 He was educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and ordained a priest in 1700.He was rector of St Peter-le-Poor, London, from 1704 to 1724, and of St Leonard's, Streatham, from 1710 to 1723.His participation in controversy began at the beginning of his career, when he advocated conformity of the religious rites from the Scottish and English churches for the sake of union.