10. You proceed to what you account a 5th instance of enthusiasm. ¹_With regard to people’s falling in fits, it is plain, you look upon both the disorders and removals of them to be supernatural._ It is not quite plain. I look upon some of these cases as wholly natural: on the rest, as mixt; both the disorder and the removal being partly natural and partly not. Six of these you pick out from, it may be, two hundred, and add, _From all which you leave no room to doubt, that you would have these cases considered, as those of the demoniacks in the New Testament; in order, I suppose, to parallel your supposed cures of them, with the highest miracles of Christ and his disciples_.――――I should once have wondered at your making such a supposition: but I now wonder at nothing of this kind.――――Only be pleased to remember till this supposition is made good, it is no _confirmation_ at all _of my enthusiasm_.
¹ Remarks, pages 68, 69.
You then attempt to account for those fits, by _obstructions or irregularities of the blood and spirits; hysterical disorder; watchings, fastings; closeness of rooms, great crowds, violent heat_. And lastly, by _terrors, perplexities and doubts, in weak and well-meaning men_; which, you think, in many of the cases before us, have _quite overset their understandings_.
As to each of the rest, let it go as far as it can go. But I require proof of the last way whereby you would account for these disorders. Why, _The instances_, you say, _of religious madness, have much increased since you began to disturb the world_.¹ I doubt the fact. Although if these instances had increased lately, ’tis easy to account for them another way. _Most have heard of or known several of the_ Methodists _thus driven to distraction_.――――You may have _heard_ of five hundred. But how many have you _known_? Be pleased to name eight or ten of them. I cannot find them, no not one of them to this day, either man, woman or child. I find some indeed, whom _you told_, “They _would be distracted_, if they continued to follow these men:” and whom at that time, you threw into much doubt, and terror, and perplexity. But though they did continue to hear them ever since, they are not distracted yet.
¹ Remarks, pages 68, 69.
As for ¹_the abilities, learning and experience_ of Dr. M――――, if you are personally acquainted with him, you do well to testify them. But if not, permit me to remind you of the old advice,
Qualem commendes, etiam atq; etiam aspice; ne mox Incutiant aliena tibi peccata pudorem.
¹ Remarks, page 70.
In endeavouring to account for the people’s recovery from those disorders you say, ¹_I shall not dispute how far prayer may have naturally a good effect_. (Nay, I am persuaded, you will not dispute but it may have supernatural good effects also.) _However, there is no need of supposing these recoveries miraculous._――――Who affirms there is? I have set down the facts just as they were, passing no judgment upon them myself, (consequently here is no foundation for the charge of _enthusiasm_,) and leaving every man else to judge as he pleases.
¹ Page 71.
11. The next passage you quote as a proof of my _enthusiasm_, taking the whole together runs thus: “After ¹communicating at St. _James_’s, our parish church, I visited several of the sick. Most of them were ill of the spotted fever, which they informed me, had been extremely mortal, few persons recovering from it. But God had said, _Hitherto shalt thou come_. I believe there was not one with whom we were, but recovered.” ――――On which you comment thus; _Here is indeed no intimation of any thing miraculous_.――――No! Not so much as an intimation! Then, why is this cited as an instance of my _enthusiasm_? Why, _You seem to desire to have it believed, that an extraordinary blessing attended your prayers: whereas, I believe they would not have failed of an equal blessing and success, had they had the prayers of their own parish ministers_.――――I believe this argument will have extraordinary success, if it convince any one, that I am an _enthusiast_.
¹ Journal, page 61.
12. You add, ¹_I shall give but one account more, and this is, what you give of yourself_. The sum whereof is, “At two several times, being ill and in violent pain, I prayed to God and found immediate ease.” I did so. I assert the fact still. _Now if these_ (you say) _are not miraculous cures, all this is rank_ enthusiasm.
¹ Remarks, page 72.
I will put your argument in form:
He that believes those are miraculous cures which are not so, is a rank enthusiast:
But you believe those to be miraculous cures which are not so:
Therefore, you are a rank enthusiast.