Tuesday 18. The town feemed to be all alive a little after four o'clock. So finding the congregation ready, I began a little before five. A cry foon arofe of young and old, on the right hand and on the left. But in many, it was not fo much the voice of forrow, as of joy and triumph. A fair beginning this! But who can tell what the end will be? town begs you About nine we rode thro' Doneraile, one of the pleasanteft towns in the kingdom. But a man came galloping after us, and faid, "All the will ftop, and give them a fermon." and took my ftand in the main ftreet. and children, flocked from all fides. difturbance of any kind, while I declared, Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift." Fair bloffoms again! And who knows but fome of these may bring forth fruit unto perfection? 66 the In the evening I came to Cork, and at feven was furprised at the unufual largenefs of the congregation. I had often been grieved at the fmallness of the congregation here; and it could be no other, while we cooped ourfelves up in the houfe. But now the alarm is founded abroad, people flock from all quarters. So plain it is, that field-preaching is the moft effectual way of overturning Satan's kingdom. Thursday 20. At feven in the evening I ftood in a vacant place near Blackpool, famous from time immemorial for all manner of wickednefs, for riot in particular, and cried aloud, "Why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael!" Abundance of Papifts, gathered at a distance; but they drew nearer and nearer, till nine parts in ten mingled with the congregation, and were all attention. Surely this is the way to spread religion to publish it in the face of the fun. Friday 21. I rode over to Bandon, and preached at feven in the main ftreet. The congregation was exceeding large: So it was, in proportion, at five in the morning. Sunday 23. I preached at eight, near the upper market-houfe. Till now I did not obferve that all I could fay, made any impreffion upon the hearers. hearers. But the power of God, was now eminently prefent; and all feemed to be fenfible of it. About five I began in George's-ftreet at Cork, the oppofite corner of the town from the New Room. Many of the chief of the city were of the audience, clergy as well as laity. And all but two or three, were not only quiet, but ferious and deeply attentive. What a change! Formerly we could not walk thro' this ftreet, but at the peril of our lives. Monday and Tuefday, I fpoke, one by one, to the members of the Society. They are now, two hundred and ninety-five, fifty or fixty more, than they have been for fome years. This is owing, partly to preaching abroad, partly to the meetings for prayer, in feveral parts of the city. Thefe have been the means of awakening many grofs finners, of recover. ing many backfliders, of confirming many that were weak and wavering, and bringing many of all forts to the public preaching. At feven I went once more to Blackpool, where the congregation was far larger than before. Abundance of Papifts ftole in among them, a very few ftanding aloof. O what a day of God's power is this! May he fulfil in us, all his good pleafure! Friday 28. After giving our brethren a folemn caution, not to "love the world, nor the things of the world," I left them with more fatisfaction than ever, as there is reafon to hope, that they will be toft to and fro no more, but fteadily adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. About feven in the evening, I began in the Exchange at Youghal. Four or five noify men, difturbed thofe that were near them, till I reproved them fharply. The whole congregation then behaved with the utmoft decency. Saturday 29. I preached at five in a room, that would contain four or five hundred people. But the word does not yet fink into their hearts: many are pleafed; but few convinced. In the evening I went to the Exchange again. The congregation was almoft 1 doubled, doubled, whom I exhorted to ask for the old path, the good way, and to walk therein. Afterwards I met the infant Society, confifting of nineteen members: all of whom are full of good defires, and fome know in whom they have believed. Sunday 30. At eight the congregation was both larger and more affected than ever. I was glad to see a large and tolerably ferious congregation in the church. It was once a fpacious building: but more. than half of it now, a common thing in Ireland! lies in ruins. In the evening I preached to a multitude of people, in the main ftreet.. A few gentry foon walked away: but the bulk of the congregation were deeply attentive. What a harveft is ready for zealous labourers! When wilt thou thruft them out into thy harveft? Monday, July 1. I rode to Waterford, and preached in a little court, on our "Great High Prieft, who is paffed into heaven for us." But I foon found, I was got