Isaac Maddox
Encyclopedia
Isaac Maddox 27th July 1697-27th September 1759) was an Anglican
clergyman, successively bishop of St Asaph
and of Worcester
. He was a member of the Royal Society
. (No evidence has emerged to confirm a suggestion that he was the great nephew of wealthy land-owner Sir Benjamin Maddox (1644-1716).)
, Edward Maddox, stationer of London. He was orphaned at an early age, and brought up by an aunt who sent him to a charity school before apprenticing him to a pastry cook. However, assisted by an uncle, he quit his apprenticeship and was tutored by Rev. Hay, vicar of St Stephen Coleman Street. As a practising Dissenter
, Maddox was given a grant from the Presbyterian Fund to study for the Dissenting ministry
at Edinburgh University. Here he befriended Samuel Horsley
, who at that time was also destined for the Dissenting ministry
. He was awarded M.A. in January 1722/3.
Maddox returned to London early in 1723 and, along with Samuel Horsley
, promptly conformed to the Church of England
, though he remained on friendly terms with Dissenters
, notably Philip Doddridge of Northampton
; and he conspicuously supported foreign Moravian Christians in the North American colonies
. In 1740, foreign Protestants after a residence of seven years could become naturalized on swearing an oath of allegiance. Quakers were exempted this oath. In 1747, with Maddox’s support, the exemption was extended to Moravians. In his speech in the House of Lords, Maddox insisted that
On 10th March 1722/3, following his return to London from Edinburgh Maddox was conferred Deacon by Thomas Green
, bishop of Norwich, and given a curacy at St Bride's Church
, Fleet Street. Soon after, on 9th June, he was ordained priest by bishop Edmund Gibson
who sent him to Queens’ College, Cambridge, who awarded him B.A. the following year. In 1724 he was given the vicarship of Whiteparish
, Wiltshire, and in 1729 Maddox the rectorate of St Vedast Foster Lane
, London. In the same year, he was also appointed domestic chaplain to Edward Waddington, bishop of Chichester, who gave him a Prebendary at Chichester
. He was awarded D.D. (Queens’ College, Cambridge) by Royal Mandate in 1730.
The following year, 1731, Maddox married Elizabeth Price, niece of Bishop Waddington, by whom he had a son, Isaac Price Maddox, and two daughters, one of whom, Mary, married James Yorke, later Bishop of Ely.
In 1736 Maddox was elevated to the bishopric of St Asaph
, though he continued to live in London, and his country house at Little Marlow
, Bucks. He only visited his diocese on occasional summers. In 1743 he was translated bishop of Worcester. Isaac Maddox is buried in the south transept of Worcester Cathedral
.
who had taken a similar part in founding the County Infirmary at Northampton. He also promoted British industry, sinking a lot of money into supporting British fisheries. The breadth of his interest in charitable works is represented in the many charity sermons that were published.
’s History of the Puritans.
His charity sermons include:
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman, successively bishop of St Asaph
Bishop of St Asaph
The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph.The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of St Asaph in the town of...
and of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
. He was a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. (No evidence has emerged to confirm a suggestion that he was the great nephew of wealthy land-owner Sir Benjamin Maddox (1644-1716).)
Life
Isaac was the son of a DissenterEnglish Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
, Edward Maddox, stationer of London. He was orphaned at an early age, and brought up by an aunt who sent him to a charity school before apprenticing him to a pastry cook. However, assisted by an uncle, he quit his apprenticeship and was tutored by Rev. Hay, vicar of St Stephen Coleman Street. As a practising Dissenter
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
, Maddox was given a grant from the Presbyterian Fund to study for the Dissenting ministry
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
at Edinburgh University. Here he befriended Samuel Horsley
Samuel Horsley
Samuel Horsley was a British churchman, bishop of Rochester from 1792.Entering Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1751, he became LL.B. in 1758 without graduating in arts. In the following year he succeeded his father in the living of Newington Butts in Surrey...
, who at that time was also destined for the Dissenting ministry
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
. He was awarded M.A. in January 1722/3.
Maddox returned to London early in 1723 and, along with Samuel Horsley
Samuel Horsley
Samuel Horsley was a British churchman, bishop of Rochester from 1792.Entering Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1751, he became LL.B. in 1758 without graduating in arts. In the following year he succeeded his father in the living of Newington Butts in Surrey...
