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 early. Went through the prayers with fixed attention. Could not hear the sermon. After sermon, applied myself to devotion. Troubled with Baxter's scruple, which was quieted as I re turned home. It occurred to me that the scruple itself was its own confutation x.

I used the prayer against scruples in the foregoing page in the pew, and commended (so far as it was lawful) Tetty, dear Tetty, in a prayer by herself, then my other friends. What collects I do not exactly remember. I gave a shilling. I then went towards the altar that I might hear the service. The communicants were more than I ever saw. I kept back ; used again the foregoing prayer ; again commended Tetty, and lifted up my heart for the rest. I prayed in the collect for the fourteen S. after Trinity for encrease of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and deliverance from scruples; this deliverance was the chief subject of my prayers. O God, hear me. I am now to try to conquer them. After reception I repeated my petition, and again when I came home. My dinner made me a little peevish ; not much 2. After dinner I retired, and read in an hour and a half the seven first chapters of St. Matthew in Greek. Glory be to God. God grant me to proceed and improve, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

I went to Evening Prayers, and was undisturbed. At church in the morning it occurred to me to consider about example of good any of my friends had set me. This is proper, in order to the thanks returned for their good examples.

My attainment of rising 3 gives me comfort and hope. O God, for Jesus Christ's sake, bless me. Amen.

After church, before and after dinner, I read Rotheram on Faith 4.

1 ' He cou'd raise scruples dark heartily,' recorded one day that he

and nice, was ' snappish on fasting.' Life, iii.

And after solve 'em in at rice; 171.

As if Divinity had catch'd 3 His early rising. Ante, p. 37.

The itch on purpose to be 4 On the Origin of Faith, A Sermon

scratch'd.' preached before the University of

Hudibras, i. I. 164. Oxford in 1761. Nichols's Lit. Anec.

2 Dr. Rutty, ' at whose self-con- viii. 193. Rotheram was a Fellow of demning minutes Johnson laughed University College. In 1767 he was

After

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