ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, whose mercy is over all thy works, and who hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner, look with pity upon me, succour and preserve me; enable me to conquer evil habits, and surmount temptations. Give me grace so to use the degree of health which Thou hast restored to my mind and body, that I may perform the task Thou shalt yet appoint me. Look down, O gracious Lord, upon my remaining part of life; grant, if it please Thee, that the days, few or many, which Thou shalt yet allow me, may pass in reasonable confidence, and holy tranquillity. Withhold not thy Holy Spirit from me, but strengthen all good purposes, till they shall produce a life pleasing to Thee. And when Thou shalt call me to another state, forgive me my sins, and receive me to happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Safely brought us, &c. Sept. 23, 1771. On the 18th, in the morning, before I went to bed, I used the general prayer [“ beginning of this year"] and when I rose. I came home from Mr. Thrale's that I might be more master of my hours. I went to church in the morning, but came in to the Litany. I have gone voluntarily to church on the week days but few times in my life. I think to mend. At night I composed and used the prayer, which I have used since in my devotions one morning. Having been somewhat disturbed, I have not yet settled in any plan, except that yesterday I began to learn some verses in the Greek Testament for a Sunday's recital. I hope, by trust in God, to amend my life. 1772. Jan. 1, 2 in the morning. ALMIGHTY God, who hast permitted me to see the beginning of another year, enable me so to receive thy mercy, as that it may raise in me stronger desires of VOL. IX. R pleasing Thee by purity of mind and holiness of life. Strengthen me, O Lord, in good purposes, and reasonable meditations. Look with pity upon all my disorders of mind, and infirmities of body. Grant that the residue of my life may enjoy such degrees of health as may permit me to be useful, and that I may live to thy glory; and, O merciful Lord, when it shall please Thee to call me from the present state, enable me to die in confidence of thy mercy, and receive me to everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. To rise in the morning. Easter Eve. April 18, 1772. I AM now again preparing, by divine mercy, to commemorate the death of my gracious Redeemer, and to form, as God shall enable me, resolutions and purposes of a better life. When I review the last year, I am able to recollect so little done, that shame and sorrow, though perhaps too weakly, come upon me; yet I have been generally free from local pain, and my strength has seemed gradually to increase. But my sleep has generally been unquiet, and I have not been able to rise early. My mind is unsettled, and my memory confused. I have of late turned my thoughts, with a very useless earnestness, upon past incidents. I have yet got no command over my thoughts; an unpleasing incident is almost certain to hinder my rest; this is the remainder of my last illness. By sleepless or unquiet nights, and short days, made short by late rising, the time passes away uncounted and unheeded. Life so spent is useless. I hope to cast my time into some stated method. To let no hour pass unemployed. To rise by degrees more early in the morning. I have, I think, been less guilty of neglecting publick worship than formerly. I have commonly on Sunday gone once to church, and if I have missed, have reproached myself. I have exerted rather more activity of body. These dis positions I desire to improve. I resolved, last Easter, to read within the year, the whole Bible, a very great part of which I had never looked upon. I read the Greek Testament without construing, and this day concluded the Apocalypse. I think that no part was missed. My purpose of reading the rest of the Bible was forgotten, till I took by chance the resolutions of last Easter in my hand. I began it the first day of Lent; and, for a time, read with some regularity. I was then disturbed or seduced, but finished the Old Testament last Thursday. I hope to read the whole Bible once a year, as long as I live. Yesterday I fasted, as I have always or commonly done since the death of Tetty. The fast was more painful than it has formerly been, which I imputed to some medicinal evacuations in the beginning of the week, and to a meal of cakes on the foregoing day. I cannot now fast as formerly. I devoted this week to the perusal of the Bible, and have done little secular business. I am this night easier than is customary on this anniversary, but am not sensibly enlightened. Easter Day. After 12 at night. THE day is now begun, on which I hope to begin a new course ὥσπερ ἀφ ̓ ὑσπλήγγων. My hopes are from this time, To rise early. To waste less time. To appropriate something to charity. Easter. ALMIGHTY God, merciful Father, who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, look down with pity upon my sinfulness and weakness. Strengthen, O Lord, my mind; deliver me from needless terrours; enable me to correct all inordinate desires, to eject all evil thoughts, to reform all sinful habits, and so to amend my life, that when at the end of my days Thou shalt call me hence, I may depart in peace, and be received into everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 9 in the morning. GLORY be to Thee, O Lord God, for the deliverance which Thou hast granted me from diseases of mind and body. Grant, O gracious God, that I may employ the powers which Thou vouchsafest me to thy glory, and the salvation of my soul, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. April 26, 1772. I WAS some way hindered from continuing this contemplation in the usual manner, and therefore try, at the distance of a week, to review the last Sunday. I went to church early, having first, I think, used my prayer. When I was there, I had very little perturbation of mind. During the usual time of meditation, I considered the Christian duties under the three principles of soberness, righteousness, and godliness; and purposed to forward godliness by the annual perusal of the Bible; righteousness by settling something for charity, and soberness by early hours. I commended as usual, with preface of permission, and, I think, mentioned Bathurst. I came home, and found Paoli and Boswell waiting for me. What devotions I used after my return home, I do not distinctly remember. I went to prayers in the evening; and, I think, entered late. I have this week endeavoured every day but one, to rise early, and have tried to be diligent; but have not performed what I required from myself. On Good Friday, I paid Peyton without requiring work. Since Easter 1771, I have added a Collect to my evening devotion. I have been less indulgent to corporeal inactivity. But have done little with my mind. It is a comfort to me, that at last, in my sixty-third year, I have attained to know, even thus hastily, confusedly, and imperfectly, what my Bible contains. May the good God increase and sanctify my knowledge. I have never yet read the Apocrypha. When I was a boy, I have read or heard of Bel and the Dragon, Susanna, some of Tobit, perhaps all; some at least of Judith, and some of Ecclesiasticus; and, I suppose, the Benedicite. I have some time looked into the Maccabees, and read a chapter containing the question, Which is the strongest? I think in Esdras. In the afternoon of Easter Day, I read Pococke's Commentary. I have this last week scarcely tried to read, nor have I read any thing this day. I have had my mind weak and disturbed for some weeks past. Having missed church in the morning, I went this even ing, and afterwards sat with Southwell, Having not used the prayer, except on the day of com munion; I will offer it this night, and hope to find mercy. On this day little has been done, and this is now the last hour. In life little has been done, and life is very far advanced. Lord have mercy upon me. 1773. January 1, mane 1. 33". ALMIGHTY God, by whose mercy my life has been yet prolonged to another year, grant that thy mercy may not |