LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 71 



As he came out of the pulpit a paper was 

 put into his hands by an unknown person, con- 

 taining an argument for the right that the Church 

 of Rome had to the stile and title of the only- 

 visible Catholic Church. 



This probably was drawn up hastily, (for it 

 was not well expressed,) by one of his auditors, 

 who observed by the conclusion of his sermon, 

 what point he was next to proceed upon, and 

 who either desired satisfaction as to that argu- 

 ment, or designed to put him to a difficulty. 



The Doctor looking upon this as a kind of chal- 

 lenge, and not knowing to whom he should send 

 an answer, and being at that time engaged in 

 that very question, took an opportunity in his 

 next sermon, preached May 9, to conclude with 

 a particular confutation of this paper. What he 

 said against it, and in what manner he intro- 

 duced it, will best appear from the very words 

 themselves which he then delivered ; and which 

 will be found in the 7th volume of his Sermons, 

 published 1735, from p. 13 to 148. 



It was this conclusion or appendix to his se- 

 cond sermon on the above said text which gave 

 the offence, or rather which gave the handle to 

 such as sought occasion to misrepresent him to 

 the King. And this is what Father Orleans, who 

 knew nothing of the matter, calls " la Saillie de 

 Sharp ;" and for which he stiles him '' un homme 



