262 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



foreign to the business of the ministers of 

 Christ ; even upon a foot of discretion and pru- 

 dence^ such digressions are hardly to be justi- 

 fied. For it always looks like an imputation of 

 weakness in a government, to suppose it should 

 stand in need of such public suffrages and en- 

 comiums of the clergy ; and it argues weakness 

 in the man who gives his voice for it in this way^ 

 if he supposes that he can hereby do real service 

 to the public, and something more than weak- 

 ness, if he designs no more by it than to recom- 

 mend himself to the favour of the reigning party. 



And this should be considered as the reason 

 why he never enlarged even upon so great a 

 topic as the Revolution in his sermons, although 

 the occasions were likewise such that he could 

 not be wholly silent about it, as may be seen in 

 his fast sermon. May 21, 1690 ; and his thanks- 

 giving sermon before the House of Peers, No- 

 vember 5, 1691 ; and before their Majesties, 

 November 12, 1693; and at the coronation of 

 Queen Anne; in which, though he delivered 

 himself briefly upon the matter, yet what he 

 said was full and home, and as much as he 

 judged consistent with the liberty that a 

 preacher ought to take on such occasions. 



And yet no man was more sensible of the 

 happy effects of the Revolution, both as to Church 

 and State, than he was; no man came more 



