Pastor Andrew Fuller (1754-1815) warns his own daughter Mary that she is not aware of just how evil a sinner she is

To Mary Fuller

Are you convinced of your having done deeds worthy of death, eternal death?

The skull of Adam at the foot of the Cross: detail from a Crucifixion by Fra Angelico, 1435

And is it so, my dear Mary, that your desire is to the Lord and to the remembrance of his name?  Are you convinced of your having done deeds worthy of death, eternal death; and that all your hope and help is in the Lord Jesus Christ?  Is he precious to your soul ? And are you willing to give up all your sins, and to be his servant for ever ? If so, I know of nothing that ought to hinder your being baptized in his name. To see you thus put on the Lord Jesus Christ, will afford the greatest pleasure to us, though it may be a pleasure mixed with trembling. You are, at present, my dear, but little acquainted with the snares and temptations of the world, with the fickleness and sinfulness of your own heart, and with the difficulty, on these accounts, of persevering in the good ways of the Lord; preserving a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man: but, if God has begun the good work in you, it will be carried on. There is strength to be had from above; and we are encouraged to ask it of him.

Source: Haykin, Michael. The armies of the Lamb: The spirituality of Andrew Fuller. Dundas, ON: Joshua Press, 2001, page 137.

King David takes impregnable Jerusalem from the Jebusites, makes it a royal, political and theological capital, and is promised an eternal dynasty fulfilled in his descendant, Jesus.

2nd Book of Samuel, Chapter 7

Mazar, Eilat. The Palace of King David; Excavations at the Summit of the City of David Preliminary Report of Seasons 2005-2007

After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

Jacopo Palma il Giovane, The Prophet Nathan Admonishes King David, early 17th century

Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

Painting Depicting Tabernacle In The Old Testament by Eileen Szydlowski

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

Child's Story of the Bible, by Mary A. Lathbury

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

King David's Tomb is a site considered by some to be the burial place of David, King of Israel, according to a tradition beginning in the 12th century. The majority of historians and archaeologists do not consider the site to be the actual resting place of King David

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

Vision of John of Patmos from the Book of Revelation (4:4)—four seraphim surround the throne of Christ, twenty-four elders sit on thrones to either side (Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry)

D.F. Payne (Senior Lecturer in Semitic Studies at Queen's University of Belfast and Academic Dean of London Bible College) comments:

7:1-17 Nathan's prophecy

Nathan, on the right, with King David, by Matthias Scheits (1630-1700)

This chapter continues and completes the story of David and the Jerusalem sanctuary.  The events recorded in it belong to a fairly lade date in David's reign, as verse 1 implies.

The most important passage in the books of Samuel, and one of the key passages in the whole OT

The Hereford Mapa Mundi (c. 1280 AD), depicting Jerusalem at the centre of the world

We have here the most important passage in the books of Samuel, and one of the key passages in the whole OT. It discusses the future of the Jerusalem sanctuary and of the Davidic monarchy—the two institutions which were vital to the people of Israel for several centuries after David. Through the prophet Nathan, God made firm promises to David about both of these things. These solemn divine promises amounted to an ‘everlasting covenant’ given to David (see 23:5).

A house for God and a house for David

The Tel Dan Stele (870–750 BCE) with reference to the "House of David"

The two themes are cleverly linked by the use of the word ‘house’. The same Hebrew word not only meant an ordinary house, but also a temple, and thirdly a dynasty (just as in English, the current British royal family is called ‘the house of Windsor’). The chapter begins by discussing David’s plans to build a temple for Yahweh, a house for God (5). Then in verse 11, the theme of a house for David is introduced—not his palace, but the Davidic dynasty, i.e. the sons and descendants who would succeed him as kings in Jerusalem.

The dynasty will last for ever even though some of David’s descendants would be unworthy kings, and would deserve and get divine punishment

The genealogy of the kings of Israel and Judah. Based on a literal interpretation of 1 and 2 Kings. Note: In the kings of Israel, a horizontal arrow can indicate a change of dynasty (lack of known genealogical connection).

