Brainerd's Letters
Written by Mr. Brainerd-to his Friends:
Mr. Brarenp hada large acquaintance and correspondence, especially in the latter part of his life, and he did much at writing Letters to his absent friends; but the most of his acquaintance living at a great distance from me, [ have not been able to obtain copies of many that he wrote. However, the greater part of those which I have seen, are such as appear to me of profitable tendency, and worthy of the public view: I have therefore here added a few of his letters, N. B. Several of these which follow, are not published at large, because some parts of them related to affairs of a private nature.
LETTER I.. To his brother John, then a student at Yale-college. in ' New- Haven Dear brother, Kaunaumeek, April 30. 1743.
I SHOULD tell you, “T long to see you,” but that my own experience has taught me there is no happiness and plenary. satisfaction to be enjoyed in earthly friends, though ever so near and dear, or in any other enjoyment that is not God himself. Therefore, if the God of all grace, would be pleased to afford us each his presence and grace, that we may perform the work and endure the trials he calls us to, in a most distressing tiresome wilderness, till we arrive at our journey’s end; the distance at which we are held from each other at the present, is a matter of no great moment or importance to either of us. But alas, the presence of God is what I want..
I live in the most lonely melancholy desert, about eighteen miles from Albany; for it was not thought best that I should go to Delaware-river, as I beleive I hinted to you in a letter from New-York. I board with a poor Scotchman: his wife can talk scarcely any English. My diet consists mostly of hdsty-pudding, boiled corn, and bread baked in the ashes, and sometimes a little meat and butter. My lodging is a little heap of straw, laid upon some boards, a little way
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from the ground; for it is a log-room, without any floor, that I lodge in. My work is exceeding hard and difficult: I travel on foot a mile and half in the worst of roads almost daily, and back again; for E live so far from my Indians.—I have not seen an English person this month. These and many other uncomfortable circumstances &trend me; and yet my spiritual conflicts and distresses so far exceed all these, that I scarce think of them, but feel as if I were entertained in the most sumptuous manner. The Lord grant that I may learn to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ !”
As to my success here, I cannot say much as yet. The Indians seem generally kind and well disposed | towards me, and are mostly very attentive to my instructions, and seem willing to be taught. Two or three, I hope, are under some convictions; but there seems to be little of the special workings of. the divine Spirit among them yet; which gives me many a heart-sinking hour. Sometimes [ hope, God has abundant blessings in store for them and me; at other times I am so overwhelmed with distress, that I cannot see how his dealings with me are consistent with covenant love and faithfulness; and I say, “Surely his tender mercies are clean gone for. ever,” But I see, I needed all this chastisement already. “Itis good for me” that I have endured these trials, and have hitherto little or no apparent success. Do not be discouraged on my account. I was under great distress at Mr. Pomroy’s, when I saw your last; but “ God has been with me of a truth” since that: at Long-Island and elsewhere.
Let us always remember, that we must “through much tribulation” enter into God’s eternal kingdom of rest and peace, The righteous are “scarcely” saved: it is an infinite wonder that we have well-grounded hopes of being saved at all. For my part, I feel the most vile of any creature living; and I am sure sometimes, there is not such another existing on this side hell.——Now all you can do for me is to pray incessantly, that God would make me humble, holy, resigned, and heavenly-minded, by all my trials. “ Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. ” Let us run, wrestle, and fight, that we may win the prize, and obtain that com-
plete happiness, to be holy as God is holy. Wishing and
praying that you may advance in learning and grace, and be fit for special service for God, I remain your affectionate brother, D. B:
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LETTER II. -
To his brother John, at Yale-college in New-Haven.
