1803.) 
by his zeal and fervices in fupport of the 
Hanover fucceflion, that, as he fcrupled 
re-ordination, it was difpenfed with, and 
the firft prefermegt beftowed on him was 
that of a bifhopric in Ireland. It is cer- 
_ tain, that he went into that kingdom as 
Chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant. He was 
contecrated Bifhop of Ferns and Leighlin, 
February 10, 1721, was tranflated to Kui- 
more and Ardagh, July 27, 1727, and pre- 
ferred to the archiepifcopal fee of Tuam, 
January 27, 1742, with the united bi- 
fhopric of Enaghdoen,in the room of Dr. 
Synge, deceafed, and likewife with liberty 
to retain his other bifhopric of Ardagh. 
He died December 14, 17515 in a very 
advanced age. His publications were, 1. 
in 173%, at Dublin, a volume of Sermons, 
fixteen in number, in 8vo. they are judi- 
cious and impreffive difcourfes. Thele 
were reprinted in London in 1757, with 
the addition of the Vifitation Sermon men- 
tioned before. In this: volume is a Ser- 
mon preached in the Cattle of Dublin, be- 
fore the Duke of Bolton, the Lord-lieute- 
nant of Ireland, after the fuppreffion of 
the Prefton rebellion. 2. A Charge, en- 
titled ** Infiruétions to the Clergy of the 
Diocefe of Tuam, at the primary Vifta- 
tion, July 8,1742." This, after the death 
of the author, was reprinted in London, 
with the approbation and confent of the 
Rev. Dr. Hort, Canon of Windfor—it 
is an excellent addrefs. In the Preface to 
the volume of Sermons, we learn, that, for 
many years previous to its appearance from 
the prefs, the worthy author had been dif- 
abled from preaching by an over-ftrain of 
the voice in the pulpit, at a time when he 
had acold, with a hoarfenefs, upon him. 
The providence of God, he fays, having 
taken from him the power of difcharging 
that part of his epifcopal office, which 
confifted in preaching, he thought it in- 
cumbent on him to convey his thoughts 
and inftruftions from the prefs, that he 
might not be ufelefs. The folemn pro- 
mife that he -made at his confecration, ‘* to 
exercife himfelf in the Holy Scriptures, fo 
as to be able by them to teach and exhort 
with wholefome doétrine,’?’ was no {mall 
motive to that undertaking, as being the 
only means left him for making good that 
premife. It appears, that he kept up an 
epiftolary correfpondence with his ** old 
friend,’ as he called him, and feilow-{tu. 
dent, Dr. Watts, to the clofing period of 
the lite of each. Dr. Gibbons, in the 
Life of the latter, has preferved-a letter 
of the Archbifhop of Tuam to him, dated 
Dublin, December 15, 1743, which ac- 
companied the Charge to his Clergy. The 
z 
The Rev. Thomas Feffery. 
145 
ftrain of the letter is cheerful and pious, 
expreflive of vivacity of mind, and a de. 
votional temper. A quotation from it 
may afford a {pecimen of the difpofitions 
and character of the writer. ‘* I blefs 
God, I enjoy good health, which enables 
me to go through much bufinefs; but I 
have, for many years, been going down 
the hill; and, if the doctrine of eravitation 
takes place in the life of man, the motion 
muft accelerate as I come nearer the bot- 
tom. Your cafe is the fame, though more 
aggravated by diftempers. God grant 
we may be ufeful while we live, and may 
run clear and with unclouded minds till 
we come to the very dregs.” 
The name of the Rev. Tuomas Jer- 
FERY, an able advocate for Chriftianity, 
in the controverfy with Mr. Anthony 
Collins, is, probably, almoit forgotten ; 
and has died, in a manner, with the debate 
in which he took up his pen. The wri- 
ter of this regrets, that he is furnifhed 
with few particulars relative to a man, 
whole abilities and character were held in 
high eftimation by his contemporaries, 
He was born at Exeter, at the clefe of the 
feventeenth or the beginning of the eigh- 
teenth century, and was the fon of an 
eminent and refpetable merchant of that 
city. He received his academical Jearning 
under the venerable Mr. Jofeph Haliet, 
the colleague of the great and learned Mr. 
Peirce, in whofe feminary were trained up 
feveral gentlemen, who made a diftin- 
guifhed figure in life—fuch as Dr. Hux- 
ham, the Rev. Zachary Mudge, who con- 
formed, Dr. James Fofter, Dr. William 
‘Prior,’ Mr. Joleph Hallet, jun. and Dr. 
Wuliam Hallet. On his firit appearance 
in the character of the Chrifiian minifter, 
he preached in conneétion with his wer- 
thy tutor. In 1726, he {ucceeded Mir. 
Leavelefs, at Little Baddow, in Effex, and 
in £728 he returned to Exeter: foon after 
this, it is apprehended, when bis known 
abilities and his publications raifed and 
jultified great expectations from. him, 
death prematurely terminated his ftudies. 
and life. He was a young gentleman of 
firong intelleét, and deep reflection, de- 
voted to the inveftigation of religions 
truth, and the ftudy of the Scriptures, fo 
abforbed in application and thought as 
fometimes to goa whole day without the 
ufuai meals, and without recollecting that 
abitinence, to which was owing the lan- 
guor and exhautted fpirits he felt in the 
evening. He had an expanded, liberal, 
and candid mind. His publications were, 
. §. ‘© The true Grounds and Reafons of 
the Chriftian Religion, in Oppofition to 
toe 
