble Lord, is, that such lowliness of mind, and such an bigh pitch of a brave spirit should 30 by all her secular prerogatives, we 1. The fear of the great God was very great in her wonderfully tender was she of offending him. She hath been often heard to say, and that solemnly, "O, I would not sin against my God.” She professed that she dreaded hell most as a place where God was blasphemed; thus dreading the sin more than the fire of hell. less devout than constant at public worship. She durst not trifle with holy things; which made one say of her, that this lady would make one believe that there is a God indeed. As for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, so dismally neglected by many, her desires were most ardent to partake of it frequently: she durst not, she said, neglect one opportu nity of enjoying this sacred ordinance. And oh, how intent was she in preparing for it! The whole preceding week was taken up by her for that work, in which she would always have a private fast with her family, or a secret one in her closet. Was not this one that meant to go to heaven in good earnest? But let us follow her from the church to her own house, and we shall find that she brought her religion and devotion home with her, and did not leave them in her pew behind her, till she returned to it again the next sabbath. Some can honour God Almighty before their neighbours on the sabbath, but care not to commune with him at home all the week after. But if ever any private dwelling might be called a sanctuary, her house was such. There you might find her and her family, twice every day, upon their knees, solemnly worshipping the great God. There you might see them, humbly sitting at his feet to hear his most holy word, concluding constantly their evening service with singing one of David's Psalms. What strang 2. Her zeal for the worship of God was eminent. She was careful to fill those livings which were in her gift with able and faithful ministers, and she gave them countenance and encouragement in the Lord's work, without sparing her purse to do it. She constantly attended the public worship of God, so long as he vouchers soever were present, there was safed her health: yea, she did not only attend herself, but was careful that her family should do the same: They that would not serve God were no servants for her, She was no be yoked together and lodged in one breast. And on the other side, when I reflect upon you, methinks I understand that saying of the Apostle better than I did; that as the man is the image and glory of God, so the woman is the glory of the man; and to your comfort let me add this, that if I have any insight in things of this nature, or have any judgment to discern of spirits, I have clearly beheld engraven in your soul, the image and superscription of my God." no putting by the worship of God every day, shut up some time in her a great lover of God himself, becloset, which was excellently fur- cause she had so dear an affection nished with pious books of practical to his children. She did not praise divinity. Here she redeemed much the dead saints and persecute 'the time in reading the Holy Scriptures living. She did not pretend love to and other good books. Here she those that lived far from her, but she poured out her devout soul, with shewed kindness to them that lived such fervour of spirit in prayer, as near her. She did not factiously sometimes could not be hid from love some of one party, and reproach those her maidens, who at any time, those of another. In a word, wheredrew near her closet door: and every ever she saw any thing of God her night she would herself pray with love was drawn out towards thein; her maidens, before she went to and she had the most love for those bed. And now is it any wonder she that discovered most of God. She grew so rich in grace, when she so loved them so as to delight in conconstantly improved the means of verse and communion with them. grace, and had so many ways to As for the faithful ministers of Christ, bring her in spiritual gains? few ever exceeded her in loving and honouring thein; and she professed that the great love and high esteem she had for them was for their dear master's sake, whose ambassadors they were. 3. Her love to God made itself evident, by several marks, to be of a high degree. First, by the moure ful complaints she would make that she could love God no more, the reason of which indeed, was, because she loved him so much : therefore she thought she loved him so little, because she knew she could never love him enough. Secondly, by her vehement desires to be gone hence that she might be with Christ. Most Christians are prone rather to linger too much here, than to be too hasty of going hence; but this gracious Lady knew so much of heaven, as made her stay here tedious to her: the earnest desire of her soul was, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. She found to her great grief that she could not serve God here as she would, and therefore did wonderfully complain she was unprofitable; and the sense of this did still encrease her desires to be, where all her infirmities would be cured, and where she knew her ability would fully correspond to the height of her desires to serve and glorify her God. Thirdly, by her love to the Saints who are born of God, and have his lovely image stamped upon them. A man may love the child, and not love his father; but he can not love him because he is his child, and because he is like his father, but he must needs love his father. This good Lady then was doubtless 4. Her works of charity were remarkable. Her charity was very large. Our trees yield their fruit but once a year; but her charity was dropping fruit all the year round. In many ways it diffused itself. She had silver for the moneyless, aliment for the hungry, medi. cine for the sick, salves for the wounded. Abundance of good she did this way in town and country. If her servants knew of any that were in a great need, and did not tell her of it, she would be very angry with them. It happened that an honest poor neighbour died before she knew he was sick, for which being troubled, she asked her servant, whether he had wanted in his sickness, saying with some earnestness, I had rather part with my gown from my back than the poor should want. She was also secret in giving. She did not give her charity, as some throw their money into bason at a collection, so that it rings again; but it fell like oil into a vessel, without noise. Her self-denying spirit in all this is likewise to be noted. She was no merit monger. She never thought to purchase land in heaven with the money she gave on earth. She was no mer a |