PART IV.

The Conclusion of her Life.

THE bodily infirmities of Mrs. Osborn increased so much; and her eyefight failed to such a degree for above twenty years of the laft part of her life, and her whole bodily frame was fo weakened and worn out, that she was obliged to give up her school, and was not able to do any thing to support herself. And as she had nothing laid up to live upon, she was wholly dependent on Divine Providence and her friends for daily supplies, during the whole of this time; and was, the greatest part of it, confined to her room. This was in many refpects the happiest part of her life. She was free from worldly anxiety and care. She enjoyed a calmness and serenity of mind, the attendant of refignation to God, and humble truft and confidence in him, contented with the allotments of Divine Providence, seeing the hand of God in every thing which took place-constantly thankful to him for the mercies she was daily and every hour receiving-full of gratitude to those whom God inclined to show kindness to her-spending the chief of her time and strength in devotion, in contemplating the divine perfections manifested in his works of creation creation and providence, and in his word-adoring and praising the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, praying to him for the church and the world; for her acquaintance, relations, friends, benefactors, and for herself; with conftant, humble confeffion of unworthiness, aggravated fins, and depravity of heart, making the daily occurrences respecting herself, and others, the matter of prayer and praise.

She enjoyed an almost uninterrupted affurance of her interest in the divine favor through Jesus Christ, and longed to be perfectly holy. The thought of dying was pleasing to her: And when any particular disorder, or pain of body, came upon her, which seemed to indicate a speedy diffolution, it would commonly give a spring to her mind and excite pleasure and joy. Thus the appeared in this last part of her life in a measure to enjoy the happy consequence and reward, of the fore trials, labors and conflicts, through which she had passed in former years. Something of which the reader has feen in that part of her diary which has been transcribed.

Mrs. Ofborn often faid to her friends in this time, that the confidered her fituation and circumftances in life, to be the best for her; and that she knew of none, with whom she could wish to exchange outward circumstances, were it left to her option. She expressed a particu•lar fatisfaction in living sensibly dependent on the providence of God, for daily supplies for the body, living with God by the day, as the used to express it, having no store of her own, and not able to do any thing to fupply her returning

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turning wants, and not knowing how and by. whom they would be supplied, till it was sent in to her, commonly in ways, and by perfons not thought of by her. This was suited to excite a constant sense of her dependence on God for daily and hourly supplies, and the exercise of trust in him, and constant application to him, and acknowledgement and admiration of his goodness in fupplying her wants, in a way and at times suited to discover his hand and particular care of her; and to excite her gratitude to her friends, and prayers for them, who sent or brought to her the things she wanted.

In this manner she lived more than twenty years, and often declared to her friends that her daily wants were fully supplied, and that she was never destitute of the necessaries of life, and commonly had a fulness, and often abounded. Her wants were not great. She stood in need of daily food, washing, candle light, fire wood, and some clothing, and money to pay the rent of her house, which was five dollars every three months. All these wants were constantly supplied, while no particular person was engaged to do it; fo that she had none to depend upon but God. While the British had poffeffion of Rhodeifland in the time of the war, which was near three years, the inhabitants of Newport were driven to great straights, by the fcarcity of provifion, fuel, &c. and many fuffered to a great degree. Mrs. Ofborn lived in a great degree of quiet, and had a constant fupply of the neceffaries of life; and received no abufe from the British officers or foldiers, as moft

most others did. Though a number of soldiers were quartered near the house in which she lived, none were obtruded on her, as they were on others. And as to those who were quartered near her; it was remarked by her and others, that they made less disturbance and noise, than they did elsewhere; and were particularly careful not to do any thing on the Sabbath to disturb that good woman, as they called her. And they took care to avoid all profane words when near her. Which she used to mention afterwards to her friends, as a remarkable instance of the tender care and protection of heaven.

In the year 1778, while the British soldiers had poffeffion of Newport, Mr. Ofborn, her husband, died; and a granddaughter of his, with her husband, who lived in her house, on whom she had fome dependence for protection and assistance, moved into the country, by which she appeared more deftitute and expofed, than before, being left alone.

In this time of particular danger and trial, Mrs. MASON, a person who gave good evidence that she was a real friend to Christ, and to his followers, manifefted peculiar friendship and generofity towards her, by her constant attention to her, and fupplying many of her wants; and continued her special kindness in ministering to her as long as the (Mrs. Malon) lived, which she did till March, 1792. Mrs. Orfborn often said, that Mrs. Mafon never failed her in one instance, as a peculiar friend and conftant benefactor, to the day of her death. death. We have no reason to doubt that they, both the giver and the receiver, are peculiarly happy together now; and that the former is rewarded a thousand fold for all her kindness to the latter, as a dear disciple of Jesus Christ. Others have diftinguished themselves in their kindness to Mrs. Osborn in ministering to her, whom it is improper to mention, as they are yet alive. We have the pleasure of being affured that they, and all who have ministered to her, because she belonged to Christ, will have an ample reward at the resurrection of the just.

There was fomething peculiar and extraordinary in her being able punctually to pay the rent of her house in this time, which is worthy of particular mention. She depended wholly upon the unfolicited benefactions of her friends for this, as she did for her daily support. And no one was engaged to affist her in doing this, or to take any care about it. She had therefore no particular person to look to for it, or to make up any deficiency by which she should be unable to pay what was due at the end of each quarter. It was therefore a very precarious matter, to human appearance, whether, when she had paid the rent of one quarter, she should ever be able to pay another. She could not conjecture from whence it would come, as she had none to look to for it, but that God, whose is the world, and the fulness thereof. Her intimate friends were sometimes concerned for her, when her quarter was near at an end, and she had received but part of the five dollars which would be foon due, and there was a great