Foster was born and baptized at Exeter, 6 September 1697. Most of our biographical knowledge of him comes from memoirs attached to a sermon preached at his funeral by his friend and colleague, Caleb Fleming.[1] His grandfather had been a conformist minister at Kettering in Northamptonshire, and his father, James Foster, was a successful Devonshire dissenting businessman (a fuller). James the younger went to Thorpe's free school in Exeter from 1702, where he learned his Latin grammar; he then attended the Presbyterian Joseph Hallett II's academy for dissenting ministerial students, also in Exeter. There, he met other radicals, including Hubert Stogdon, and achieved a reputation for rejecting human authority in matters of religious controversy, belief, and practical piety, privileging what he believed to be the indubitable consequences of reason and argument over passive faith and received wisdom.
Fall-out from the Exeter Controversy
In the late 1710s, a controversy over the nature of the Trinity broke out in Exeter, between Stogdon, Hallett and James Peirce on the one hand, and John Lavington, another Exeter minister, on the other. The Exeter Assembly of ministers, siding with Lavington and with the trustees of the Exeter dissenting meeting-houses, demanded that Peirce's supporters sign a declaration of faith and subscribe to a set of largely unambiguously orthodox doctrines. Foster, with Stogdon and other students at the Academy, was a non-subscriber. His decision contributed to his departure from Exeter. He moved shortly afterwards to Milborne Port, Somerset, where he preached to a sympathetic but still relatively orthodox congregation. Frustrated, he soon left Milborne to live in the Presbyterian minister Nicholas Billingsley's house, at Ashwick, near Shepton Mallet. Also a lodger with Billingsley was Hubert Stogdon; all three were considered heterodox. Foster and Stogdon then jointly served the chapels at Colesford and Wookey, near Wells, but both remained poor. Foster's combined salary amounted to only £15 a year and he considered learning a trade to supplement his income and enable him to continue his dissenting ministry. Apparently, his chief consideration was to become, like Billingsley, a glover. But at about this time, a gentleman in the region called Robert Houlton took him on as chaplain in his house, relieving his financial pressures.
Other controversies
By this point, Foster was starting to publish controversial works on Christian doctrine. His Essay on Fundamentals showed the influence of Samuel Clarke's Scripture Doctrine, the work which had triggered the Exeter Controversy, and which Hallett's students, most notably Stogdon, had encountered and read secretly several years earlier. Like Clarke, Foster hinted at the non-essentiality of the doctrine of the Trinity; he argued that the fundamentals of the Christian faith should operate in a marriage between reasonable interpretation of natural and revealed religion. He also came to denounce infant baptism after reading John Gale's antipaedobaptist tracts; he believed it not to be sanctioned by scripture doctrine, and offered himself up to be re-baptized as an adult believer in London, perhaps by Gale himself. From 1724 Foster took over from Gale as co-minister with Joseph Burroughs at the General Baptist chapel in Paul's Alley, Barbican, London. By this point his Socinian leanings were well known; he and Burroughs were the only London ministers to invite the disgraced and formerly imprisoned Arian heretic Thomas Emlyn to preach. From 1728 Foster supplemented his ministry with the newly established Sunday evening lecture at the Old Jewry. By 1744 he succeeded Jeremiah Hunt as pastor of the Independent congregation at Pinner's Hall.[2] Emlyn was not the only radical with which he had known sympathies. The rebellious Earl of Kilmarnock declared himself a presbyterian, and was given the sacrament whilst he was imprisoned in the Tower of London by Foster, who also attended his execution. Foster published an Account of Kilmarnock's behaviour in 1746, after which he was viciously attacked for Jacobitism, a claim which was far from the truth. Under the pressure of the sustained criticisms, his health began to fail.
Support for Foster
Despite criticism from many orthodox Calvinists, Foster was becoming a celebrated preacher and academic, winning increasing recognition from many moderates within Protestant and Roman Catholic dissent, as well as from within the radical Deist wing of the Church of England. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD) from the Marischal College in Aberdeen in December 1748 and was on several occasions offered livings in the conformist Church of Ireland by Bishop Thomas Rundle. Alexander Pope wrote in one of his Satires:
Let modest Foster, if he will, excel
Ten Metropolitans in preaching well.
