Wesley Corpus

But though I speak this now to all the world, I never spoke it to himself. (6.) Neither did he ever refuse, what never was asked, “to remain in connexion with me.” (7.) Least of all did he refuse it because of my “double-dealings or unfaithful proceedings.” He never mentioned to me any such thing, nor had he any pretence so to do. (8.) Nay, but you “was at some times full of Bell's praises.” Very moderately full. “At other times,” that is, after he ran mad, “you warned the people against him.” I warned them not to regard his prophecies, particularly with regard to the 28th of February. (Journal, Vol. III., p. 130.) 20. “He also gives us a particular narration of what he rightly calls the comet-enthusiasm. Mr. John preached more than ten times about the comet he supposed was to appear in 1758, and to consume the globe.” This is a foolish slander, as it is so easily confuted. A tract was published at that very time, entitled, “Serious Thoughts occasioned by the Earthquake at Lisbon.” The thing which I then accidentally mentioned in preaching (twice or thrice; it may be, four times) is there set down at large, much more at large than ever I mentioned it in any sermon. The words are these :-- “Dr. Halley fixes the return of the comet, which appeared in 1682, in the year 1758.” Observe, Dr. Halley does this, not I. On which he adds: “But may the great, good God avert such a shock or contact of such great bodies, moving with such forces, (which, however, is by no means impossi ble,) lest this most beautiful order of things be entirely destroyed, and reduced into its ancient chaos.” (Serious Thoughts, Vol. XI., pp. 8, 9.) “But what, if God should not avert this contact? what would the consequence be?” That consequence I afterwards describe: “Burning up all the produce of the earth, and then the globe itself.” But do I affirm, or suppose, that it actually will do this? I suppose, nay, affirm, at the bottom of the same page, the direct contrary: “What security is there against all this, on the infidel hypothesis? But on the Christian there is abundant security; for the prophecies are not yet fulfilled.” 21. So much for the comet-enthusiasm.