Wesley Corpus

Fletcher's Last Check to Antinomianism, and has had the privilege of observing his spirit and conduct, will not scruple to say that he was a living comment on his own account of Christian perfection. It is an alarming word which our Lord speaks ‘to the Angel of the Church of Sardis: ‘I have not found thy works perfect before God.” But, as far as man is able to judge, from the whole tenor of his behaviour, he did possess perfect humility, perfect resignation, and perfect love. Suitable to this was the testimony concerning him which was given in Lady Huntingdon's chapel at Bristol, even by Mr. V., a gentleman strongly attached to those opinions which Mr. Fletcher thought it his duty to oppose: ‘I have enjoyed the privilege of being several weeks under the same roof with dear Mr. Fletcher: And during that time, I have been greatly edified by his perfect resignation to the will of God; and by being a witness to his exemplary conduct and uncommon grace.” 14. “When he was able to converse, his favourite subject was, ‘the promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Ghost,’ including that rich, peculiar blessing of union with the Father and the Son, mentioned in that prayer of our Lord which is recorded in the seventeenth chapter of St. John. Many were the sparks of living fire which occasionally darted forth on this beloved theme. ‘We must not be content,” said he, ‘to be only cleansed from sin; we must be filled with the Spirit.’ One asking him, what was to be experienced in the full accomplishment of the promise; ‘O, said he, “what shall I say? All the sweetness of the drawings of the Father, all the love of the Son, all the rich effusions of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost;--more than ever can be expressed, are comprehended here ! To attain it, the Spirit maketh inter cession in the soul, like a God wrestling with a God!” 15. “It was in these favoured moments of converse that we found, in a particular manner, the reward which is annexed to the “receiving a Prophet in the name of a Prophet.’ And in some of these he occasionally mentioned several circumstances, which (as none knew them but himself) would otherwise have been buried in everlasting oblivion.