LIFE OF AFtCHBISHOP SHARP. 131 



Experience proves this reasoning good.-- r 

 Wherever a parish minister interests himself 

 deeply in such an aiFair, though he may by his 

 zeal and activity oblige some persons, and per- 

 haps finds his account in doing so, yet he may 

 be sure to gain no credit. And in what other 

 respects he is a loser, though less known, yet 

 may very easily be imagined by any one who 

 considers the necessity there is he should ap- 

 pear disinterested, and stand clear of the impu- 

 tation of worldly views, if he would preserve a 

 due influence over his people. When the best 

 construction is put upon his proceeding, it will 

 scarce reconcile him to those whom he hath dis- 

 obliged : and whatever his own reasons or mo- 

 tives may have been, he shall be commonly 

 thought (and perhaps be the only man in the 

 whole neighbourhood who shall be thought so) 

 to have been meddling with matters that did 

 little belong to him, and least become his cha- 

 racter and function. The laymen, how readily 

 soever they will cry up the interests of the 

 clergy, while they are on the same side, do as 

 readily reflect upon their conduct, when they 

 are against them. And the liberty of the cen- 

 sure being equally taken on both sides of 

 the question, it is the sure lot of the clergy, 

 especially such as signalize themselves, to be 

 the greatest sufferers ; that is, to be the most 



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