Dear brother, Kanvaanieek, Dec, #7. 1785. T LONG to see you, and to know how you fare in your journey through a world of itiexpressible sorrow, Where we ate compassed about with vanity, confusion, and vexation of spirit. I am more weary of life, 1 think, thati éver I was. The whole world appears to me liké a huge vacuum, a vast émpty space, whence nothing desirable ot satisfactory can possibly be derived; and { long daily to die more and move to it, even though | obtain not that comfort from spiritual things which | earnestly desire. Worldly pleasures, such as flow from greatness, riches, honours, and sensual gratifications, are infinitély worse than none. May the Lord deliver ts tore and more from these vanities! J have spent most of tte fall and winter hitherto in a very weak state of body, and sometimes under pressing inward trials and spiritual conflicts; but “having obtained help from God, I continue to this day ;” and ai now sonbething better in health, than I Was sometime ago. 1 find nothing more conducive to a life of Christianity than a diligent, industrious, and faithful improvement of precious time. Let us then faithfally perform that business which is allotted to us by divine providence, to the utmost of our bodily strength and mental vigour. Why should we sink and grow discouraged with any particular’ trials and perplexities which we are called'to encounter in the world: Death and eternity are just before us; a few tossing billows more will waft us into the world of spirits, and we hope (through infinite grace) into endless pleasures and uvinterrupted rest and peace. Let'us then “run with patience the race set before us,” Heb. xii. 1, 2. And oh that we could @spend ‘more upon the living God, and less upon our own wisdom and ‘strength !—— Dear brother, may the God of all grace comfort your heart, suceéed your studies, and make you an instruthent of good to his people in your day. This is the cobistant prayer of your affectionate brother, ©.
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LETTER III. To his brother Israel, at Haddam. My dear brother, Kaunaameek, January 21. 1743-4
"THERE is but one thing that deserves our highest care and most ardent desires; and that is, that we may answer the great end for which we were made, viz, to glorify that God who has given us our being and all our comforts; and to do ail the good we possibly can tq our fellow-men, while we live in the world. Verily, life is not worth having, if it be not improved for this noble end and purpose. Yet alas, how little is this thought of among mankind! Most men seem to live to themselves, without much regard to the glory of God, or the good of their fellow-creatures. They ear+ nestly desire and eagerly pursue after the riches, the honours, and the pleasures of life, as if they really supposed that wealth or greatness or merriment could make their immortal souls happy. What false and delusive dreams are these; and how miserable will those ere long be, who are not awaked out of them, to see that all their happiness consists in diving to God, and becoming “ holy as he is holy!” Oh, may you never fall into the tempers and vanities, the sens suality and folly of the present world! You are, by divine providence, left as it were alone in a wide world, to act for yourself: be sure then to remember, it is a world of temptation. You have no earthly parents to be the means of forming your youth to piety and virtue, by their pious examples and seasonable counsels; let this then excite you with greater diligence and fervency to look up to the Father of mercies for grace and assistance against all the vanities of the world. And if you would glorify God, answer his just expectations from you, and make your awn soul happy in this and the coming world, observe these few directions, though not from a father, yet from.a brother who is touched with a tender concern for your present and future happiness. First, Resolve upon and daily endeavour to practise a life - of seriousness and strict sobriety. The wise man will tell you the great advantage of such a life, Eccles. vii. 3. Think of the life of Christ; and when you can find that he wag pleased with jesting and vain merriment, then you may indulge it in yourself.: 84
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Again, Be careful to make a good improvemt of precious
time. When you cease from labour, fill up your time in reading, meditation and prayer; and while your hands are labouring, Jet your heart be employed, as much as possible, in divine thoughts. - Further, Take heed that: you faithfully perform the business you have to do in the world, from a regard to the commands of God; and not from an ambitious desire of being esteemed better than others. We should always look upon ourselves as God’s servants, placed in God’s world, to do his work; and accordingly labour faithfully for him; not with a design to grow rich and great, but to glorify God, and do all the good we possibly can.
