The two next days he speaks of much bodily disorder, but of some degrees of spiritual assistance and freedom.

April 26. "Conversed with a Christian friend with some warmth; and felt a spirit of mortification to the world, in a very great degree. Afterwards, was enabled to pray fervently, and to rely on God sweetly, for "all things pertaining to life and godliness." Just in the evening, was visited by a dear Christian friend, with whom I spent an hour or two in conversation, on the very soul of religion. There are many with whom I can talk about religion; but alas! I find few with whom I can talk religion itself; but blessed be the Lord there are some that love to feed on the kernel, rather than the shell."

The next day, he went to the Irish settlement, often before mentioned, about fifteen miles distant; where he spent the Sabbath, and preached with some considerable assist

ance.

On Monday, he returned, in a very weak state to his own lodgings.

April 30. Was scarce able to walk about, and was obliged to betake myself to bed, much of the day; and passed away the time in a very solitary manner; being neither able to read, meditate, nor pray, and had none to converse with in that wilderness. O how heavily does time pass away, when I can do nothing to any good purpose; but seem obliged to trifle away precious time! But of late, I have seen it my duty to divert myself by all lawful means, that I may be fit, at least some small part of my time, to labour for God. And here is the difference between my present diversions, and those I once pursued, when in a natural state. I made a god of diversions, delighted in them with a neglect of God, and drew my highest satisfaction from them. Now I use them as means to help me in living to God; fixedly delighting in him, and not in them, drawing my highest satisfaction from him. Then they were my all; now they are only means leading to my all. And those things that are the greatest diversion, when pursued with this view, do not tend to hinder, but promote my spirituality; and I sec now, more than ever, that they are absolutely necessary.

Then

May 1. "Was not able to sit up more than half the day: and yet I had such recruits of strength sometimes, that I was able to write a little on a divine subject. Was grieved that I could no more live to God. In the evening, had some sweetness and intenseness in secret prayer.

May 2. In the evening, being a little better in health, I

walked into the woods, and enjoyed a sweet season of meditation and prayer. My thoughts ran upon Ps. xvii. 15. 1 shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. And it was indeed a precious text to me. I longed to preach to the whole world; and it seemed to me, they must needs all be melted in hearing such precious divine truths, as I then had a view and relish of. My thoughts were exceeding clear, and my soul was refreshed.Blessed be the Lord, that in my late and present weakness, now for many days together, my mind is not gloomy, as at some other times.

May. 3. "Felt a little vigour of body and mind, in the morning; and had some freedom, strength and sweetness in prayer. Rode to, and spent some time with my Indians. In the evening, again retiring into the woods, I enjoyed some sweet meditations on Isa. liii. 1. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, &c."

The three next days were spent in much weakness of body: but yet he enjoyed some assistance in public and private duties: and seems to have remained free from melancholy.

May 7. "Spent the day mainly in making preparations for a journey into the wilderness. Was still weak, and concerned how I should perform so difficult a journey. Spent some time in prayer for the divine blessing, direction, and protection in my intended journey; but wanted bodily strength to spend the day in fasting and prayer.”

The next day, he set out on his journey to the Susquehannah, with his interpreter. He endured great hardships and fatigues in his way thither through a hideous wilderness; where, after having lodged one night in the open woods, he was overtaken with a northeasterly storm, in which he was almost ready to perish. Having no manner of shelter, and not being able to make a fire in so great a rain, he could have no comfort if he stopt; therefore he determined to go forward in hopes of meeting with some shelter, without which he thought it impossible to live the night through; but their horses-happening to eat poison, for the want of other food, at a place where they lodged the night before-were so sick, that they could neither ride nor lead them, but were obliged to drive them, and travel on foot; until, through the mercy of God, just at dusk, they came to a bark hut, where they lodged that night. After he came to the Susquehannah, he travelled about a hundred miles on the river, and visited many towns and settlements of the Indians; saw some of seven or eight tribes, and preached to different nations, by different interpreters. He was sometimes much discouraged, and sunk in his

spirits, through the opposition which appeared in the Indians to Christianity. At other times, he was encouraged by the disposition which some of these people manifested to hear, and willingness to be instructed. He here met with some who had formerly been his hearers at Kaunaumeek, and had removed hither; who saw and heard him again with great joy. He spent a fortnight among the Indians on this river, and passed through considerable labours and hardships, frequently lodging on the ground, and sometimes in the open air. At length he felt extremely ill, as he was riding in the wilderness, being seized with an ague, followed with a burning fever, and extreme pains in his head and bowels, attended with a great evacuation of blood; so that he thought he must have perished in the wilderness. But at last coming to an Indian trader's hut, he got leave to stay there ; and though without physic or food proper for him, it pleased God, after about a week's distress, to relieve him so far that he was ablo to ride. He returned homewards from Juncauta, an island far down the river; where was a considerable number of Indians, who appeared more free from prejudices against Christianity, than most of the other Indians. He arrived at

Howe

the Forks of Delaware on Thursday, May 30, after having rode in this journey about three hundred and forty miles. He came home in a very weak state, and under dejection of mind; which was a great hinderance to him in religious exercises. ver, on the Sabbath, after having preached to the Indians, he preached to the white people, with some success, from Is. liii. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, &c., some being awakened by his preaching. The next day, he was much exercised for want of spiritual life and fervency.

