LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 177 



the holy sacrament, &c. Whereas your consti- 

 tution is, that all dissenters may be admitted 

 into your society, provided they be persons of 

 sobriety and integrity. 



" I am not against the coalition of churchmen 

 with dissentei's, in any matter where they can 

 go togetJier in promoting the common cause of 

 religion or good manners. So far from that, I 

 heartily wish them well. And it would be the 

 most pleasing thing in the world to me, if we 

 could all be united in one body. And, in the 

 meantime, while we continue separate, I would 

 have all possible tenderness and kindness shewed 

 to all good men amongst them. But while the 

 laws stand as they do, I do not know how I 

 can, without breach of that trust that is com- 

 mitted to me, come into the project and scheme 

 that the gentlemen of your society have laid 

 down for themselves. You desire me to license 

 a quarterly lecture to be preached to the society. 

 Is it not natural, that those of the society who 

 are dissenters, should also desire a lecture to be 

 sometimes preached to the society in their meet- 

 ings ? And can you deny this request of theirs. 

 Is it not reasonable (since you are all on the 

 same level as members of the society) that you 

 should comply with them as they with you ? 



" If now the case be thus, I must profess to 

 you, I can by no means allow any clergyman of 



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