«Antinomianism: A Modern Heresy, Summarized and Refuted by William D. Pratney Last Updated 07-02-2012 (British Calendar System) Taken and Adapted from ...»
Isaac Tayler, one of his contemporaries called him "a saint, as unearthly a being as could tread the earth at all." John Wesley, who had intended to hand over the care of the Methodist Societies to him at his death, called Fletcher "the most unblameable man I know" in America or Europe. However, Wesley outlived Fletcher. Fletcher and his wife Mary co-pastored the Anglican parish of Madeley Woods. (6) It was said that, “when the atheist philosopher Voltaire was asked who was the most Christ-like person in the modern world, he replied without hesitation, ‘John Fletcher of Madeley.’” In John Wesley’s funeral sermon for Fletcher, he remarked that John Fletcher was the holiest man he had ever met or expected to meet this side of eternity. (5) Fletcher became the initial systematic theologian of the Methodists. Of Fletcher it is said, "When he came to Madeley, there were no Christians; when he died, there were no sinners." (6) If wisdom is justiﬁed by her children, and a tree is known by its fruit, history's record of John Fletcher's life on earth shows the sound, biblical wisdom of his doctrine, and the good fruit of his faith.
1. The Religious World Displayed; Or, A View of the Four Grand Systems of Religion, Namely, Christianity, Judaism, Paganism, and Mohammedism; And of the Various Existing Denominations, Sects, and Parties in the Christian World, Volume 1. By Rev. Robert Adam, M.A., 1823; Pg. 123-124; Adobe Reader Pg. 154-155 (on Google Book download) * De Fide et Operibus. cav. 14.
2. Church Dictionary (8th Edition), by Walter Farquhar Hook, D.D., Vicar of Leeds, 1859; Pg. 33-34; Adobe Reader Pg. 46-47 (on Google Book download)
3. History of Christian Churches and Sects from the Earliest Ages of Christianity, Volume 1. By Rev. J. B. Marsden, M.A., 1856; Pg. 55; Adobe Reader Pg. 70 (on Google Book download)
4. Five Checks to Antinomianism, by the Rev. John Fletcher, Late Vicar of Madeley. Found in the Bible Research Corporation [BRC]'s Classical Theological Library, 1995-1999. Used with permission.
A - AR Pg 199 B - AR Pg. 178 C - AR Pg. 28 D - AR Pg. 151 E - AR Pg. 152 F - AR Pg. 57 G - AR Pg. 103-128 (118-128: Fletcher answers 10 Objections to Second Justiﬁcation by Works) H - AR Pg. 153-154 I - AR Pg. 171 J - AR Pg. 175-177
References for "Who was John Fletcher?":
5. Ecstasy: Mysticism and Mission in the Wesleyan Tradition, by Elaine A. Heath, Ph.D., July 2007, Pg. 7.
(Which in turn references: David Lyle Jeffrey, ed., A Burning and Shining Light: English Spirituality in the Age of Wesley [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987], Pg. 349.)
6. The Revival Study Bible, 2010, Pg 1453.
William (Winkie) Pratney and John G. Lake.