God’s promises about both these things are brought together in verse 13: David’s son will build the temple; the dynasty will last for ever. These are very positive promises, but the chapter contains a number of negative points too. First, David’s plan to build the temple is refused. Secondly, God does not take pleasure in temples. (These two points are implied by verses 5-7.) Thirdly, verse 14 recognizes that some of David’s descendants would be unworthy kings, and would deserve and get divine punishment. These various points, both positive and negative, provide a description and an explanation for the events from David’s time (early tenth century BC) down to 587 BC. In that period the temple was built, not by David, but by his son Solomon. Many of their successors were weak or sinful, but the dynasty continued unbroken for four centuries.

In 587 BC, while Judah ceased to be a kingdom and the family of David never regained the throne, God's promise about David's descendants was permanent and fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ

Mary nursing the Infant Jesus. Early image from the Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome, c. 2nd century.

In 587 BC, the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and Judah ceased to be a kingdom. The family of David continued in existence, but never regained the throne. What message does this chapter hold for such a changed situation? It tells us first that God is not dependent on temples, and his people, therefore, do not need temples. Stephen re–emphasized this lesson in NT times (see Acts 7:44-50). Secondly, God’s promise about David’s descendants was permanent. It was the basis of the expectation of the Messiah, ‘great David’s greater Son’. This promise gave assurance to the generations of God’s people who lived in the last centuries of the OT period, and then received its fulfilment in the birth of Jesus Christ; as the whole New Testament and the Christian church bear witness.

Jesus Christ is the Son of David, the Messiah

The acronym INRI (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) written in three languages, as in John 19:20,^[112] Ellwangen Abbey, Germany.

All these promises, as God fulfilled them, would make David’s name great (9). Without question, David was Israel’s greatest king and his reputation stands for all time as one of the greatest men of history. However, his God–given greatness was not for his own benefit and glory, but in order to benefit the nation he ruled. So verse 10 indicates God’s plans and promises for Israel through David. These promises came true during David’s own reign and remained God’s ultimate plans for his people despite the fact that in later times Israel and Judah often suffered political hardships, chiefly because of their sins against God. These plans depended on the fulfilment of God’s promise to send a Son of David, the Messiah, who would be the one finally to bring God’s people the security and peace they always need.

Source: Payne, D.F.  "1 and 2 Samuel."  In New Bible Commentary – 21st Century Edition, eds D.A. Carson, R.T. France, J.A. Motyer, and G.J. Wenham.  Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1994, page 325.

Andrew Fuller (1754-1815) leaves "lying, cursing and swearing," for Christianity and becomes a pastor and theologian.

The Conversion of Fuller

Andrew Fuller (1754-1815)

The events surrounding Fuller's conversion are vital to a clear understanding of his subsequent life and ministry.  Fuller came to believe that he had been unnecessarily held back from salvation by the faulty theological assumptions that permeated the church of his upbringing.  He dedicated much of his ministry to working to overturn the High Calvinistic system then in vogue in many British Particular Baptist churches.  The story of Fuller's conversion can largely be told in his own words, thanks to the preservation of a series of lengthy letters he wrote on that topic.

"What believing was, I neither knew nor was I greatly concerned to know."

Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, by Rembrandt

Fuller recounts that the sins of his childhood included "lying, cursing, and swearing."  He matured into a powerfully built man over six feet tall.  This strong build helped him to excel in wrestling.  His success in this popular pastime opened the door to spending free time with "other wicked young people," by which means his "progress in the way of death became greatly accelerated."  Petty gambling, acts of daring, and adolescent pranks worked together to deaden Fuller's conscience.  Though he sat regularly under the preaching of Pastor Eve, there was little visible effect.  Fuller describes why: "The preaching upon which I attended was not adapted to awaken my conscience, as the minister had seldom anything to say except to believers, and what believing was I neither knew nor was I greatly concerned to know."


In spite of Pastor Eve's shortcomings as an evangelist, the Word he preached became an effective tool when wielded by the Holy Spirit.  Fuller records that at about age 14, he began to have episodic bouts of deep conviction.  For example, he recalled,

What doest though here, Elijah?

