Diary of Ralph Josselin (Private Collection)

16.8.1648 (Wednesday 16 August 1648)

document 70003460

16: a very great flood with the great rains last day and night: the season sad and threatening, this day I retired myself to seek to god by reason of his judgements on us, to bewail not his afflictions which we suffer, but especially the sins whereby his is provoked for he does not willingly afflict.

the nations sins are many and sad, Lord let public ones be pardoned; the nations judgements are continual rains to the spoiling of much grass, and threatening of the harvest: 2: the sad charge by war to the undoing of country: the sad decay of trade in reference to our poor, to our undoing except god find out some other way of subsistence.

the War in the nation, the divisions among ourselves; our cryings out after peace on any terms to save our skins, and estates whatsoever become of others, lord remove these judgements from us for thy name sake.

and in respect of my soul. my heart is full of sinful and vain meditations, not being clean in the eyes of god, my conversation is not even in the sight of god. oh give me a clean heart; and keep me in uprightness: oh make this nation happy in peace and truth, and make me righteous and holy in thy eyes for these things I pour out my soul in thy presence, be gracious oh lord to us we entreat thee.