September 19, 1769.
Yesterday, having risen from a disturbed and wearisome
night, I was not much at rest the whole day. I
prayed with the collect, to the beginning, in the night
and in the morning. At night I composed my prayer,
and wrote my reflection. Reviewing them, I found
them both weakly conceived and imperfectly expressed,
and corrected the prayer this morning. I am glad that
I have not omitted my annual practice. I hope that
by rigid temperance, and moderate exercise, I may yet
recover. I used the prayer again at night, and am
now to begin, by the permission of God, my sixty-first
year.
November 5, 1769.
Almighty God, merciful Father, whose providence is over all thy works, look down with pity upon the diseases of my body, and the perturbations of my mind. Give thy blessing, O Lord, to the means which I shall use for my relief, and restore ease to my body, and quiet to my thoughts. Let not my remaining life be made useless by infirmities; neither let health, if Thou shalt grant it, be employed by me in disobedience to thy laws; but give me such a sense of my pains as may humble me before Thee; and such remembrance of thy mercy as may produce honest industry, and holy confidence. And, O Lord, whether Thou ordainest my days to be past in ease or anguish, take not from me thy Holy Spirit; but grant that I may attain everlasting life, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This I found January 11, 1772; and believe it written
when I began to live on milk. I grew worse with
forbearance of solid food.
1770.
January 1, prima mane.
Almighty God, by whose mercy I am permitted to behold the beginning of another year, succour with thy
