34 Prayers and Meditations.
much time, and tend to a conquest over idleness, and give time for other duties. I hope to rise yet earlier *.
Almighty and most merciful Father, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor desirest the Death of a Sinner, look down with mercy upon me, and grant that I may turn from my wickedness and live. Forgive the days and years which I have passed in folly, idleness, and sin. Fill me with such sorrow for the time mispent, that I may amend my life according to thy holy word ; Strengthen me against habitual idleness, and enable me to direct my thoughts to the performance of every duty ; that while I live I may serve thee in the state to which thou shalt call me, and at last by a holy and happy death be de livered from the struggles and sorrows of this life, and obtain eternal happiness by thy mercy, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God, have mercy upon me. At church I purpose
before I leave the pew to pray the occasional prayer, and read my resolutions 2 .
the like after Communion.
at intervals to use the collects of Fourth after Trinity, and First and Fourth after Epiphany and to meditate.
After church, 3 p.m.
This was done, as I purposed, but with some distraction. I came in at the Psalms 4 , and could not well hear. I renewed my resolutions at the altar. God perfect them. When I came home I prayed, and have hope, grant O Lord for the sake of Jesus Christ that my hope may not be in vain.
1 * No man (said Johnson) practises Life of W. Wilberforce, ed. 1838, so well as he writes. I have all my ii. 179.
life long been lying till noon; yet 2 Perhaps the resolutions made
1 ^tell all young men, and tell them when his wife lay dead before him.
with great sincerity, that nobody who Ante, pp. n, 25.
does not rise early will ever do any 3 The previous Easter he had
good.' Ib. y. 210. 'Johnson, Langton joined with her his father, mother,
told us, did not get up till some one brother, and Bathurst. Ante, p. 29.
called to rouse him, whether it was 4 Ante, p. 29, n. I. ten, eleven, twelve, or one o'clock.'
I invited
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