Again, Never expect any satisfaction. or happiness from the world. If you hope for happiness én the world, hope for it from God, and not from the. world. Do not think you shall be more happy, if you live to such or such a state of life, if you live for yourself; but look upon it that you shall then be happy, when you can be constantly employed for God, and not for yourself; and desire to live in this world, only to do and suffer what God allots to you. When you can be of the spirit and temper of angels, who are willing to come down into this lower world, to perform what God commands them, though their desires are heavenly, and not in. the least set on earthly things, then you will be of that temper that you ought to have, Col. iii. 2
- Once more, Never think that you can live to God by your.
own power or strength; but always look to and rely on him for assistance, yea, for all strength and grace. There is no greater truth than this, that “ we can do nothing of our-
selves,” John xv. 5. 2 Cor. iii. 5.; yet nothing but our own.
experience can effectually teach it to us.. Indeed. we are a long time in learning, that add our strength and salvation is in God. This is a life that I think no unconverted man can possibly live; and yet it is a life that every godly soul is pressing after. Let it then be your great concern, thus to devote yourself and your all to God.
I long to see you, that I may say much more to you than I now can, for your benefit and welfare; but 1 desire to commit you to, and leave you. with the Father of. mercies, and God of ‘ali grace; praying that you may be directed safely through an evil world, to God’s heavenly kingdom.
D. B.
Na LETTER IV. To a special friend.
The Forks of Delaware, July 31, it co
Certainty the greatest, the noblest pleasure of intelligent creatures must result from their acquaintance with the blessed God, and with their own rational and immortal souls. And oh how divinely pleasant and entertaining is it to look into our own souls, woen we can find all our powers and passions united and engaged in pursuit after God, our whole souls longing and passionately breathing after a conformity to him, and the full enjoyment of him! Verily, no hours pass away ‘with so much divine pleasure, as those that are spent in communing with God and our own hearts. How sweet is a spirit of devotion, of seriousness and solemnity; a spirit of gospel simplicity, love and tenderness! Oh how desirable and profitable is a spirit of holy watchfulness, and godly jealousy over ourselves; when our souls are afraid of nothing so much as that we shall grieve and offend the blessed God, whom at such times we apprehend, or at least hope, to be a father and friend; whom we then love and long: to please, rather than to be happy ourselves, or at least we delight to derive our happiness from pleasing and glorifying him. Surely this is a pious temper, worthy of the highest ambition and closest pursuit of intelligent creatures. Oh how vastly superior is the pleasure, peace and satisfaction derived from these divine frames, to that which we sometimes seek in things impertinent and trifling! Bitter experience teaches us that “in the midst of such laughter the heart is sorrowful,” and there is no true satisfaction but in God, But alas, how shall we obtain and preserve this spirit of religion and devotion? .Let'us Mb llow the apostle’s direction, Phil. ii. 12, and labour upon the encouragement he there mentions, ver. 13, for it is God only can afford us this favour; and he will be sought to, and itis fit we should wait ' upon him for so rich a mercy. May the God of all grace afford us the influences of his holy Spirit, and help us that we'may from our hearts esteem it our greatest liberty and ‘happiness, that “ whether we live, we may live to the Lord, or whether we die, we ‘may die to the Lord ;” that in life and death we may be his,
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T am in 2 very poor state of health; but through divine goodness, | am not discontented under my weakness, and confinement to this wilderness. I bless God for this retirement. | never was more thankfal for any thing than 1 have been of late, for the necessity | am under of self-denial in many respects. I Jove to be a pilgrim and stranger is this wilderness: it seems most fit for such a poor ignorant and worthless creature. I would sot change my present mission for any other business ia the whole workl. I may tell you freely, without vanity and ostentation, God has of late given me great freedom and fervency in prayer, when I have been so weak and feeble that my nature seemed as if it would speedily dissolve. I feel as if my all was lost, and J was undone for this world, if the poer Heathen may not be converted. In general i feel different from what 1 did when
I saw you last; at least more crucified to all the enjoyments -
of lite. It would be very refreshing to me to see you here in this desart, especially in my weak disconsolate hours; but think | could be content never to see you, or any of my friends again in this world, if God would bless my labours here to the conversion of the poor Indians.
1 have much thet 1 could willingly communicate to yom, which | must omit, till Providence gives us leave to see eacka ether. {m the mean time I remain, Ke.
D.B.
