1759 March 28 (Wednesday). Fast at Mr. Joseph Miles’s on the Account of his Dejection and Gloomyness. It was so rainy that my Wife did not go. I did not get there till (as I suppose) full ten o’Clock — I waited about 3/4 of an Hour, and no other Minister coming and a considerable Assembly being gathered, I began prayer and preached on Jer. 31.l8. [“I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou are the LORD my God.”] I had prepared so much for the present Occasion as made it a long Exercise. Mr. Cushing and Mr. Hutchinson came in prayer Time. Mr. H. prayed p.m. Mr. C. preached on Ps. 34.19. [“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them.”] May God accept our offerings and bless the Word to us, and particularly to poor Mr. Miles, who is wonderfully cast down.