Bits of Brainerd

"Lord's day, December 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 the 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 ever I made, nor were my devotions ever so free from gross conceptions and imaginations framed from beholding material objects. I preached with some sweetness, from Matt. 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God," etc.; and in the afternoon from Rom. 15:30, "And now I beseech you brethren," etc. 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 is becoming more spiritual, by means of my late inward conflicts. Amen. May I always be willing that God should use his own methods with me!"