Diary of Ralph Josselin (Private Collection)

15.10.1648 (Sunday 15 October 1648)

document 70003625

Octob: 15: This week the lord was good and merciful to me and mine in our peace, health and in providing sufficiently for us, the lord was good and merciful also in taking of my heart more from vain earthly thoughts than formerly: now here steps in Satan and says that this is not done by the power of grace, but only by more diligence in (in) my calling: to this I say. so that sin be stopped, I therein do, and will rejoice: again its a great advantage to be diligently employed. its of god to be faithful therein, but my heart disrellishes those temptations, as empty and sinful, for with my mind I am to serve the law of god: now Satan was stepping in with other thoughts, but you shall keep me oh god:

my navel continues sore and so has been 5 or 6 weeks, the good lord in mercy heal the same, bless remedies applied. I desire with patience and submission to wait gods leisure, for my hope is in him, but lord just are you in this correction: the Saturday at night was a wonderful violent wind, and rain together, causing a flood. the lord was merciful to me in giving me strength for the Sabbath in making the word sweet to my meditation, lord accept my soul and pardon my iniquities, when sermon was done we were amazed with Mrs Tiffin (Tiffin has been subtly changed in a later hand into Gifford) , the lord in mercy heal her of her wickedness, and dissimulation