54 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



order it should be made public, it would ill 

 become me, who do in it so earnestly press obe- 

 dience to superiors, to dispute your commands. 

 Such therefore as it is, I humbly present it to 

 you ; heartily wishing it may, in some degree, 

 minister to the promoting peace and unity, and 

 brotherly love among us, which is the only thing 

 therein aimed at, by. Right Honourable, 



Your most humble, and 

 most obedient servant, 



J. Sharp." 



But this sermon had not been long in print 

 before it was attacked by an anonymous writer 

 (supposed to be Mr. Wadsworth) who undertook 

 to answer it. However, Mr. Sharp had this 

 benefit from his mild and inoffensive way of 

 managing the subject, that his adversary treated 

 him with better temper, and in a gentler strain 

 than is usual with men of that persuasion ; as is 

 remarked by the great Mr. Dodwell who under- 

 took the defence of Mr. Sharp's discourse. For 

 ** the occasion of Mr. Dodwell's writing his book 

 of Schism," to use the words of the learned 

 author of Mr. Dodwell's Life, ** was his being 

 engaged in defence of an excellent sermon on 

 Rom. xiv. 19, preached before the Lord Mayor, 

 by the Rev. Mr. John Sharp, who was after- 

 wards (in the judgment of all impartial persons 