LETTER V¥: - Foaspecial friend « Ménister of the gospel in New Jersey.
Rev. and-dear brother, The Forks.of Delaware, Dec..24, 1744.
T HAVE little +0 say ‘to you about spiritual joys, and those blessed refrestyments and divine corsolations, with which I have been much favoured in times past: but this | can ‘tell you, that if 1 gain experience in no ether point, yet I am sure | do in ‘this, viz. that the present work has nothing in it to satisfy an immortal soul: aad hence that it is not to de desired for ‘itself, but only because God may be seen and served in it: and 1 wish | could ‘be more patient and willing to live init for-this ‘end, ‘than I can-usually find myself to:be. It is no virtue I -know to desire death, only to be freed from the miseries of life; but ] want that:divine hope which you
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observed when I saw you last, was the very sinews of vital religion. Earth can do us no good, and if there be no hope of our doing good on earth, how can we desire to live in it? Yet we ought to desire, or at least to be resigned, to tarry in - it; because it is the will of out all-wise Sovereign. But perhaps these thoughts will appear melancholy and gloomy, and consequently will be very undesirable to you; and therefore I. forbear to add. I wish you may not read them in the sante ‘circuttistances itt which I write them. { have a. Kittle sore-to do atid suffer in a dark disconsolate world; and thén I hope to be as happy a8 you are.——I should ask you td prey for me, ‘were I worth your concern. May the Lord enable us both to “etdure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ ;” and may we “obtain mercy of God to be faithful' to the death,” in the discharge of. our respective sraets. Tam, &e. |
- DD. B LETTER VI. foi his brother John at College. Very dear brother, '. New-Jersey, Deo. 28, 1745.
TAM in onetontinued and ‘uninterrupted hurry; and divine providence throws ‘so ‘inch ‘upon me, that 1 do not see it will ever be otherwise. May Tobtain mercy to be found faithful. I Satthdt say Tah weary of my harty; I only want strength and grace to Go tote for God that 1 have ever yet done.
My ‘@etr brother; The Lord of heaven who has carried me thrdagh many ‘trials, bless you; bless you for time and eternity; ahi fit you to ‘serve him inthis hurch below, and toebjoy His blivsful presence in ‘his church triaimphant. My brother, “the time ts short.” Oh tet us fill it up ‘for ‘God; Reus cbtint the sufferings of this present time” as nothing, if We can Vout ruin our race, and finish our course with joy.” Het'ts strive to tive ‘to God. I bless His name that 1 have ridthing'to'de with-earth, ‘but only to labour honestly in it for God, till I shall “accomplish as a‘hireling my day.” 1 think I do‘not desire to live one minute for any thing that earth can afford. Oh that I could live for none but God, till my dying moment!
D. B.
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LETTER VII. To-his brother Israel, then a student at Yale-college in New- Haven. Dear brother,. Elisabeth-Town, New-Jersey, Nov. 24, 1746.
[wap determined to make you aad my other. friends im New- England a visit this fall; partly from an earnest desire I had to see you and them, ‘and partly with a view to the recovery of my health, which has for more than three months past been much impaired.. And in order to prosecute this design, I set out from my own people about three weeks ago, and came as far as to this place; where, my disorder greatly increasing, | have been obliged to keep house until the day before yesterday, when I was able to ride about half a mile, but found myself much tired. I have now no hopes of prosecuting my journey into New-England this winter, supposing my present state of health will by no means admit of it. I am through divine goodness much better than I was some days ago, yet I have- not. strength now to ride more than ten miles a day, if the season were warm, and fit for me to travel-in.- My disorder has been attended’ with several symptoms of a consumption; and I have been at times apprehensive that my great change was at hand. Yet blessed be God, I have never been affrighted; but on the contrary, at times much delighted with a view of its approach. Oh the blessedness of being delivered from the clogs of flesh and sense, from a body of sin and spiritual death, and of being translated into a state of complete purity and perfection! Believe me, my brother, a lively view and hope of these things will make the king of terrors himself appear agreeable. Let me intreat you to keep eternity in view, and behave yourself as becomes one that must shortly “ give an account of all things done in the body.” That God may be yous God, and prepare you for his service here and his kingdom of glory hereafter, is the desire and daily Prayer of Your affectionate loving brother, D. B.
