Quotes from David Brainerd

Oh that I could dedicate my all to God. This is all the return I can make Him.

No poor creature stands in need of divine grace more than I, and none abuse it more than I have done, and still do.

Saw I was evidently throwing myself into all hardships and distressed in my present undertaking. I thought it would be less difficult to lie down in the grave; but yet I chose to go rather than stay.

It is good for me to be afflicted that I may die wholly to this world and all that is in it.

Alas, that so much of my precious time is spent with so little of God.

Nothing seemed to hard for God to perform; nothing to great for me to hope for from Him.

Oh, a barn, or stable, hedge, or any other place is desirable, if God is there.

To an eye of reason, everything that respects the conversion of the heathen is as dark as midnight; and yet I cannot but hope in God for the accomplishment of something glorious among them.

All my desire was the conversion of the heathen and all my hope was in God. God does not suffer me to please or comfort myself with hopes of seeing friends, returning to my dear acquaintance, and enjoying worldly comforts.

My soul is disconsolate when God is withdrawn.

But still, this great awakening, this surpassing concern, was never excited by any harangues of terror, but always appeared most remarkable when I insisted upon the compassions of a dying Saviour, the plentiful provisions of the gospel, and the free offers of divine grace to needy distressed sinners.

I longed to spend and be spent for God.