Elijah in the wilderness, by Washington Allston.

"One winter evening, I remember going with a number of other boys to a smith's shop, to warm ourselves by his fire.  Presently they began to sing vain songs.  This appeared to me so much like reveling, that I felt something within me which would not suffer me to join them, and while I sat silent in rather an unpleasant muse, those words sunk into my mind like a dagger, "What doest though here, Elijah?"  I immediately left the company, yet shocking to reflect upon, I walked away murmuring in my heart against God, that I could not be left alone, and suffered to take my pleasure like other young people."

Andrew Fuller thinks about the future

William Blake: Christian Reading in His Book (Plate 2, 1824–27) from Pilgrim's Progress (1678) by John Bunyan

For the first time in his life, the onset of these seasons of conviction caused Fuller "to have much serious thought about futurity."  Following a path familiar to almost all English Dissenters, Fuller began to read some of the classic treatises of evangelical Christianity.  Among the titles he mentioned are John Bunyan's (1628-1688) Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and the ubiquitous Pilgrim's Progress.  He also derived benefit from the work of a Scottish author, Ralph Erskine (1685-1752); he particularly mentions being "almost overcome with weeping" at reading his A Gospel Catechism for Young Christians; or, Christ All in All in Our Complete Redemption.

Relief of allegory of Faith on the Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc

Armed now with more direct information on the necessity of a personal conversion, Fuller struggled for several years with whether or not he had come to faith.  Scenes like the following happened to the conscientious young Fuller more than once:

"I felt myself the slave of sin.  I perceived that my heart was wicked, and that it was not in me to turn to God, or to break off my sins by righteousness.  Iniquity will be my ruin!"

Depiction of socage on the royal demesne in feudal England, ca. 1310.

"I was at times the subject of such convictions and affections, that I really thought myself converted; and lived under that delusion a long time.  The ground on which I rested that opinion was as follows --- One morning, I think about the year 1767, as I was walking alone, I began to think seriously what would become of my poor soul, and was deeply affected in thinking of my condition.  I felt myself the slave of sin, and that it had such power over me that it was vain for me to think of extracting myself from its thralldom.  Till now, I did not know but that I could repent at any time; but now I perceived that my heart was wicked, and that it was not in me to turn to God, or to break off my sins by righteousness.  I saw that if God would forgive me all the past, and offer me the kingdom of heaven, on condition of giving up wicked pursuits, I should not accept it.  This conviction was accompanied with great depression of heart.  I walked sorrowfully along, repeating these words: Iniquity will be my ruin!  Iniquity will be my ruin!  While poring over my unhappy case, those words those words of the Apostle suddenly occurred to my mind, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace."  Now the suggestion of a text of scripture to the mind, especially if it came with power, was generally considered by the religious people with whom I occasionally associated, as a promise coming immediately from God.  I therefore so understood it, and thought that God had thus revealed to me that I was in a state of salvation, and that therefore iniquity should not, as I had feared, be my ruin.  The effect was, I was overcome with joy and transport.  I shed, I suppose, thousands of tears as I walked along, and seemed to feel myself, as it were, in a new world....But strange as it may appear, though my face that morning was, I believe, swoln [sic] with weeping, yet before night all was gone and forgotten, and I returned to my former vices with as eager a gust as ever."

Fuller assumed that he must be essentially passive in conversion.  His mind was blinded to the possibility that he could throw himself on the mercy of God as a sinner.

The Conversion of Saint Paul, a 1600 painting by Italian artist Caravaggio (1571–1610)

Fuller assumed that he must be essentially passive in conversion.  Following the hyper-Calvinistic teaching of the Soham Baptist Church, he devoted his spiritual energy to seeking evidence that God had moved upon his soul in regeneration.  In the parlance of the day, he was seeking a "warrant" to believe.  At this point, his mind was blinded to the possibility that he could throw himself on the mercy of God as a sinner.

