LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 189 



sincere respects to my Lord Bishop, and to 

 yourself, 



" Sir, your very affectionate, 

 " Friend and servant, 



" Jo. Ebor." 



" March 5th, 1699." 



The archdeacon made a very good use of this 

 letter with the clergy about Brampton, he con- 

 vinced them of their error, and prevailed upon 

 them to break their combination. 



It appears from these letters, and indeed from 

 his whole conduct with respect to these socie- 

 ties, that he was as unwilling to oppose any 

 useful or commendable designs as to give en- 

 couragement to any uncanonical proceedings; 

 the scheme of reformation which seemed in his 

 opinion to bid the fairest for success was, that 

 all they, whether of the clergy or laity, who 

 undertook to promote it in others, should lay 

 out their labours first of all in amending them- 

 selves; and that till they became exemplary 

 men in their persons, they were not dull/ and 

 sufficie7itly qualified to attempt the reformation of 

 a degenerate age. This was the great labour of 

 his own life, to grow better and better every 

 day; which he thought of all others the most 

 likely means to render a man truly serviceable 

 to the interests of religion, and a public bless- 