He also attracted freethinkers and London wits to his Old Jewry meetings and was respected - though disliked - by the orthodox Congregationalist Philip Doddridge of Northampton. In the last part of his life, he probably lived with the mother of his friend Nehemiah Stokes in St Stephen, Coleman Street. He began to suffer a series of debilitating strokes between April 1750 and July 1753, but maintained his preaching as often as his health permitted. He died at Pinners' Hall, Middlesex, on 5 November 1753, and was buried in Bunhill Fields.
Works
The resurrection of Christ prov'd, 1720
An essay on fundamentals, 1720, 1754, 1761
The usefulness, truth, and excellency of the Christian revelation, 1731, 1734
A sermon occasion'd by the death of Mrs. Mary Wilks, 1732
Sermons on the following subjects, 1732, 1733, 1735, 1736, 1737, 1738, 1743, 1744, 1745, 1755
An answer to Dr. Stebbing's letter on the subject of heresy, 1735, 1736, 1737
An answer to Dr. Stebbing's True state of the controversy with Mr. Foster, 1737
A sermon, preached at Barbican, on Sunday, August 16, 1741, 1741
A sermon preached at White'-Alley, 1742
An account of the behaviour of the late Earl of Kilmarnock, 1746 [Edin, London, Dublin, Belfast], 1747 [Boston]
An account of the apparition of the late Lord Kilmarnock, 1747
Discourses on all the principal branches of natural religion and social virtue, 1749–52, 1754
Offices of devotion, suited to the principal branches of natural religion, 1754
References
^Caleb Fleming, A sermon preached at Pinners-Hall on occasion of the death of the late Reverend James Foster, D.D. who departed this life Nov. 5, 1753 : with memoirs of his life and character, London, 1753
^Christ and Controversy: The Person of Christ in Nonconformist Thought and Ecclesial Experience, 1600-2000 by Alan P.F. Sell; Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012 p. 43
Works by or about James Foster in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
February 12, 2023
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James Foster 6 September 1697 5 November 1753 was an English Baptist minister Contents 1 Early life 2 Fall out from the Exeter Controversy 3 Other controversies 4 Support for Foster 5 Works 6 References 7 Other sources 8 External linksEarly life EditFoster was born and baptized at Exeter 6 September 1697 Most of our biographical knowledge of him comes from memoirs attached to a sermon preached at his funeral by his friend and colleague Caleb Fleming 1 His grandfather had been a conformist minister at Kettering in Northamptonshire and his father James Foster was a successful Devonshire dissenting businessman a fuller James the younger went to Thorpe s free school in Exeter from 1702 where he learned his Latin grammar he then attended the Presbyterian Joseph Hallett II s academy for dissenting ministerial students also in Exeter There he met other radicals including Hubert Stogdon and achieved a reputation for rejecting human authority in matters of religious controversy belief and practical piety privileging what he believed to be the indubitable consequences of reason and argument over passive faith and received wisdom Fall out from the Exeter Controversy EditIn the late 1710s a controversy over the nature of the Trinity broke out in Exeter between Stogdon Hallett and James Peirce on the one hand and John Lavington another Exeter minister on the other The Exeter Assembly of ministers siding with Lavington and with the trustees of the Exeter dissenting meeting houses demanded that Peirce s supporters sign a declaration of faith and subscribe to a set of largely unambiguously orthodox doctrines Foster with Stogdon and other students at the Academy was a non subscriber His decision contributed to his departure from Exeter He moved shortly afterwards to Milborne Port Somerset where he preached to a sympathetic but still relatively orthodox congregation Frustrated he soon left Milborne to live in the Presbyterian minister Nicholas Billingsley s house at Ashwick near Shepton Mallet Also a lodger with Billingsley was Hubert Stogdon all three were considered heterodox Foster and Stogdon then jointly served the chapels at Colesford and Wookey near Wells but both remained poor Foster s combined salary amounted to only 15 a year and he considered learning a trade to supplement his income and enable him to continue his dissenting ministry Apparently his chief consideration was to become like Billingsley a glover But at about this time a gentleman in the region called Robert Houlton took him on as chaplain in his house relieving his financial