LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 239 



we ordinarily speak ; for a man has no right 

 further than he can lawfully exercise it. 



** But Dr. Atterbury distinguishes between 

 the absolute sovereign and the limited sovereign, 

 making the absolute sovereignty to be lodged in 

 the king, in cotijunction with the three estates. 

 I must own, that I do not see any great harm 

 in this neither ; nay, though he should have 

 said that the three estates are sharers with the 

 king in the absolute sovereignty ; for hath it not 

 been said an hundred times without offence, 

 that the Lords and Commons have a share in 

 the Legislature ? And if so, they have a share 

 in the absolute sovereignty ; and then the king 

 is not the absolute sovereign without them. 

 And doth not the very style of the enacting 

 clause, in every act of Parliament, imply such a 

 thing ? * Be it enacted, by the King's most 

 excellent Majesty, with the advice and consent 

 of the Lords, &c. and by the authority of the 

 samCy' &c. So that they are not mere advisers, 

 but have authority in the making of laws. It is 

 true, their authority signifies nothing without 

 the king's fiat. And, besides, what authority 

 they have may be derived from the king entirely, 

 for any thing that Dr. Atterbury insinuates to 

 the contrary. 



** In short, my opinion is, that so long as 

 Dr. Atterbury doth not set up any foreign 