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LETTER VIII.
To his brother Israel at College; written in the time of his | extreme illness in Boston, a few months before his death.
My dear brother,; Boston, June 30. 17476
TT is from the sides of eternity I now address you. I am heartily sorry that I have so little strength to write what I long so much to communicate to you. But let me tell you, | niy brother, eternity is another thing than we erdinarily take. it to be in a healthful state. Qh how vast and boundless; how fixed and unalterable! Of what infinite importance is it, that we be prepared for eternity! [| have been just a dying, now for more than a. week, and all around me have thought me so; but ia this time I have had clear views of eternity. I have seer the blessedness of the godly in some measure, and longed to share their happy state. 1 have also been comfortably satisfied that through grace I shall do so: but oh what anguish is raised in my mind, to think of an eternity for those who are Christless; for those who are. mistaken, and who bring their false hopes to the grave with them! The sight was so dreadful that I could by no means bear it. My thoughts recoiled, and I said, (but under a more affecting sense. than ever before) “ Who can dwell with everlasting. burnings!” Oh, if | could but now see my friends, that J might warn them to lay their foundation for eternity sure. And you, my dear brother, I have been particularly concerned for; and have wondered that I so much neglected conversing with you about your spiritual state at our last meeting. Oh let me then beseech you now to.examine, whether you are indeed a new creature; whether. you have ever acted above self; whether the glory of God has ever been your highest concern; whether you have ever been reconciled to all the perfections of God; in a word, whether God has been your portion, and a holy conformity. to.him your chief delight? If you cannot answer positively, -consider seriously the frequent breathings of your soul; but. do not put yourself off with a slight answer. If you have. reason to think you are graceless, oh give yourself and the throne of grace no rest, till:God arise and save. But if the.
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case should be otherwise, bless God for his grace, and press after holiness.*
My soul longs that you should be fitted for, and in due time go into the work of the ministry. I cannot bear to think of your going into any other business in life. Do aot be discouraged, because you see your elder brothers in the ministry die early, one after another. I declare, now I am dying, I would not have spent my life otherwise for the whole world. But I must leave this with God. —
If this line should come to your hands soon after the date, I should be almost desirous you should set out on a journey to me: it may be you may see me alive, which I should much rejoice in. But if you cannot come, I must commit you to the grace of God, where you are. May he be your guide and counsellor, your sanctifier and eternal portion!
Oh, my dear brother, flee fleshly lusts, and the inchayting. amusements, as well as corrupt doctrines of the present day 5 and strive to live to God. Take this as the last line from ¥our affectionate dying brother.: D. B.
* Mr. Brainerd afterwards had greater satisfaction concerning the state. of his brother's soul, by mach opportunity of conversation with him before his death...
LETTER IX.
To ‘a young gentleman, a candidate for the work of the Ministry, for whom he had a special friendship; also written at the same time of his great illness and nearness to death in Boston.
Very-dear Sir,
How amazing it is that “ the living who know x that they must die,” should notwithstanding put far away the evil day, in a season of health and prosperity; and live at such an awful distance frem a familiarity with the grave, and the great concerns beyond it. Especially i may justly fill us with surprise, that any whose minds have been divinely enlightened, to behold the important things of eternity as they are, 1 say, that such should live in this manner. And yet, Sir, how frequently is this the case. How rare are the instances of those who live and aet, from day to day, as on BRAINERDS LETTERS a1.
