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had "no root in themselves."

expected from them?

What fruit then could be

Mon. 30. I have rarely seen so heavy rain in Europe, as we had in the way to Tubber-Curraugh: I was quickly wet to my toe's end; but the day clearing, I was dry again in a few hours. We had a very large congregation at Castlebar in the evening, and many seemed almost persuaded to be Christians. O what does it avail almost to hit the mark! Almost to escape the damnation of hell!

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Tuesday, July 1st. We took horse about four, and it was well we did; for our seven and thirty Irish miles, so called, were little less than seventy English. I preached at a friend's house soon after three, and then procuring a fresh horse, about the size of a jack-ass, I rode on with more ease than state to Aghrim.

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Wed. 2. We rode on to Eyre-Court, where many threatened great things, but all vanished into air. preached at ten in the court-house. Colonel Eyre was there, and several other persons of fashion. In the evening I preached at Birr, with more satisfaction than for several years; finding many more alive to God than ever, and provoking one another to love and to good works. had purposed to set out early in the morning, but their love constrained me to stay a day longer; so I had leisure to complete the account of the Societies. At present the Societies in Connaught contain little more than two hundred Members; those in Ulster, about two hundred and fifty; those in Leinster, a thousand.

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Fri. 4. I took my ease, riding in a chaise to Limerick; where, on Saturday, 5, ten of us met in a little conference. By the blessing of God we were all of one mind, particularly with regard to the church; even J— D— has not now the least thought of leaving it, but attends there, be the Minister good or bad.

Tues. 8. Having settled all our little affairs, we parted in much love.

Wed. 9. I rode over to Killiheen, a German settlement, near twenty miles south of Limerick. It rained all the way, but the earnestness of the poor people made us quite forget it. In the evening I preached to another colony of Germans at Ballygarane; the third is at CourtMattrass, a mile from Killiheen. I suppose three such towns are scarce to be found again in England or Ireland.

There is no cursing or swearing, no sabbath-breaking, no drunkenness, no ale-house in any of them. How will these poor foreigners rise up in the judgment against those that are round about them!

Fri. 11. I preached in the new house at Clare, to a genteel congregation. What a contrast between these and the poor people at Killiheen ! We had a still more genteel congregation the next morning, at nine, in the Courthouse at Ennis, to whom I spoke with all plainness; I did the same on Sunday morning: so if they hear me no more, I am clear of their blood. I took my leave of them at Clare in the afternoon, and in the evening returned to Limerick.

Wed. 16. I rode to Newmarket, which was another German settlement; but the poor settlers, with all their diligence and frugality, could not procure even the coarsest food to eat, and the meanest raiment to put on, under their merciful landlords; so that most of these, as well as those at Balligarane, have been forced to seek bread in other places; some of them in distant parts of Ireland, but the greater part in America.

Thur. 17. I met the Classes at Limerick, and found a considerable decrease: and how can it be otherwise, when vice flows as a torrent, unless the children of God are all life, zeal, and activity? In hopes of quickening them, I preached at seven in the old camp, to more than twice the usual congregation; which the two next evenings was more numerous still, and equally as attentive. I was well pleased to see a little army of soldiers there, and not a few of the officers; nor did they behave as unconcerned hearers, but like men that really desired to save their souls.

Sun. 20. I took my leave of that comfortable place, where some thousands of people were assembled. I have seen no such sight since I came to the kingdom. They not only filled all the lower ground, but completely covered the banks that surround it, though they stood as close as possible. I exhorted them to ask for the old paths, and walk therein," that they might "find rest to their souls." We had afterwards a solemn meeting of the Society, in confidence that God would revive his work.

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Mon. 21. I left Limerick, and, about noon, preached at Shronill, near a great house which a gentleman built many years ago, but he cannot yet afford to finish it, having

only thirty thousand a year, and some hundred thousands in ready money.

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"The beggars but a common lot deplore:

The rich-poor man's emphatically poor."

At six I preached at the camp near Caire, to a large and serious congregation of soldiers. Thence we rode on to Clonmell, where I preached near the barracks, at eight in the morning, to a wild, staring people, but quiet perforce, for the soldiers kept them in awe. We rode in the afternoon to Waterford, where our friends had procured a commodious place, enclosed on all sides. I preached there three evenings, with great hope of doing good. Our large room was full every morning. O why should we despair of any souls whom God hath made? Thur. 24. I looked over that well-wrote book, Mr. Smith's State of the County and City of Waterford." He plainly shows that twelve hundred years ago Ireland was a flourishing kingdom. It seems to have been declining almost ever since; especially after it was torn into several independent kingdoms. Thenceforward it grew more and more wild and barbarous, for several hundred years. In Queen Elizabeth's time it began to revive; and it increased greatly both in trade and inhabitants till the deadly blow, which commenced on October 23, 1641. Three hundred thousand Protestants, by a moderate computation, were then destroyed in less than a year: and more than twice as many Papists, within a few years following. Most of these were adults; and this was a loss which the nation has not recovered yet. Nay, it will probably require another century to restore the number of inhabitants it had before.

