328 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



to my place. She asked me why I would not 

 preach myself at Christmas, and the next inau- 

 guration day. I told her I could not, for I was 

 grown old, and past making new sermons. And 

 besides, I told her I had no reason to be forward 

 in preaching before her, because I found the 

 last sermon I preached gave offence to some of 

 the auditory. She would not believe it." Nor 

 would any body believe it who knew how cau- 

 tious he was in his sermons at Court, least they 

 should give offence ; for which reason they were 

 generally practical. We have an instance of this 

 his superabundant care in the time of Sacheve- 

 rell's trial. He preached a sermon he had com- 

 posed on Ephesians iv. 1. But he left out the 

 former part of the text, / the prisoner of the 

 Lord beseech you; upon which he had a fine and 

 pathetical introduction, for fear he should be 

 thought in that preface to touch upon Dr. Sa- 

 cheverell. 



But his greatest trouble, and what he told 

 the Queen was a torment to him, was the inces- 

 sant application that was made to him from all 

 parts for some share of her Majesty's bounty. 

 He had so much tenderness in his nature, that 

 he was not able to refuse his endeavours to suc- 

 cour the distressed. And his applications to 

 her Majesty were so frequent ori their behalf, 

 as had not her disposition been exceedingly 



