In thy fair book of life divine, My God inscribe my name; There let me fill some humble shrine, Beneath the slaughter’d Lamb! O might I with my ♦closing eyes, Thee in thy bloody vesture see, And cast me on thy sacrifice, Jesus, my Lord, remember me! ♦ “parting breath” replaced with “closing eyes” per Errata The thoughts of being quickly loosed from the fetters of the body, had often filled his soul with the most sensible delights, desiring nothing so much as to see God: and the approaches of eternity did often so enflame his desires, that he was sometimes in a degree of transport. But after all that can be said on the head of this his last scene, and indeed of the methods of God’s providential dispensations in general, concerning nations or individual persons, it seems the wisest and best method to rest in that sentiment, namely not curiously to scan them; but rather to adore in humble silence, his unsearchable judgments and impenetrable secrets! Not deeply to discern not much to know, Mankind was born to _wonder_ and _adore_! Whatever is permitted to befal them in this world, we are well assured _it shall be well with the righteous_. All things, whether prosperous or adverse, shall work together for their good. He that liveth forever saith, _I come quickly_――――to put a final period to the whole of mortal things, and determine the states of all the children of _Adam_ for ever! His reward is with him! We shall see him as he is! Though now we see him not, yet _believing_ we rejoice! O Jesus, work in our hearts that conformity to and resemblance of thyself, that we may seek nothing, but night and day think of, long for, and joyfully wait for thine appearance! An EXTRACT of the LIFE OF THE LATE Rev. Mr. DAVID BRAINERD, MISSIONARY to the INDIANS. ADVERTISEMENT. THOSE _parts of the following history that are included between_ brackets _thus_ [ ], _are the words of the_ publisher, _Mr._ Jonathan Edwards, _minister of_ Northampton _in_ New-England, _for the most part summarily representing the chief things contained in_ Mr. Brainerd’s _diary: the rest is the account that he gives of himself in his private writings, in his own words_. PART I. _From his birth to the time when he began to devote himself to the_ study of divinity.