, promptly conformed to the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, though he remained on friendly terms with Dissenters
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
, notably Philip Doddridge of Northampton
Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
; and he conspicuously supported foreign Moravian Christians in the North American colonies
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
. In 1740, foreign Protestants after a residence of seven years could become naturalized on swearing an oath of allegiance. Quakers were exempted this oath. In 1747, with Maddox’s support, the exemption was extended to Moravians. In his speech in the House of Lords, Maddox insisted that
it would be beneficial ‘if the British nation expresses itself in favour of the [United] Brethren; for whatever benefit England confers upon this ancient confessor Church must be an encouragement to all evangelical Christians throughout the world, to expect nothing but good from this country.’
On 10th March 1722/3, following his return to London from Edinburgh Maddox was conferred Deacon by Thomas Green
Thomas Green (bishop)
-Life:He was born in Norwich, and educated at Norwich grammar school and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1679 and became a Fellow in 1680....
, bishop of Norwich, and given a curacy at St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church is a church in the City of London, England. The building's most recent incarnation was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672 on Fleet Street in the City of London, though Wren's original building was largely gutted by fire during the London Blitz in 1940. Due to its location on...
, Fleet Street. Soon after, on 9th June, he was ordained priest by bishop Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson
Edmund Gibson was a British divine and jurist.-Early life and career:He was born in Bampton, Westmorland. In 1686 he was entered a scholar at Queen's College, Oxford...
who sent him to Queens’ College, Cambridge, who awarded him B.A. the following year. In 1724 he was given the vicarship of Whiteparish
Whiteparish
Whiteparish is a village and civil parish about southeast of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. The village is about from the county boundary with Hampshire. The United Kingdom Census 2010/2011 census recorded a parish population of 2918....
, Wiltshire, and in 1729 Maddox the rectorate of St Vedast Foster Lane
St Vedast Foster Lane
Saint Vedast-alias-Foster, a church in Foster Lane, in the City of London, is dedicated to Vedast , a French saint whose cult came to England through contacts with Augustinian clergy.-History:...
, London. In the same year, he was also appointed domestic chaplain to Edward Waddington, bishop of Chichester, who gave him a Prebendary at Chichester
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
. He was awarded D.D. (Queens’ College, Cambridge) by Royal Mandate in 1730.
The following year, 1731, Maddox married Elizabeth Price, niece of Bishop Waddington, by whom he had a son, Isaac Price Maddox, and two daughters, one of whom, Mary, married James Yorke, later Bishop of Ely.
In 1736 Maddox was elevated to the bishopric of St Asaph
St Asaph
St Asaph is a town and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 3,491.The town of St Asaph is surrounded by countryside and views of the Vale of Clwyd. It is situated close to a number of busy coastal towns such as Rhyl, Prestatyn, Abergele,...
, though he continued to live in London, and his country house at Little Marlow
Little Marlow
Little Marlow is a village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England.It is on the north bank of the River Thames, about a mile east of Marlow. The toponym "Marlow" is derived from the Old English for "land remaining after the draining of a pool"...
, Bucks. He only visited his diocese on occasional summers. In 1743 he was translated bishop of Worcester. Isaac Maddox is buried in the south transept of Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
.
Charitable works
Maddox supported numerous charities. In addition, he was president of the Small-pox Hospital in London, and a principle promoter of Worcester Infirmary, consulting Philip DoddridgePhilip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
who had taken a similar part in founding the County Infirmary at Northampton. He also promoted British industry, sinking a lot of money into supporting British fisheries. The breadth of his interest in charitable works is represented in the many charity sermons that were published.
Published works
Apart from numerous charity sermons, and plea for action against alcohol abuse, Maddox’s principal publication is his Vindication of the government, doctrine, and worship, of the Church of England, 1733, in which he ably defends the anti-Puritan position, criticising Daniel NealDaniel Neal
Daniel Neal was an English historian.Born in London, he was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, and at the universities of Utrecht and Leiden...
’s History of the Puritans.
His charity sermons include:
- 1733; A sermon [for] the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
- 1737; The love of our country recommended: [for] the Societies for Reformation of Manners.
- 1739; A sermon [for] the Publick Infirmary in James-Street, Westminster.
- 1740; A sermon...for promoting English Protestant Working-Schools in Ireland.
- 1741; A sermon [for] charity-schools, in and about the cities of London and Westminster.
- 1742; A sermon preached [for] the Sons of the Clergy.
- 1743; The duty and advantages of encouraging public infirmaries [for] the London Infirmary, in Goodman’s-Fields, for the relief of sick and diseased manufacturers, and seamen in merchant-service, &c.
- 1748; The necessity of perseverance in well-doing; a sermon [for] the Worcester Infirmary.
- 1750; The expediency of preventive wisdom [for] the several hospitals of the city of London.
- 1752; A sermon preached [for] the Hospital for the Small-pox, and for Inoculation.
- 1753; The wisdom and duty of preserving destitute infants.