above most of my hearers: I fhould have fpoke of death or judgment. On Tuesday evening I fuited my difcourfe to my audience, which was confiderably increafed: but much more the next evening. And deep attention fat on almoft every face. The room was well filled on Thursday morning, and the poor people were fo affectionate, that it was with difficulty we were able to break from them, amidst abundance of prayers and bleffings. At feven in the evening I preached in the affembly room at Killkenny, to many well dreffed, reputable people; fome of whom attended again at five in the morning. In the evening the congregation was increased, in feriousness as much as in number, while I enforced thofe awful words, "God now commandeth all men, every where to repent." I never spoke plainer. Yet I did not hear of any that were offended. What an alteration is there in this city, within fix or eight years! Saturday 6. We rode to Portarlington. At seven I preached in the market-house, to a numerous con gregation gregation. Near as many were present at eight in the morning. I had great liberty of fpeech: and the manner wherein they fuffered the word of exhortation, perfuaded me it would not be in vain. 66 We came to Mountmelick, before the church began, and were glad to find it was a Sacrament Sunday. In the evening I preached on one fide of the Market-place, on our Lord's lamentation over Jerufalem," to almost all the Protestants in the town, and not a few of the Papifts. To thefe I made a particular application, in the conclufion of my difcourfe. Indeed I never found fo great a concern for them, as fince I came laft into the kingdom. Monday 8. I preached in the Market-place, once more, and it was a folemn hour. I left many of the people much alive to God, and athirst for his whole image. I preached at Tullamore in the evening. At five in the morning the house was near full. While I was preaching on Tuesday evening, in the Marketplace, we had feveral fhowers: but few went away. Here likewise I was conftrained to addrefs myself to the Papifts in particular, and to exhort them, never to reft, till they were partakers of the common falvation. So that it was much would take fire, as But the violent rain, made the thatch fo About eleven we were waked with a cry of fire, which was at the next door but one. The flame fhone fo, that one might fee to pick up a pin, and the fparks flew on every fide. feared, the neighbouring houfes feveral of them were thatched. which fell an hour before, had wet, that it could not catch quickly. And in lefs than two hours all the fire was quenched. So we slept the reft of the night in peace. Wednesday 10. I preached at Clara, about noon, and in the evening at Athlone. The two next evenings, I preached in the Market-houfe, for the fake of the Papins, who durft not come to the room. Saturday 13, I read, Sir Richard Cox's Hiftory of Ireland. I fuppofe it is accounted as authentic as any any that is extant. But furely never was there the like in the habitable world! fuch a ferics of robberies, murders, and burning of houfes, towns and countries, did I never hear or read of before. I do not now wonder, Ireland is thinly inhabited, but that it has any inhabitants at all! probably it had been wholly defolate before now, had not the English come, and prevented the implacable wretches from going on, till they had fwept each other from the earth. In the afternoon I rode to Aghrim, and preached about feven, to a deeply, ferious congregation, moft of whom were present again, at eight in the morning, on Sunday 14. About five I began in my ufual place at Athlone, on the Connaught fide of the river. I believe the congregation, both of Proteftants and Papifts, was never fo large before. Some were difpleafed at this: and feveral pieces of turf, were thrown over the houses, with fome ftones. But neither one nor the other, could in the leaft, interrupt the attention of the people. Then a Popish miller, prompted by his betters, fo called, got up to preach over against me. But fome of his comrades throwing a little dirt in his face, he leaped down in hafte, to fight them. This bred a fray, in which he was fo roughly handled, that he was glad to get off with only a bloody nose. Monday 15. I had the pleasure of meeting many of my friends, from various parts at Cooly-lough. I preached at twelve under the fhade of fome spreading trees, and again at fix in the evening. Tuefday 16, I preached at Tyrells-pafs, with a peculiar bleffing from God, tho' many perfons of fortune were in the congregation. But the poor, and the rich are his. Wednesday 17. I preached in the grove at Edinderry. Many of the Quakers were there, it being the time of their general meeting, and many of all forts. I met here with the Journal of William Edmundfon, one of their preachers in the last century. XIV. B If |