tee verge of eternity; striving to fill up all their remaining moments ia the service and to the honour of their great Master. We insensibly trifle away time, while we seem to. have enough of it; and are so strangely amused as in great measure to lose a sense of the holiness and blessed qualifications necessary to prepare us to be inhabitants of the heavenly paradise. Bat oh, dear Sir, a dying bed, if we enjoy our reason clearly, will give another view of things. 1 have aow. for more than three weeks lain under the greatest degree of weakness, the greater part of the time expecting daily and hourly to enter ito the eternal world. Sometimes 1 baye been so far gone as to be wholly speechless for sume hours together; and oh, of. what vast importance has a holy spiritual life appeared to me to be in this season! 1! have longed to call upon all my friends to make tt their business to dive to God; and especially all that are designed for, or engaged in the service of the sanctusry. (ih dear Sir, do not think it enough to live at the. rate of common Christians; Alas, to how little purpose do they often converse, when they meet together.. The visits, even of those who are called Christiatis indeed, are frequently very barren; and canscience cannot but condemn us for.the misimprovement of time while we have been conversant with them. But the way to enjoy the divine presence, and be fitted for distinguishing service for God, is to live a life of great devotion and constant self-dedication to him; observing the motions and dispositions of our owa hearts, whence we may learn the cerruptions that lodge there, and our constant need of help from God for the performance of the least duty. And ob, dear Sir, let me beseech you frequently to attend the great and precious duties of secret fasting and prayer.
T-have a secret thought, from some things I have observed, that God may perhaps design you for some singular service ia the world. Ob then labour to be prepared and qualified © to-do much for Ged. Read Mr. Edwards’s piece on the Afections, again aud again; and labour to distinguish clearly when experiences and affections in religion, that you may make a difference between the gold and the shining dross, - _ Labour here, if ever you would be a useful minister of Christ: for nothing has put such a stop to the work of God in the late day as the false religion, the wild affections that attended it. Suffer me therefore, finally, to intreat you earnestly to a72 BRAINERDS LETTERS.
“ give yourself to prayer, to reading and meditation ;” strive to penetrate to the bottom of divine traths, and never be content with a superficial knowledge. By this means, your thoughts will gradually grow weighty and judicious, and you’ will possess a valuable treasure, out of which you may produce “ things new and old,” to the glory of God.
' And now I commend you to the grace of God, earnestly desiring that a plentiful portion of the divine Spirit may rest upon you; that you may live to God in every capacity of life, and do abundant service for him; and that you may be richly qualified for the inheritance of the saints in light.
. I scarcely expect to see your face any more in the body, and therefore intreat you to accept this as the last token of | love, from: Your sincerely affectionate dying friend, D. B:
P. S. I am now, at the dating of this letter, considerably recovered from what I was when | wrote it; it having lain by me some time, for want of an opportunity of canveyance; it was written in Boston.——I am now able to ride a little, and so am removed into the country; but 1 have no more expectation of recovering than when I wrote.
LETTER X.
To his brother John, at Bethel, the town of Christian Indians in New Jersey; written likewise at Boston, when he was there on the brink of the grave, in the summer before his death.
T AM now just on the verge of eternity, expecting very speedily to appear in the unseen world. I feel myself no more an inhabitant of earth, and sometimes earnestly long to “ depart and ‘be.with Christ.” I bless God, he has for some years given me an abiding conviction, that it is impossible for any rational creature to enjoy true happiness without being entirely devoted to him. Under the influence of this conviction | have in some measure acted: oh that I had done more so! I saw both the excellency and necessity of holiness in life; but never in such a manner as now, when I am just brought to the sides of the grave. Oh, my brother, pursue after holiness; press towards this blessed mark; and
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let your thirsty. soul continually say, ‘ I shall never be satisfied till 1 awake in thy likeness.’ Although there has been a great deal of selfishness in my views, of which I am ashamed, and for which my soul is humbled; yet blessed be God, I find I have really had for the most part, such a concern for his glory, and the advaacement of his kingdom in the world, that it is a satisfaction to me to reflect upon these years.
