Wesley Corpus

in one ofthe loveliest places, and with one of the loveliest fami- lies, in the kingdom. Almost all I heard put me in mind of those beautiful lines of Prior,- The nymph did like the scene appear, Serenely pleasant, calmly fair ! Soft fell her words, as flew the air. i How willingly could I have accepted the invitation to spend a few days here ! Nay, at present I must be about my Father's business : But I trust to meet them in a still lovelier place. Between Limerick and Castlebar, I read over the famous controversy between Drs. Clarke and Leibnitz. And is this he whom the King of Prussia extols, as something more than human ? So poor a writer have I seldom read, either as to sentiments or temper. In sentiment, he is a thorough fatalist ; maintaining roundly, and without reserve, that God has abso- lutely decreed from all eternity whatever is done in time ; and that no creature can do more good, or less evil, thanGod has peremptorily decreed. And his temper is just suitable to his sentiments. He is haughty, self-conceited, sour, impatient of contradiction, and holds his opponent in utter contempt ; though, in truth, he is but a child in his hands. Wed. 24. I reached Sligo. My old friend, Andrew Maben, did not own me. However, a few did; to whom, with a toler- able congregation, I preached at six in the barracks. The next evening I preached in the market-house, to a far larger congre- gation. We seem, by all the late bustle and confusion, to have lost nothing. Here is a little company as much alive to God, and more united together than ever. Fri. 26. I preached at Manorhamilton, and the next even- ing near the bridge at Swadlingbar. Knowing a large part of the congregation to have " tasted of the powers of the world to come," I spoke on the glory that shall be revealed ; and all seemed deeply affected, except a few Gentry, so called, who seemed to understand nothing of the matter. [June,1775. Sun. 28.-I preached at ten to a far larger congregation, on, "God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent;" and after church, to a still greater multitude, on, " It is appointed unto men once to die." Mon. 29. Being desired to give them a sermon at Belturbet,