374 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



our hands, the validity of lay baptism. For I 

 am afraid this would be too great an encourage- 

 ment to the dissenters to go on in their way of 

 irregular uncanonical baptisms. 



** I have, as your Grace desired me, commu- 

 nicated this matter to three* of our brethren, 

 the bishops, and we have had a full discourse 

 about it, and we are all of the same opinion 

 that I now represented. 



** I am, with all sincere respects, and hearty 

 wishes of health and happiness to your Grace, 

 " Your Grace's most faithful friend 



*' And humble servant, 



*' Jo. Ebor." 



It appears from hence that he was of opinion, 

 that to leave the question as much undecided, 

 as it is left in the public offices and canons of 

 the Church, was a good security to discipline, 

 and that an open declaration in favour of the 

 dissenters' baptisms, might prove inconvenient 

 from the bad use that might be made of it. 



The account of this matter is the more fully 

 set down here, because Bishop Burnet has not 

 represented it in a favourable light with respect 

 to Archbishop Sharp. His words are these 

 (Hist, of his own Times, vol. II. p. 605). 



* These were, Chester, Exeter, and St. David's. 



