428 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



into a negociation to create ati union between 

 the Protestant Churches here and beyond sea, but 

 without entering into any particulars. 



'' Sir, I will not here enter into the considera- 

 tion of the nature of the Service of the Church 

 of England, the most perfect, perhaps, that is 

 among Protestants, though the many years that 

 I have frequented no other have given me time 

 to reflect upon the ritual and practice of that 

 Church, as well as upon some abuses there are 

 in her clergy and Discipline, I will apply myself 

 to other considerations. The first is, that a 

 conformity between the Prussian Churches and 

 the Church of England would be received with 

 great joy here. The second is, that the confor- 

 mity to be wished for beyond the sea relates 

 more to Church government than to any change 

 in the Ritual or Liturgy. The clergy here are 

 for episcopacy, and look upon it, at least, as of 

 apostolical institution, and are possessed with 

 the opinion, that it has continued in an uninter- 

 rupted succession from the Apostles to this 

 present time; and upon this supposition, they 

 alledge there can be no true ecclesiastical go- 

 vermnent but under bishops of this Order ; nor 

 true ministers of the Gospel, but such as have 

 been ordained by bishops; and if there be 

 others that do not go so far, yet they all make 

 a great dift'erence between the ministers that 



