“Had calm repose in God. A day of sore temptation. I was kept, but thro’ momentary watching unto prayer. O what am I! How weak, how blind, how poor! As to strength, a bruised reed; for love and zeal, as the [♦]smoaking flax. But thou, O God, art strong, and in thee is my hope.”
[♦] “somaking” replaced with “smoaking”
“Ill in body, dark in mind, dead in affections, and sorely troubled with temptations. Yet I was preserved from inclining to iniquity with my heart.”
“Sunday. My soul agonized to enter into the rest of the people of God. I saw him by faith, and the promises were strongly brought to my remembrance, especially, ‘Ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.’”
“1753. March 7. In the morning there was an open intercourse between God and my soul, which for some hours remained undisturbed. About noon I felt sore war between nature and grace; so that I was brought low. Nature would have me manage for myself, grace was for casting all my care upon God. O thou author of every good gift, send me help from thy holy place to subdue the old man. Take away the perverseness of my own natural will, and make me lowly and patient as thou my Lord art. Thou art the source of grace and of goodness. In thee, O Lamb of God, is all I want.”
“Thursday 8. Poured out my soul before the Lord, who gave me to feel hearty contrition with earnest desires to be sanctified wholly. For
“O how wavering is my mind
Tost about with every wind?
O how quickly doth my heart
From the living God depart.”