Читать книгу The Life of Rev. David Brainerd, Chiefly Extracted from His Diary онлайн

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ssss1. Brainerd, having now undertaken the business of a missionary to the Indians, and having some estate left him by his father, judged that there was no way in which he could spend it more for the glory of God, than by being at the charge of educating some young man of talents and piety for the ministry. The young man here spoken of was selected for this purpose, and received his education at Brainerd’s expense, so long as his benefactor lived, which was till he was carried through his third year in college.

Lord’s day, Dec. 12.—“I felt, in the morning, as if I had little or no power either to pray or preach; and felt a distressing need of divine help. I went to meeting trembling; but it pleased God to assist me in prayer and sermon. I think my soul scarce ever penetrated so far into the immaterial world, in any one prayer that I ever made, nor were my devotions ever so free from gross conceptions and imaginations framed from beholding material objects. I preached with some satisfaction, from Matt. 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God,” &c.; and in the afternoon, from Rom. 15:30. “And now I beseech you brethren,” &c. There was much affection in the assembly. This has been a sweet Sabbath to me; and blessed be God, I have reason to think that my religion has become more spiritual by means of my late inward conflicts. Amen. May I always be willing that God should use his own methods with me!