Wesley Corpus

I am glad you give me an occasion of reviewing this answer; for, upon reflection, I do not like it at all. It grants you more than I can in conscience do. As it can be proved by abundance of witnesses that these cures were frequently (indeed almost always) the instantaneous consequences of prayer, your inference is just. I cannot, dare not affirm that they were purely natural. I believe they were not. I believe many of them were wrought by the supernatural power of God; that of John Haydon in particular (I fix on this, and will join issue with you upon it when you please): and yet this is not barefaced enthusiasm. Nor can you prove it any enthusiasm at all, unless you can prove that this is falsely ascribed to a supernatural power. ‘The next case,’ you say, ‘relates to the spotted fever, which you represent as being extremely mortal; but you believe there was not one with whom you were but recovered. I allowed that here is no intimation of anything miraculous.’ (Remarks, pp. 71-2.) ‘You ask, “Why, then, is this cited as an instance of my enthusiasm” [See letter of Feb. 2. 1745, sect. III, II.] You sure cannot think that false presences to miracles are the whole of enthusiasm.’ No; but I think they are that part of enthusiasm which you here undertook to prove upon me. You are here to prove that I ‘boast of curing bodily distempers by prayer without the use of other means’ (page 71). ‘But if there is no intimation in my account of anything miraculous or that proper remedies had not been applied, how is this a proof that I boast of curing bodily distempers without applying any remedies at all ‘But you seem to desire to have it believed that an extraordinary blessing attended your prayers. Whereas, if the circumstances could be particularly inquired into, most probably it would appear that either the fury of the distemper was abated, or the persons you visited were seized with it in a more favorable degree, or were, by reason of a good constitution, more capable of going through it. Neither do I believe that they would have failed of an equal blessing and success had they had the assistance and prayers of their own parish ministers.’