368 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



1702, upon this bill, his Grace applied himself 

 to this point alone. " I made a speech (says he) 

 against the clause that was then brought in to oblige 

 all officer's to receive the sacrament four times a year, 

 unless a clause might be brought in to indemnify 

 parish ministers for repelling such from the commu- 

 nion, as by the rubric they wer^e empotver^ed to do.'' 

 This was rather securing to the clergy their 

 rights, than opposing the dissenters in the favour 

 they desired. He thought the consciences of 

 the parochial clergy doing their duty in the 

 administration of the sacraments, were as much 

 to be considered, and to be as tenderly treated 

 as the consciences of those who could occa- 

 sionally conform. And that it was hard the 

 dissenters should be allowed to act inconsist- 

 ently, in order to obtain the benefits of the law ; 

 while the Church ministers, for acting consist- 

 ently, and according to rule, incurred the penal- 

 ties of the law ; that is, were liable to the 

 damages which any man sustained by being 

 rejected by them from the communion. There 

 were also several others who voted with him 

 for the bills against occasional conformity, who 

 yet were never thought unfavourable to the 

 dissenters. The Duke- of Marlborough, who 

 endeavoured to hinder the bringing in of the 

 bill, and ivould have possessed the Archbishop with 

 the ill consequences of it, yet added, that kt it 