Fuller never exercised personal faith in Christ and was never converted.  Each repeated failure to find a spiritual peace led to increasing despair

Despair (1894), Edvard Munch

Though this process was repeated several times during his early teen years, Fuller never exercised personal faith in Christ and was never converted.  As he said, "I have great reason to think that the great deep of my heart's depravity had not yet been broken up, and that all my religion was without any abiding principle."  Each repeated failure to find a spiritual peace led to increasing despair in Fuller's life.  He poignantly describes the dilemma he felt:

 To hope for forgiveness in the course that I was in was the height of presumption

Rembrandt – "The Return of the Prodigal Son

"Indeed, I knew not what to do!  I durst not promise amendment: for I saw such promises were self-deception.  To hope for forgiveness in the course that I was in was the height of presumption; and to think of Christ, after having so basely abused his grace, seemed too much.  So I had no refuge.  At one moment, I thought of giving myself up to despair.  "I may," said I within myself, "even return, and take my fill of sin; I can be but lost."  This thought made me shudder at myself.  My heart revolted.  "What!," thought I, "Give up Christ, and hope, and heaven!"  Those lines of Ralph Erskine's then occurred to my mind:


'But say, if all the gusts
And grains of love be spent,
Say, Farewell Christ, and welcome lusts --
Stop, stop; I melt, I faint!


I could not bear the thought of plunging myself into endless ruin.

Though he had gone down these spiritual blind alleys, he finally found the Savior:

The Passage (The Dead End)

Though he had gone down these spiritual blind alleys "perhaps ten times over," one cold November morning in 1769, he finally found the Savior:

To cast my perishing soul upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, to be both pardoned and purified

The Damned Soul. Drawing by Michelangelo Buonarroti c. 1525

"I was like a man a man drowning, looking every way for help, or, rather, catching for something by which he might save his life.  I tried to find whether there were any hope in the divine mercy, any in the Saviour of sinners; but felt repulsed by the thought of mercy having been so basely abused already.  In this state of mind, as I was moving slowly on, I thought of the resolution of Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."  I paused and repeated the words over and over.  Each repetition seemed to kindle a ray of hope, mixed with determination, if I might, to cast my perishing soul upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, to be both pardoned and purified; for I felt that I needed the one as much as the other.

King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther (artist unknown)

"I was not then aware that any poor sinner had a warrant to believe in Christ for the salvation of his soul; but supposed there must be some kind of qualification to entitle him to it.  Yet I was aware that I had no qualifications.  On a review of my resolution at that time, it seems to resemble that of Esther, who went into the king's presence contrary to law and at the hazard of her life.  Like her, I seemed reduced to extremities, impelled by dire necessity to run all hazards, even though I should perish in the attempt.  Yet it was not altogether from a dread of wrath that I fled to this refuge; for I well remember that I felt something attracting in the Saviour.  "I must -- I will -- yes -- I will trust my soul, my sinful, lost soul in his hands.  If I perish, I perish!"  However it was, I was determined to cast myself upon Christ, thinking, peradventure, he would save my soul; and if not, I could be but lost.  In this way I continued above an hour, weeping and supplicating mercy for the Saviour's sake.  My soul has it still in remembrance and is humbled in me!  And as the eye of the mind was more and more fixed upon him, my guilt and fears were gradually and insensibly removed."

Fuller clarified the role of hyper-Calvinism in sidetracking him spiritually

A peace sign, which is widely associated with pacifism

Fuller's extended struggle to find peace in Christ was a formative influence in the life of the pastor-theologian.  He clarified the role of hyper-Calvinism in sidetracking him spiritually:
"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.  This notion was a bar that kept me back for a time; though, through divine drawings, I was enabled to overleap it....And if, at that time, I had known that any poor sinner might warrantably have trusted in him for salvation, I believe I should have done so and have found rest to my soul sooner than I did.  I mention this because it may be the case with others, who may be kept in darkness and despondency by erroneous views of the gospel much longer than I was."

In my ways, Fuller's life work can be seen as a labor to correct these "erroneous views of the gospel."

Source: Brewster, Paul. Andrew Fuller: Model Pastor-Theologian. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2010, pages to 11 to 16.