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331 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Flesh Fletcher development in the later synagogue or Alexandrian philosophy, but have developed directly from the old Testament. This phenomenon shows itself also in other important points of the New Testament dispensation and compels the assumption of a double tendency in religious thought,-the one represented and influenced by the synagogue as a theological school and its mode of expression, laid down in the Old Testament Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, and the Talmudic writings as well as in Philo, the other starting directly from the O1dTestament and known through the New Testament. If this be conceded, much has been gained for the decision of the question. Passages like Rom. vii. 14-15 show the strongest contrast to the later synagogal conception of sarx. Whenever Paul speaks of sari, he means present reality, and does not denote by it the source and cause of sin in the world. The sarx is the seat of sin and not the cause of its existence; it is chained to life and prop agates itself through it and with it in a way which has originated not through God, but through the fall. Therefore with life impotence and death propagate themselves and with them the inability to lead a life pleasing to God and the tendency to ward the contrary, " ° enmity against God " (Rom. viii. 7, 8). We are what we are and as we are through the flesh, we are in the flesh, in its power instead of in that of the Spirit, we are flesh. But this evidently does not mean that flesh is the source of sin, it does not even mean that the flesh in distinction from the other parts of the human being is the seat of sin; for everything, even the heart, the seat of the origin of sin,-pertains to man through the flesh, or, as we might say, to the flesh itself. Since sin is in the world, there are only sin ners born by the flesh, and thus the apostle may distinguish between noun and sari as he does in Rom. vii. 25. Thus there is no reason why sarx shduld mean human nature. It rather means the flesh in its peculiar nature as it has been implanted into man by the fall. Even Christ appeared " in the likeness of sinful flesh " (Rom. viii. 3), an expres sion which denotes not the difference but the agree ment with our case. He entered into the flesh with all the consequences of sin or the fall (Col. i. 22; Heb. ii. 14); but his own spiritual nature overcame, so to speak, at the very beginning, its disposition to sin. See SOUL AND SPIRIT. (H. CREMERt.) BIBLIOGRAPHY: F. Delitzseh, System der bibiischen Psycho lopie, Leipsic, 1855, Eng. transl., Edinburgh, 1867; J. J. van Oostersee, Christian Dogmatics, ii. 365, 398, 659, New York; 1874; H. H. Wendt, Die Beprife Fleisch and Geist in biblischen Sprachpebrauch, Goths, 1878; B. Weiss, Biblical Theology of the New Testament, §§ 27, 67, 68, 86, 100, 115, 124, 128, 139, 145, Edinburgh, 1882-83; W. P; Dickson, St. Paul's Use of the Terms Flesh and Spirit, London, 1883; 0. Z6ekler, HandMuh der theolopischen Wiseensclwften, i. 342 sqq., 347 sqq., iii. 307, 531-532, NSrdlingen, 1889, Munich, 1890; O. Pfleiderer, Der Paul inismus, pp. 60-78, Leipsic, 1890; H. Schultz, Old Testa ment Theology, i. 399, ii. 112, 242 sqq., 300-301, 314 315, Edinburgh, 1892; J. Laidlaw, Bible Doctrine of Man, pp. 109-120, 270-274, ib. 1895; W. Beyschlag, New Tes tament Theology, i. 88, 91, 228, ii. 28, 38, 42 eqq., ib. 1896; G. B. Stevens, Theology of the New Testament, pp. 189-190, 338-339, New York, 1899; A. B. Davidson, Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 188-192, ib. 1904; and the lexioons.
FLETCHER, GILES (called the Younger, to distinguish him from his father-b. about 1549; d. 1611-also known as a poet): English divine and religious poet; b. in London c. 1588; d. at Alderton (11 m. e.s.e. of Ipswich), Suffolk, 1623. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1606), where he became a minor fellow in 1608, reader in Greek grammar in 1615, and reader in the Greek language in 1618. Soon afterward he left the university and became rector at Alderton, Suffolk. Fletcher is known principally by the poem, Christ's Victory anal Triumph in Heaven and Earth over and after Death (2 parts, , Cambridge, 1610; modern editions, London, 1869, 1876, by A. B. Grosart, 1888, 1899, etc.) which has been called one of the most remarkable religious poems in the language: It undoubtedly furnished Milton with valuable suggestions, which he utilized in Paradise Regained. Fletcher published also The Reward of the Faithful (London, 1623), a theological treatise in prose.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Consult the Preface by A. B. Grosart to
his edition of the Poems, London, 1876; DNB, xix. 302.
FLETCHER, JOHN WILLIAM (FLETCHER OF MADELEY) : Associate of John ,.Wesley and one of the most pious and useful ministers of his generation; b. at Nyon (on the Lake of Geneva, 21 m. s.w. of Lausanne), Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, Sept. 12, 1729; d. at Madeley (13 m. e. s.e. of Shrewsbury), Shropshire, Aug. 14, 1785. His name was originally Dela lildch&e. He was a fine scholar in his youth, and took all the prizes at the school in Geneva which he attended. He was designed
Early by his parents for the ministry, but Life. preferred the army. Against their wishes he went to Lisbon and enlisted, but was prevented from going to Brazil by an acci dent which confined him for some time to his bed. The vessel was lost at sea. Fletcher returned to Switzerland, but, not disheartened, went to Flan ders at the invitation of his uncle, who promised to secure a commission in the army for him. The sudden death of his relative, and the termination of the war, again interfered with his plans. He then went to England, and became tutor in the family of Thomas Hill, of Shropshire, in 1752.A new period soon began in Fletcher's history. He heard the Methodists. Their language about faith was a new revelation to him, and in 1755 he united with one of their societies. In 1757 he was ordained priest by the bishop of Bangor. During the next few years he preached occasionally for John Wesley and others, and became known as a public supporter of the great religious revival. In 1760 he accepted the living of Madeley, against the advice of Wesley, with whom, however, he preserved a lifelong friendship.
For twenty-five years, with the exception of the interval between 1776 and 1781, when ill health forced him to take a respite from
Vicar of work, Fletcher labored at Madeley Madeley. with singular devotion and zeal. He preached with great fervor the plain truths of the Gospel, and labored incessantly during the week to awaken sinners. It was his