Sunday, September 12, 2010

The man John Wesley wished he could imitate…

Fletch1On September 12, 1729 John William Fletcher was born. Fletcher was a contemporary of John Wesley, a strong proponent of Wesleyan theology, and one of Methodism's first great theologians.

John Wesley had this to say about John Fletcher: “An obedience discovered itself in Fletcher of Madeley, which I wish I could describe or imitate.” Wesley had picked Fletcher to succeed him as the leader of the Methodist church but Fletcher died before Wesley. Wesley preached Fletcher’s funeral sermon from the words "Mark the perfect man." He characterized him as the holiest man he had ever met, or ever expected to meet “this side of eternity.”

Here are a couple of quotes from John Fletcher that I love:

A manifestation of the Spirit last year will no more support a soul this year, than air breathed yesterday will nourish the flame of life to-day. The sun which warmed us last week must shine again this week. Old light is dead light. A notion of old warmth is a very cold notion.

The error of rigid Calvinists centers in the denial of that evangelical liberty, whereby all men, under various dispensations of grace, may without necessity choose life...And the error of rigid Arminians consists in not paying a cheerful homage to redeeming grace, for all the liberty and power which we have to choose life, and to work righteousness since the fall...To avoid these two extremes, we need only follow the Scripture-doctrine of free-will restored and assisted by free-grace.

1 comment:

  1. Good post, Jon. I was just working on a project and googled wesley quotes on pastors and this post came up. Praying for you daily.

    Phillip Dickinson

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