Fri. 25. I preached once more near the barracks in Clonmell, and the next morning took horse at four. About eleven the sun was scorching hot, till a little cloud rose and covered us till we were near Rathearmuck. Here we rested two hours, and then rode on (mostly shaded by flying clouds) to Cork.

Sun. 27. The house was well filled; but I expect small increase of the work of God till we preach abroad.

Thur. 31. I rode to Bandon; but my good old friend, Mrs. Jones, did not stay for my coming. She was released out of life some weeks ago, in the seventy-second year of her age. I preached, as usual, in the main street to a

large and attentive congregation. And they were nearly doubled the next evening; yet all behaved with the utmost decency. The market obliged me to preach in the house on Saturday in the afterooon, a very neat and lightsome building. Having spent the time I proposed here, with much satisfaction, in the evening I returned to Cork.

Sunday, August the 3d, I had wrote to the commanding officer, for leave to preach near the barracks. But he was just gone out of town; so I was obliged once more to coop myself up in the room.

Mon. 4. Knowing by the experiment I made two years since, that it was an entertainment above the taste of our evening congregation, I read some select letters at five in the morning, to those who desired to hear them. And many of them were not a little comforted and established in the ways of God.

Thur. 7. In the afternoon I set out for Kinsale. In the way a violent storm drove us into a little hut, where a poor woman was very thankful for physical advice, and another for a little money to buy her food. The sky then clearing, we soon reached Kinsale, where I preached at six in the Exchange, to a multitude of soldiers and not a few of the dull, careless town's folk. At five in the morning, it being a field day, the soldiers could not attend ; but I had a large and serious congregation notwithstanding. Surely good might be done here also, would our Preachers always preach in the Exchange, as they may without any molestation, instead of a little ugly, dirty garret.

About nine, a sharp storm having put an end to their exercise, I went to the soldiers in the field. I stood so near the entrenchments of the fort, that they could hear within as well as without. The sun indeed shone extremely hot on my head: but presently a cloud interposed; and when I began to be chill, (for the wind was high and sharp,) it removed till I wanted it again. How easily may we see the hand of God in small things as well as great! And why should a little pointless raillery make us ashamed to acknowledge it?

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In the evening I preached to the usual congregation in the main street at Bandon, on, Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace. The congregation

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was near twice as large at five in the morning as it was last week, when I preached an hour later.

Sun. 10. After preaching at seven, in a house crowded within and without, I left this comfortable place, and went back to Cork. I had a desire to preach abroad in the evening; but the weather would not permit. When the Society met, a person hugely daubed with gold thrust violently in. By his appearance I should have judged him to be some nobleman. But I was afterwards informed it

was Dr. Taylor.

On Monday and Tuesday I took an account of the Society, and was grieved, though not surprised, to find such a declension. I left two hundred and ninety members: I find only two hundred and thirty-three. And what will the end be, unless those that remain learn to bear one another's burdens? Adding to those in the other provinces, about six hundred who are in Munster, the whole number is a little above two thousand.

Our evening congregations this week were smaller than usual; as the gentry were engaged in a more important affair. A company of players were in town. However,

many of them came on Friday; for a watch-night was newer to them than a comedy.

Mon. 18. Being advised from Dublin, that Capt. Dansey (with whom I desired to sail) would sail on the 19th or 20th, I took horse early, and reached Clonmell between five and six in the evening. I took my usual stand near the barrack-gate; and had abundantly more than my usual congregation, as it was the assize week, so that the town was extremely full of gentry as well as common people.

Tues. 19. We had many light showers, which cooled the air, and laid the dust. We dined at Kilkenny, noble in ruins: I see no such remains of magnificence in the kingdom. The late Duke of Ormond's house, on the top of a rock, hanging over the river, the ancient cathedral, and what is left of many grand buildings, yield a melancholy pleasure. Thus,

"A little power, a little sway,

A sun-beam in a winter's day,
Is all the great and mighty have

Between the cradle and the grave!"

We lodged at Castle-Dermot, and reached Dublin on Wednesday, 20; but Capt. Dansey was not to sail this week. I then inquired for a Chester ship, and found one, which was expected to sail on Friday morning.

But on

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