Jan: 14: This week the Lord was good and merciful to me, and all my family, in our healths and yet we had our distempers, all my children but especially Thomas break out in their heads: myself feel a heaviness, coldness, or moistness in the crown of my head, as if it were rheum, and a pain in my sides, with a little soreness in my bones sometimes in one place and sometimes in another. My wife faint and pained with her child in her back, but yet through mercy we rest, eat drink, and walk about within and without doors, though the times are very dangerous in reference to the healths of people: god good in providing food and raiment for us in the days of want, firing most people having nothing to burn this week(,) I find my mind vanities assailing me, and my deceitful treacherous heart, hankering after them, and missing on earthly vanities, but not with full swing as formerly oh help me to beware of Satans slights, and to beware of relapsing back into any folly which is discovered unto me, I having resolved in my strength to keep thy commandments oh fail me not I entreat thee, this day the Lord was good to me in giving me health and strength for the work of the Sabbath, oh how little is my heart raised up, and set on god, oh for mercy sake quicken me, and make me a blessing to my people, I stirred up people to a care of the poor, in encouraging the officers and cheerful paying their rates, the necessities of the times are very great.