'A fair, and entire, and beautiful image': concluding Nelson's 'Life of Bull'

And now that we have attended this very learned and pious Prelate, from his Birth to the last Period of his Life, let us endeavour in a few Words, to recapitulate the Excellencies of his Life; and in running over his Character, strive to copy the Example of those eminent Vertues, which in this Pattern shine brightest for our Imitation.

Today we reach the conclusion of our readings from Robert Nelson's 1713 Life of Dr. George Bull. These readings commenced in mid-January 2025: we have spent over a year and a half with Nelson's account of Bull. Over that time it has, I hope, become evident why Bull was both a formative influence on and exemplar of 18th century Anglicanism.

As Nelson summarises Bull's ministry, we hear an ideal that was set forth before 18th century clergy and which shaped the aspirations of 18th century laity for their clergy:

He so excelled in his Profession, that he was justly esteemed one of the greatest Divines of the Age in which he lived, and that at a time when it abounded with Great Men. He officiated with great Reverence and Devotion, in all the Duties of his holy Function. And when he instructed the People from the Pulpit, he enlightned their Understandings, and raised their Affections towards Heavenly Things. He had a great Love for Souls, and a tender Compassion for Sinners, which made him never despair of their Recovery, nor neglect such endearing Applications as might bring them to Repentance.

An educated divine, faithfully ministering the rites of the Church, preaching to enlighten the understanding. It is a description repeated in many 18th century clergy memorials. As for the final part of the above extract, it also pointed to another characteristic of much 18th century Anglicanism - a rejection of what was widely perceived to be the nature of Calvinistic opinions, opinions considered (not least through memories of the 17th century) to be grimly contrary to the peace of parish and community.

He abounded in Works of Charity, even beyond his Ability, and where-ever he met with Misery and Want, they sufficiently endeared the Object. 

The calling and duty of the parson to be an exemplar of charity was likewise inherent to the 18th century Anglican ecclesial landscape. As John Beresford noted of the diaries of Parson Woodforde:

he was sending pork, baskets of apples, and veal broth to his poor parishioners, giving alms to an old man playing on the dulcimer ... Charity seems to have flowed with generous freedom.

Nelson also notes how Bull embodied a key part of the 18th century Anglican self-understanding - that it, as Bishop Beveridge had declared, "exactly answers the pattern of the Primitive and Apostolical Church itself, as near as it is possible for a national Church to do it":

His Actions were no less instructive than his Conversation, for his exact Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and of the Writings of the Primitive Fathers of the Church had so effectual an Influence upon his Practice, that it was indeed a fair, and entire, and beautiful Image, of the Prudence and Probity, Simplicity and Benignity, Humility and Charity, Purity and Piety of the Primitive Christians.

The roots of this 18th century image are found in what Eamon Duffy has described as "the new assurance" amongst Episcopalians in 1660 that the restored Church of England was "primitive Christianity revived". While this undoubtedly had a doctrinal and ecclesiological application it also - as seen in Nelson's words above - had, perhaps chiefly, a moral vision. This is heard in Jeremy Taylor's 1661 Rules and Advices to the Clergy of the Diocese of Down and Connor:

Let the business of your Sermons be to preach holy Life, Obedience, Peace, Love among neighbours, hearty love, to live as the old Christians did, and the new should; to do hurt to no man, to do good to every man: For in these things the honour of God consists, and the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus.

That Nelson concludes his summary of Bull's character in this manner is not without significance. Doctrine, prayers, divinity, preaching - it was all, for 18th century Anglicanism, to this end. As George Rust had said in his sermon at Taylor's funeral:

the design of Heaven is not to fill men's heads, and feed their Curiosities, but to better their Hearts; and mend their Lives.

What was and is routinely dismissed as 'moralism' by critics - then and now - of 18th century Anglicanism was, in fact, a wise and deeply scriptural understanding: the moral life, "in love and charity with your neighbours ... following the commandments from God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways", was necessarily inherent to the church's teaching and the Christian life.

In short, He lived the Life of the Righteous, and his latter End was like his.

Nelson ends his account of Bull's life by applying, with a slight amendment, Balaam's prayer in Numbers 23.10. Balaam petitioned that he might "die the death of the righteous". Nelson, with an insight into the concerns of 18th century Anglicanism, declares that Bull "lived the life of the righteous". Bull, in other words, is "a fair, and entire, and beautiful image" of the 18th century Church of England. As for those desiring to dismiss Nelson's words as further evidence of supposed 'moralism', we might point out that this is our prayer for all in the congregation, a prayer offered by Bull over decades:

truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.

We end this series, therefore, with gratitude for how Nelson's Life of Bull points to how "this consummate divine" exemplified the virtues of 18th century Anglicanism.