Birth and Childhood

On February 6, 1754, Andrew Fuller was born to Robert Fuller and Philippa Gunton, who were farmers in Wicken, Cambridgeshire (Haykin 24). Both of his parents were Baptist, and his grandmothers also were Baptists. One of them was a founding member of Soham Baptist Church. When Fuller was seven in 1761, his family moved to Soham and involved themselves with Soham Baptist Church. The pastor was John Eve. Eve was a High (Hyper) Calvinist. Michael Haykin records, Fuller saying that Eve “had little or nothing to say to the unconverted” (24). High Calvinist preachers had little to say to unbelievers because they saw it as unnecessary or cruel to expect someone who was unable by nature to believe the gospel to consider salvation. Only those who were aware of and despaired their sinful state were encouraged to take hold of Christ for salvation (25). Thus, it is unsurprising that Andrew Fuller was mostly unaffected by Eve’s High Calvinist preaching.  

Conversion and Early Church Experience

In the late 1760s, Fuller was beginning to feel deep convictions of sin. Some of the convictions abated temporarily with false senses of conversion caused by a common thought pattern of his day. Many believed that if a Bible verse popped into one’s mind, then it was a revelation from God. Such convictions came through his readings of John Bunyan’s Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinner, his Pilgrim’s Progress, and some Ralph Erskine’s works (25). These convictions came to a head resulting in His conversion in 1769. Fuller later reflected on this milestone, saying, 

I was determined to cast myself upon Christ, thinking peradventure he would save my soul; and if not, I could but be lost. In this way I continued above an hour, weeping and supplicating mercy for the Savior’s sake; and as the eye of the mind was more and more fixed upon him, my guilt and fears were gradually and insensibly removed. I now found rest for my troubled soul; and I reckon that I should have found it sooner if I had not entertained the notion of my having no warrant to come to Christ without some previous qualification (Milner 19).  

He was later baptized in 1770 and joined Soham Baptist church. Shortly after joining the church, the church was entangled in controversy, resulting in the resignation of John Eve. Fuller was directly involved in the controversy. He confronted a fellow church member for drunkenness. The man cited his inability to help himself. This was a pitiful excuse to the young Fuller. The church removed the wayward member, but the Pastor’s and Church’s theologies in this situation were revealed to be at odds. Eve believed that sinful men could do outward acts of good, but nothing that was spiritually good. The church held that though men were guilty of their evil desires if they were prevented from falling into open sin, it was due to the restraining hand of God (21). Fuller began to see that depraved men lack the capacity to do God’s will, yet they are still responsible for their rebellion. 

Call to Ministry and First Church

Fuller developed a friendship with the much older Joseph Diver who was a deacon at the church. Diver filled the pulpit after Eve’s departure. One Sunday in November of 1771, Diver was ill, and the church had the seventeen-year-old Fuller preach to them. The church recognized his ministerial gifts and called him to pastor them in 1775. The church had forty-seven members and met in a rented barn for worship. After a year of ministry, Fuller married his first wife, Sarah Gardiner. They had eleven children, but eight died in infancy or early childhood (Haykin 241).  Key friendships were also developed during this time, including friendships with John Sutcliff and John Ryland Jr (Haykin 55). 

It was during his eight years at Soham that Fuller began to hammer out his theological convictions and began what would be a prolific writing ministry. He had cut his theological teeth on John Gill and John Bunyan, but over time he read more widely. Jonathan Owen and Jonathan Edwards were the main influences on his theology, especially as it pertained calling the unconverted to believe the gospel. Fuller, standing on the shoulders of these men, influenced late eighteenth-century Particular Baptist back to the theology of the Puritans, Reformers, and, more importantly, the Bible. While pastoring in Soham, Fuller wrote the draft of his most famous work The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation. However, he would not publish it until began pastoring Kettering Baptist Church (241). At first, Fuller struggled to apply his new theology, but over time it began to affect his preaching and shepherding. These began to create a rift between him and the Soham Church. The Church refused to search out a larger meeting space at Fuller’s request. Eventually Fuller accepted a call to pastor Kettering Baptist Church.  

Second Church and Missionary Society

Pastoral Ministry and Personal Life

Fuller and his family moved to Kettering in 1782 and began his ministry there. However, he was not accepted as a church member until 1783. He served faithfully at this church for the remainder of his life. Mostly as a solo pastor until the church called an assistant pastor in 1811. This church welcomed and celebrated Fuller’s Evangelical Calvinism. This can be seen in the multiple expansions to the church building to fit the ever-growing number of visitors and with their support of Fuller’s busy travel schedule with the Baptist Mission Society Fuller helped found in 1792. The Church grew in membership from 88 to 174 by the time Fuller died, while having a staggering number of 1,000 visitors for a town of a little over 3,000 (Milner 25). His ministry was marked by systematic expository preaching, pastoral care, and the training of new believers. During his ministry at Kettering, Fuller lost children to illness. He also lost his first wife in 1792. He remarried Ann Coles in 1794. She outlived him by ten years (Piper). 