pressures Other controversies EditBy this point Foster was starting to publish controversial works on Christian doctrine His Essay on Fundamentals showed the influence of Samuel Clarke s Scripture Doctrine the work which had triggered the Exeter Controversy and which Hallett s students most notably Stogdon had encountered and read secretly several years earlier Like Clarke Foster hinted at the non essentiality of the doctrine of the Trinity he argued that the fundamentals of the Christian faith should operate in a marriage between reasonable interpretation of natural and revealed religion He also came to denounce infant baptism after reading John Gale s antipaedobaptist tracts he believed it not to be sanctioned by scripture doctrine and offered himself up to be re baptized as an adult believer in London perhaps by Gale himself From 1724 Foster took over from Gale as co minister with Joseph Burroughs at the General Baptist chapel in Paul s Alley Barbican London By this point his Socinian leanings were well known he and Burroughs were the only London ministers to invite the disgraced and formerly imprisoned Arian heretic Thomas Emlyn to preach From 1728 Foster supplemented his ministry with the newly established Sunday evening lecture at the Old Jewry By 1744 he succeeded Jeremiah Hunt as pastor of the Independent congregation at Pinner s Hall 2 Emlyn was not the only radical with which he had known sympathies The rebellious Earl of Kilmarnock declared himself a presbyterian and was given the sacrament whilst he was imprisoned in the Tower of London by Foster who also attended his execution Foster published an Account of Kilmarnock s behaviour in 1746 after which he was viciously attacked for Jacobitism a claim which was far from the truth Under the pressure of the sustained criticisms his health began to fail Support for Foster EditDespite criticism from many orthodox Calvinists Foster was becoming a celebrated preacher and academic winning increasing recognition from many moderates within Protestant and Roman Catholic dissent as well as from within the radical Deist wing of the Church of England He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity DD from the Marischal College in Aberdeen in December 1748 and was on several occasions offered livings in the conformist Church of Ireland by Bishop Thomas Rundle Alexander Pope wrote in one of his Satires Let modest Foster if he will excel Ten Metropolitans in preaching well He also attracted freethinkers and London wits to his Old Jewry meetings and was respected though disliked by the orthodox Congregationalist Philip Doddridge of Northampton In the last part of his life he probably lived with the mother of his friend Nehemiah Stokes in St Stephen Coleman Street He began to suffer a series of debilitating strokes between April 1750 and July 1753 but maintained his preaching as often as his health permitted He died at Pinners Hall Middlesex on 5 November 1753 and was buried in Bunhill Fields Works EditThe resurrection of Christ prov d 1720 An essay on fundamentals 1720 1754 1761 The usefulness truth and excellency of the Christian revelation 1731 1734 A sermon occasion d by the death of Mrs Mary Wilks 1732 Sermons on the following subjects 1732 1733 1735 1736 1737 1738 1743 1744 1745 1755 An answer to Dr Stebbing s letter on the subject of heresy 1735 1736 1737 An answer to Dr Stebbing s True state of the controversy with Mr Foster 1737 A sermon preached at Barbican on Sunday August 16 1741 1741 A sermon preached at White Alley 1742 An account of the behaviour of the late Earl of Kilmarnock 1746 Edin London Dublin Belfast 1747 Boston An account of the apparition of the late Lord Kilmarnock 1747 Discourses on all the principal branches of natural religion and social virtue 1749 52 1754 Offices of devotion suited to the principal branches of natural religion 1754References Edit Caleb Fleming A sermon preached at Pinners Hall on occasion of the death of the late Reverend James Foster D D who departed this life Nov 5 1753 with memoirs of his life and character London 1753 Christ and Controversy The Person of Christ in Nonconformist Thought and Ecclesial Experience 1600 2000 by Alan P F Sell Wipf and Stock Publishers 2012 p 43Other sources EditStephen Leslie 1889 Foster James In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 20 London Smith Elder amp Co External links EditWorks by or about James Foster in libraries WorldCat catalog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Foster Baptist minister amp oldid 1078574268, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
