multitude of my offences. Bless my friends; have mercy upon all men. Support me, by thy Holy Spirit, in the days of weakness, and at the hour of death; and receive me, at my death, to everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. [The following meditations and prayers have no dates in the MS.] I DID not, this week, labour my preparation so much as I have sometimes done. My mind was not very quiet; and an anxious preparation makes the duty of the day formidable and burdensome. Different methods suit different states of mind, body, and affairs. I rose this day, and prayed, then went to tea, and afterwards composed the prayer, which I formed with great fluency. I went to church; came in at the Psalms; could not hear the reader in the lessons, but attended the prayers with tranquillity. To read the New Testament once a year in Greek. Receiving the Sacrament, I profess my faith in Jesus. I declare my resolution to obey him. I implore, in the highest act of worship, grace to keep these resolutions. I hope to rise to a new life this day. ON the 17th, Mr. Chamier took me away with him from Streatham. I left the servants a guinea for my health, and was content enough to escape into a house where my birthday, not being known, could not be mentioned. I sat up till midnight was past, and the day of a new year, a very awful day, began. I prayed to God, who had [safely brought me to the beginning of another year,] but could not perfectly recollect the prayer, and supplied it. Such desertions of memory I have always had. Tame a Si I ink I prayed again, then Vivi my int no icos When I came mus. uter some time passed in the brary, finding myI mi je segmess. I retired to my chamber, yag a mi a short imperfect slumber, I dei mi prayed as the night before. Ifa dei mi ded the padour and library, and vi ima striple about Hyrace. At last I went wiiirst composed a prayer. 14 Smar I went a: chr. and attended the service. e to use my prayer, O Lord, July 30. A÷ETT God Creator and Governor of the world, wir sendest scess and restorest health, enable me to erusler, with a st sense of thy mercy, the deliverance wiri Tra bast lately granted me, and assist by thy blessing, as is best for me, the means which I shall use for the one of the disease with which I am now afflicted. Increase my patience, teach me submission to thy will, and so rule my thoughts and direct my actions, that I may be finally received to everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. On the Study of Religion. ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, without whose help labour is useless, without whose light search is vain, invigorate my studies, and direct my inquiries, that I may. by due diligence and right discernment, establish myself and others in thy Holy Faith. Take not, O Lord, thy Holy Spirit from me; let not evil thoughts have dominion in my mind. Let me not linger in ignorance, but enlighten and support me, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O LORD God, in whose hand are the wills and affec tions of men, kindle in my mind holy desires, and repress sinful and corrupt imaginations; enable me to love thy commandments, and to desire thy promises: let me, by thy protection and influence, so pass through things temporal, as finally not to lose the things eternal; and among the hopes and fears, the pleasures and sorrows, the dangers and deliverances, and all the changes of this life, let my heart be surely fixed, by the help of thy Holy Spirit, on the everlasting fruition of thy presence, where true joys are to be found. Grant, O Lord, these petitions. Forgive, O merciful Lord, whatever I have done contrary to thy laws. Give me such a sense of my wickedness as may produce true contrition and effectual repentance, so that when I shall be called into another state, I may be received among the sinners to whom sorrow and reformation have obtained pardon, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, whose clemency I now presume to implore, after a long life of carelessness and wickedness, have mercy upon me. I have committed many trespasses; I have neglected many duties. I have done what Thou hast forbidden, and left undone what Thou hast commanded. Forgive, merciful Lord, my sins, negligences, and ignorances, and enable me, by thy Holy Spirit, to amend my life, according to thy Holy Word, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. O MERCIFUL God, full of compassion, long-suffering, and of great pity, who sparest when we deserve punishment, and in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy; make me earnestly to repent, and heartily to be sorry for all my misdoings; make the remembrance so burdensome and painful, that I may flee to Thee with a troubled spirit and a contrite heart; and, O merciful Lord, visit, comfort, and relieve me; cast me not out from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me, but excite in me true repentance; give me in this world knowledge of thy truth, and confidence in thy mercy, and in the world to come, |