June 4. "Towards evening, was in distress for God's presence, and a sense of divine things: withdrew myself to the woods, and spent near an hour in prayer and meditation; and 1 think, the Lord had compassion on me, and gave me some sense of divine things; which was indeed refreshing and quickening to me. My soul enjoyed intenseness and freedom in prayer, so that it grieved me to leave the place.

June 5. "Felt thirsting desires after God, in the morning. In the evening, enjoyed a precious season of retirement: was favoured with some clear and sweet meditations upon a sacred text; divine things opened with clearness and certainty, and had a divine stamp upon them. My soul was also enlarged and refreshed in prayer; I delighted to continue in the duty; and was sweetly assisted in praying for my fellow-christians, and my dear brethren in the ministry. Blessed be the dear Lord for such enjoyments. O how sweet and precious it is, to have a clear apprehension and tender sense of the mystery of godli ness, of true holiness, and of likeness to the best of beings!

O what a blessedness it is, to be as much like God, as it is possible for a creature to be like his great Creator! Lord give me more of thy likeness; "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with it."

June 6.

"Was engaged, a considerable part of the day, in meditation and study on divine subjects. Enjoyed some special freedom, clearness, and sweetness in meditation. O how refreshing it is, to be enabled to improve time well!"

The next day, he went a journey of near fifty miles, to Neshaminy, to assist at a sacramental occasion, to be attended at Mr. Beaty's meeting-house; being invited thither by him and his people.

June 8. "Was exceedingly weak and fatigued with riding in the heat yesterday: but being desired, I preached in the afternoon, to a crowded audience, from Is. xl. 1. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." God was pleased to give me great freedom, in opening the sorrows of God's people, and in setting before them comforting considerations. And, blessed be the Lord, it was a sweet melting season in the assembly.

Lord's day, June 9. "Felt some longing desires of the presence of God to be with his people on the solemn occasion of the day. In the forenoon Mr. Beaty preached; and there appeared some warmth in the assembly. Afterwards, I assisted in the administration of the Lord's supper: and towards the close of it, I discoursed to the multitude extempore, with some reference to that sacred passage, Is. liii. 10. "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him." Here God gave me great assistance in addressing sinners: and the word was attended with amazing power; many scores, if not hundreds, in that great assembly, consisting of three or four thousand, were much affected; so that there was a "very great mourning, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon."-In the evening, I could hardly look any body in the face, because of the imperfections I saw in my performances in the day past.

June 10. Preached with a good degree of clearness and some sweet warmth, from Psal. xvii. 15. "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." And blessed be God, there was a great solemnity and attention in the assembly, and sweet refreshment among God's people; as was evident then, and afterwards.

June 11. "Spent the day mainly in conversation with dear Christian friends; and enjoyed some sweet sense of divine things. O how desirable it is, to keep company with God's dear children! These are the "excellent ones of the earth, in whom," I can truly say, "is all my delight." O what delight

will it afford, to meet them all in a state of perfection! Lord, prepare me for that state."

The next day, he left Mr. Beaty's and went to Maidenlead, in New Jersey; and spent the next seven days in a comfortable state of mind, visiting several ministers in those parts.

June 18. "Set out from New Brunswick with a design to visit some Indians at a place called Crossweeksung, in New Jersey, towards the sea.* In the afternoon, came to a place called Cranberry, and meeting with a serious minister, Mr. Macknight, I lodged there with him. Had some enlargement and freedom in prayer with a number of people.

BRAINERD having, when at Boston, written and left with a friend, a brief relation of facts touching his labours with the Indians, and reception among them, during the space of time between November 5, 1744, and June 19, 1745, (with a view to connect his Narrative, addressed to Mr. Pemberton, and his Journal, in case they should ever be reprinted) concludes the same with this passage; "As my body was very feeble, so my mind was scarce ever so much damped and discouraged about the conversion of the Indians, as at this time. And in this state of body and mind I made my first visit to the Indians in New Jersey, where God was pleased to display his power and grace in the remarkable manner that I have represented in my printed Journal."