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writing the conclusion of which was in the fol-
lowing words
"In this free, voluntary surrender of my-
"self to thee, O God, I engage with all my soul,
"might, & strength in humble dependence up
"on thy assisting grace."
My feelings at the end of the year <date>1771</date>
are expressed in the following extract from my
diary of that year. "O my kind merciful
"God! I have been left unto Thee ever since I
was born. Thou art he who took me out of my
Mother's womb & supported me when I hung
still upon her breast. In my earliest infan
cy Thou didst prepare everything fit for my
support; thou didst care for & suffer no harm to
come near me. I have also abundant cause
to thank thee that as I grew up, Thy love & faith-
fulness still followed me & delivered me out of
many & great dangers. Yea when my soul
strayed far from thee & my poor heart was
full of sin & iniquity, thy patience was not at
an end, but after thou hadst <add>borne</add> long with my re-
bellion & sins against thee, for nearly 18 years:
Thou didst then by exercising me with a hea
vy affliction, bring me, thy poor creature by