Quotes from David Brainerd

I have received my all from God. Oh, that I could return my all to God.

Oh! it is sweet to be thus weaned from friends, and from myself, and dead to the present world, that so I may live wholly to and upon the blessed God!

I have a secret thought from some things I have observed, that God may perhaps design you for some singular service in the world.

God plans all perfect combinations.

Toward night, I felt my soul rejoice, that God is unchangeable happy and glorious and that He will be glorified, whatever becomes of His creatures.

I fear God never showed mercy to one so vile as I.

I am an old sinner; and if God had designed mercy for me, he would have called me home to himself before now.

The Lord help me to press after God forever

If you hope for happiness in the world, hope for it from God, and not from the world.

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.

Give yourself to prayer, to reading and meditation on divine truths: strive to penetrate to the bottom of them and never be content with a superficial knowledge.

As long as I see anything to be done for God, life is worth having; but O how vain and unworthy it is to live for any lower end!

God enabled me to so agonize in prayer that I was quite wet with perspiration, though in the shade and the cool wind. My soul was drawn out very much from the world, for multitudes of souls.

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, Be careful to make a good improvement of precious time.

All my desire was the conversion of the heathen... I declare, now I am dying, I would not have spent my life otherwise for the whole world.

Oh, that I could spend every moment of my life to God's glory!

The whole world appears to me like a huge vacuum, a vast empty space, whence nothing desirable, or at least satisfactory, can possibly be derived; and I long daily to die more and more to it; even though I obtain not that comfort from spiritual things which I earnestly desire.

First, Resolve upon, and daily endeavour to practise, a life of seriousness and strict sobriety.

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.

I am more weary of life, I think, than ever I was.

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 further.

When you cease from labour, fill up your time in reading, meditation, and prayer: and while your hands are labouring, let your heart be employed, as much as possible, in divine thoughts.

We are a long time in learning that all our strength and salvation is in God.