And now, my. dear brother, as | must press you to pursue after personal holiness, to be as much in fasting and prayer as your health will allow, and to live above the rate of common Christians; so 1 must intreat you solemnly to attend to your public work. Labour to distinguish between true and
false religion; and to that end, watch the motions of God's Spirit upon your own heart; look to him for help, and impartially compare your experiences with his word. Read Mr. Edwards on the Affections, where the essence and soul of religion is clearly distinguished from false affections.* Value religious joys according to the subject-matter of them. There: are many who rejoice in their supposed justification; but what do these joys argue, except that they luve themselves? Whereas, in true spiritual joys, the soul rejoices in God for what he is in himself; blesses God for his holiness, sove-. reignty, power, faithfulness, and all his perfections; adores
* Thad at first fully intended, m publishing this and the foregoing letters, to have suppressed these passages wherein my name is mentioned, and. my discourse on religious affections recommended: aud am sensible, that by my doing otherwise, I shall bring upon me the reproach of some. But how much soever I may be pleased with the commendation of any performance of mine, (and I confess, Testeem the judgment and approbation of such a person as Mr. Brainerd, Worthy to be valued, dnd look on myself as highly honoured by it) yet I can trily say, the things that governed me in altering my forementioned determination, with respect to these passages, were these two. (1.) What Mr. Brainerd here says of that giscourse, shews very fally and particularly what his setions were of experimental religion, and the nature of true piety, and how far * he was from placing it in impressions on the imagination, or any enthusiastical impulses, and how-essential in religion he esteemed holy practice, §c. For all that have read that discourse, know what sentiments are there expressed concerning these things. (2.) I judged, that the approbation of so apparent and eminent a friend and example of inward vital religion, and evangelical piety in the height of it, would probably tend to make that book more serviceable; especially among some kinds of zealous persons, whose benefit was especially aimed at in the hook; some of which are prejudiced against it, as written in too legal a strain, and opposing some things wherein the height of Christian experience consists; and teyding to build men up on their own works.;
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God, that he is what he is, that he is unchangeably possessed ‘of infinite glory and happiness. Now when men thus rejoice in the perfections of God, in the infinite excels lency of the way of salvation by Christ, and in the holy commands of God, which are a transcript of his holy nature, ' these joys are divine and spiritual. Our joys will stand by us at the hour of death, if we can then be satisfied that we have thus acted above self, and in a disinterested manner (if I may so express it) rejoiced in the glory of the blessed God., I fear you dre not sufficiently aware how much false religion there is in the world: many serious Christians and valuable ministers are too easily imposed upon by this false blaze. 1 likewise fear, you are not sensible of the dreadful effects.and consequences of this false religion. Let me feli you, it is the devil transformed into an angel of light; it is the offspring of hell, that always springs up with every revival of religion, to the injury of the cause of God, while it passes current with multitudes of well-meaning people for the height. of religion. Seriously endeavour to crush all appearances of this nature among the Indians, and never encourage any degrees of heat without light. Charge my people in the name of their dying minister, yea, in the name of “hin who was dead and is alive,” to live and walk as becomes the gospel. Tell them how great the expectations of God and his people are from them, and how awfully they will would God’s cause if they fall into vice, as well as fatally prejudice other poor Indians. Always insist that their experiences are rotten, that their joys are delusive, although they may have been rapt up into the third heavens ia their own content, unless the main tenour of thei lives be spiritaak watchful and holy. In pressing these things, “ thou shalt beth save thyself, and those that hear the.” God knows, I was heartily willing to have served him _ longer in the work of the ministry, although it had still been * ' attended with all the labours and hardships of past years, if lhe bad seen fit that it should be so: but as his will now appears otherwise, | am fully content, and can with: the - utmost freedom say, “The will of the Lord be done.” It affects me to think of leaving you in a world of sin; my heart pities you, that those storms and tempests are yet before you which I trust through grace 1 am almost delivered from.
BRAINERD’ LETTERS, 275.
But “ God lives, and blessed be my Rock.” He is the same almighty Friend; and will I trust be your Guide and Helper, as he has been mine.
And now, my dear brother, “ I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.” May you enjoy the divine presence, both in private and public; and may “ the arms of your hands be made strong by the mighty God of Jacob!” Which are the passionate ‘desires and prayers of your affectionate dying brother,”
D. B.