much, and caused me to cry most earnestly unto my Almighty Helper, to sustain me from declension. Under a sense of my sins, I implored of him the exercise of his pardoning love and mercy through Christ, and the energetic influences of the Holy Spirit on my heart, to bring me to a correct knowledge of myself, and of my duty.

May 8. Have, in weeks past, been burdened with a luke-warm, Laodicean spirit. At times have felt the power of religion on my heart; but, alas! my mind is often too much engrossed with the things of earth.

Sept. 7. Received from the Lord the blessing of a son, which removed a heavy anxiety from my mind, and filled my heart with grati.. tude and praise to the Author of all our mercies.

Nov. 11. A dear sister, who had resided with me since the 17th of May, was removed from us by death. This sore visitation wrought very powerfully upon my mind, and led me to have my contemplations much in the unseen world, where the spirit of my departed sister was an inhabitant, and where my soul would soon make its appearance. My prayers were most ardent that the affliction might be sanctified to me, and all the friends, for our everlasting good.

Nov. 18. Visited my sorrowful parents, and afflicted brethren, in hopes of reviving their drooping spirits. We unitedly sought consoation in God, the only unfailing source of

comfort. Oh, what a refuge is God, in times of heart distress! After a short visit, returned to my family.

July 15, 1767. Left New-Haven with my family, to commence the labours of my profession in Amherst.

April 21, 1768. Ever since I have been settled in Amherst, have lived in coldness and formality. Have had little of the animating influences of God's Spirit, except at intervals; and felt little of the power of religion upon my heart.

May 10. My heart was filled with the warmest emotions of gratitude, for the special mercy of God, in appearing for us in an hour of peril, and bestowing upon us the blessing of a living and proper daughter. The occasion produced an increased sense of the responsibility which the care of immortal souls brought upon me, and my utter insufficiency, of my self, to answer it. I was led to look more earnestly than ever for divine assistance; and for grace and wisdom to train up my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Jan. 1, 1769. Selected a portion of time for special meditation, to call in my wandering thoughts, and consider the many obligations of gratitude that lay upon me. In reviewing the train of innumerable mercies which had strewed my path in life, I was grieved that I could not render a warmer tribute of gratitude and praise. All had been mercy on the part of God, and all ill desert and hell desert on mine. K

I longed to give up myself wholly to God, and prayed earnestly for divine help, to enable me to keep my heart with all diligence, to rise above the temptations and perplexing cares of life, and to have my affections supremely placed upon heavenly things.

Feb. 13, 1770. The past year, my religious exercises have been, comparatively, uniform. I have had less animation in the cause of religion, than in some previous years; yet, have never been so stupid, in my dullest seasons, as not to have eternal things bear with weight on my mind.

Feb. 13, 1771. At this period we had another special occasion for praise and thanksgiving, being blessed with the gift of our third child, and second daughter. Reflected, that God had graciously lent us another precious child, to nurture and train up for him; and devoutly implored of him, that he would grant us grace and wisdom to instruct our children in his fear, and to maintain such tempers and dispositions towards them and each other, as should meet with the divine approbation and blessing; and that, should the Almighty Donor call for them, we may be enabled cheerfully to resign them; and may we so faithfully discharge every personal and relative duty, that when our Lord and Judge shall call for us, the idea of death may be no terror to our minds.

January 1st, 1772. Another year of my life is now ended: but alas! how little of it

have I devoted to God! My mind has, indeed, been much upon the glorious things of His kingdom; but how cold and dull have been my affections! How languid my zeal! How void has been my heart and life of the reigning power of religion! How have I suffered my pressure of business and domestic cares, to engross my thoughts, to the exclusion of religious contemplations! Oh, for the energetic influences of the Divine Spirit, to preserve me from this lukewarmness, to which I am so shamefully subject! Wonderful longsuffering, patience and mercy in God, that I am not arrested with judgment for my sinfulness.

March 6: The birth-day of our fourth child. Our earnest prayer was, that we might live answerable to our mercies.

February 1, 1776. A time of peculiar sickness. Was continually pressed with business abroad, until sickness in my own family demanded my whole time and attention: for all my children, at home, were taken with the canker within a few days of each other.

February 9. We were called to see our sweet F take her leave of this vain world, and depart, as I have reason to hope, to one infinitely better. This was such a day as I never saw before a day in which we were most effectually taught the worth of Christian consolation and support.

February 10. We were informed this morning, before day, that our little S, who had been for some weeks at my father's,

was sick with the same disorder as the others. This was indeed a gloomy and trying day to us; one child a corpse; the other four very sick.

This afternoon, committed the remains of our dear departed child to the gloomy mansions of the dead-Dust to dust, there to remain until the morning of the resurrection.

February 14. The life of S-- was despaired of. My wife, who was present with the child, was necessitated to take her long farewell of it, while in the agonies of death, to go and take care of the sick children at home. This she did with as much composure, as though she only left her for a night. Nothing but true evangelical faith and Chris tian resignation could thus have overcome her strong, ardent passions. It was a very affecting scene to the spectators.

At eleven o'clock, P. M. this most pleas ant and interesting child resigned her mortal breath. She had survived twenty-seven hours without swallowing, and the most of the time in great distress for breath. She lacked two days of being six years old. We never knew her discomposed in temper, but once, while she lived. This was indeed a day of mourn ing and of severe affliction to us; but we mourned not without hope. There were many circumstances, which influenced our minds to believe, that we had more cause to mourn, (in a moral view,) for the living children, than for those which were dead,