Writing Ministry

Andrew Fuller though busy with both pastoral duties and the work of the Missions Society was a prolific writer. Furthermore, his writings had range. He is most known for his apologetic works, but he also wrote letters, periodicals, essays on Systematic Theology, and some expositions of books of the Bible.  In 1783, he provided a succinct summary of his doctrine in a Confession of Faith. 1785, however, was the year he published his most well-known book—The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation. In this work defended what he called “strict” Calvinism contra high Calvinism and Arminianism. Michael Haykin summarizes the twofold conclusion of the book, saying, “first, it is the duty of all who hear the gospel to put their faith in Christ; and second, it is the corresponding duty of pastors to preach the gospel plainly to all” (33). This book entered Fuller into the spotlight and controversy. Two things he would find himself in for the rest of his ministry. Also, in this year, he wrote a circular letter titled Causes of Declension in Religion, and Means of Revival. This work seeks to point out the spiritual decline of his day and provides suggestions for overcoming them. He lists five ways: prayer, Christian formation taking place in the home, witnessing to unbelievers, honest self-examination and discipline to change, and the development of a generous spirit towards those in need (50). 

Three other works stand out among his apologetical works. First, there is The Calvinistic and Socinian Systems Examined and Compared (1793) that debates the Unitarians of his day. Second, there is The Gospel and its own Witness (1800) which argues against deism. Third, he penned Strictures on Sandemanianism (1810), demonstrating yet again that he was unafraid to enter controversy. Sandemanianism was the easy-believism of Fuller’s day. Faith to Sandeman was bare belief in bare truth. It was entirely passive. If faith, according to Sandeman had any exertion, it would mean that we are justified by works. Fuller defended the position that Faith is the fruit of regeneration and that it is an exercise of obedience, caused by the Spirit in regeneration (Piper). 

Lastly, another important work of fullers was the Memoirs of the late Rev. Samuel Pearce (1800). In it, Fuller writes on the piety and ministry of his friend after he passed away. It is written much like Jonathan Edwards’ work on David Brainard with similar motivations to, namely to stir revival in its readers. 

Mission Ministry

Fuller’s theology and writings provided the theological foundations for the beginning of the modern missionary movement. Through the prodding of the young pastor William Carey, Fuller, and his friends of the Northamptonshire Baptist Association formed the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Heathen in 1792. William Carey would leave for India the next year (Haykin 56). Andrew Fuller served as the secretary until he died. His responsibilities included keeping up with the missionaries, informing supporters of the work being done, and traveling to gain support for the society (Milner 24-25). This work stemmed naturally from Fuller’s Theology. 

Death

In Fall 1814, Andrew Fuller became very ill. By the next Spring, he knew that he was going to die. Fuller, nearing his death wrote to His friend Jonathan Ryland Jr, who would preach at his funeral, saying, 

We have enjoyed much together, which I hope will prove an earnest of greater enjoyment in another world. We have also wrought in the Lord’s vineyard, and he has given us to reap together in his vintage. I expect this is nearly over, but I trust we shall meet and part no more. I have very little hope of recovery; but I am satisfied to drink of the cup which my Heavenly Father giveth me to drink. . . . I know whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day. I am a poor guilty creature; but Christ is an almighty Saviour. I have preached and written much against the abuse of the doctrine of grace; but that doctrine is all my salvation and all my desire. I have no other hope, than from salvation by mere sovereign, efficacious grace, through the atonement of my Lord and Saviour. With this hope, I can go into eternity with composure (Brewster 36).

Sunday, May 7, 1815, Fuller passed away. He was unable to worship with his congregation, but he heard them worship. He finished his race at the age of 61, having accomplished more than most men who live decades longer than him.

In the two posts (Part 2 and Part 3) that follow this one I will get into his role of in what is sometimes called the “modern missions movement” and some applications for us and our churches.

Bibliography

Paul Brewster, Andrew Fuller: Model Pastor-theologian. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2010.

M.A.G. Haykin, “Fuller, Andrew (1754–1815)” in Timothy Larsen, ed., Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press/Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 241–244

idem, ed., The armies of the Lamb: The Spirituality of Andrew Fuller, 23–53

Jack Milner, “Andrew Fuller,” Reformation Today, 17 (Jan–Feb 1974), 18–29

John Piper, “Holy Faith, Worthy Gospel, World Vision: Andrew Fuller’s Broadsides Against Sandemanianism, Hyper-Calvinism, and Global Unbelief” (Paper delivered at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors, 2007; http://www.desiringgod.or g/resource- library/biographies/holy- faith-worthy-gospel- world-vision)