Diary Extract 35 July 5 1760

Saturday, July 5 1760 In family worship I read a chapter in Proverbs and afterwards some passages in (Matthew) Henry's Life which were very interesting. I also wrote a little. Lord help me to redeem my time so that I may have a proper portion of it for every good work. In the business of the day I had some pleasing meditations but in general my heart was not so with God as it ought to have been. At noon I spent some time in reading Theron and Aspasio (work by James Hervey). We retired to rest a little before twelve but had not slept above an hour when my partner was awakened out of sleep by what appeared to her a real and frightful noise. I rose, though reluctantly at first, but I reflected that nothing could hurt me in the least without my Father's permission which idea enabled me to overcome my slavish fears. I thought of the saying of Job vii 14 Thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me with visions. It was some time before we could sleep again but I was enabled to look unto the Lord, humbly praying that whether it was real or merely imaginary it might lead us to seek after an actual state of preparation for that more awful midnight cry when the last trumpet shall sound that we may then be found ready.