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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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wretch wao denied ground-room for his coffin . He was a man of more good qualities than bad ones . * Tis true , he was naturally mean-spirited , too indecently inquisitive about trifles and other menVfflattets , fond of being
entrusted with , and sometimes making secrets of , things not worth knowing , partial to his friend and cowardly towards his enemy . At the same time he was hospitable , charitable , generous and free . As a minister , he despised the enthusiasm and c&nt of the
Dissenters , and had a disposition always ready to receive conviction , even in matters of which he had never doubted . He had a polite taste both in Greek and Latin , especially in the classics . His sermons , though on the common
topics , were concise and correct , and his prayers decent , short and without tautology . He had a great faculty at transcribing : he wrote , spelt and pointed to exactness ; a little more , I think , than became a man of sense . For this
reason the papers of the late Mr . Moyle were put into his hands , with which he took vast pains , and at last fitted for the press , though they were afterwards unhandsomely taken from him , and given to a hackney writer to
publish . He was a great lover of critical learning , and would have made a figure in it , if time and circumstances would have allowed him to pursue it . He was free and cheerful in
conversation , and a professed enemy to that stiffness and affected gravity which most of his profession seemed to believe one half at least of their character . He never saw his great mistake till it was too late , which was his notorious attachment to the Exeter
Assembly , which he always attended with great punctuality , and did as much as any to support their power . This fell very heavy on him at last , for that very power he was so fond of , crushed him quite , making him one unhappy example of falling into a pit which he had been concerned in digging for other people .
Mr . JAMES PEIRCE . This gentleman was very well known in the learned world . His character as a scholar was well established before he came to live at Exeter , on account of the Vindication of the Dissenters ,
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which he wrote against Dr . Nicolls $ and what greatly added to it afterwards ,, was his writing in the dispute about the Trinity , and a Commentary on some of St . Paul ' s Epistles . In one of his pamphlets he has given some account of his parentage ana education which is ail I know of either , for he
was quite a stranger to mfc before he came into this country . The occasion of his coming to Exeter was to succeed the old Mr . Trosse . He was settled at Newbury with a v « ry encouraging congregation , when he bad the invitation , and it was not soon CMP
easily , to appearance at least , that he complied with it . He saw that great court was paid him , and very well knew how to keep up his dignity : accordingly , he first of all seemed to scruple the leaving of Ms old people , who were all in tears about losing him , on which account both London and
West-country ministers were consulted * who were of opinion at last * that It might be for the glory of God and the interest of the Dissenters for him to move to Exeter * When this obstacle was removed , another came in view , which was , how far it might be e&tk sistent with his health to come into
Devonshire . To make all easy , an eminent physician in London was consulted , who , after duly weighing the case , advised , that removing to Exeter could not prejudice that , and thus at last the eager desires of the Exonians
were gratified . An extraordinary respect was paid him at and long after his first coining . He was looked upon as the first man of the party , and he was reputed a happy man who was admitted to the conversation and
acquaintance of Mr . Peirce . This was as distasteful to some ministers as it was agreeable to him , and laid the foundation for that partjr nvhich was afterwards formed against him , though it was pretended that they acted purely from a zeal for truth , and the fundamentals 0 / religion . He was , without
doubt , a man of great parts and learning , and as such , made a much greater figure among the Dissenters than any among them for many years before him ; and then he was always veiy indefatigable in his studies , and was so made , that his whole mind and thoughts and conversation were engaged in them . I have often heard him say , that n
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Mr . John F * w 8 Biogrzphitel Shetch e * of seme of his Contemporaries . 329
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1821, page 329, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2501/page/5/
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