for which I did plead from day to day. I did not so much as once, in all his sickness, pray for his life; but for some evidence that his foul might live. And for want of this, I sometimes seemed to be crushed down, having a sense of his doleful case, if not reconciled to God. On Thursday, Sept. 13, the day before he died, I was just ready to give up, and sit down discouraged. My heart even almost died with fear of what would become of him. But just in this juncture, God in his providence ordered it fo that I received a letter from my dear Susa, which was a cordial to my drooping spirits.

"In his dying moments I had an awful sense of his deplorable condition, if his naked foul should launch into a boundless eternity, without a God to go to. I had also a view and fense of his and my utter inability to help ourselves, and utter unworthiness that God should help us. And with the woman of Canaan, I cried out, Truth Lord, I am as unworthy as a dog! But I pleaded for the crumbs that fell, one of which would be sufficient for me and mine. I had a clear discovery of the fulness and fufficiency of Christ to make satisfaction. I pleaded that he would have mercy, as on the theif on the crofs, then at the eleventh hour; apply but one drop of his precious blood, and it was enough. Thus I was enabled to fill my mouth with arguments, and in bitter agony of foul I wrestled with God for mercy for him. Surely the pangs I then endured for his foul far exceeded those that brought him into the world. But as foon as the foul had taken its flight, I was eased of my burden. burden. I immediately cast myself, and my burden too, on God: I adored him as a sovereign God, and blessed his name; for he had given, and it was he who had taken. Surely he was better to me than ten fons.

" I then arose from my dead child, and was quieted, for the will of God was done, and my work was done, as it respected my child. And God was pleased to give such evidence of his love, that my mouth was filled with praises. But : when I looked on the young people who stood. round lamenting him, I felt bowels of compafsion for them, and befought them to take warning, and make their speedy flight to the bleffed : Jesus, before fickness and death overtook them.

"While friends were putting on his grave clothes, I went out into the field and walked, where, with more fecrecy and freedom, I could breathe out my foul to God. And the sweetness of that season I cannot express. God difcovered himself to be my God, my covenant: God, my Father, my Friend, my only portion and happiness, my fovereign, my all in all, my infinite fountain of all fulness. And these were fome of the breathings of my foul after him. " Lord, I adore thee as my all. I rejoice in thee as my only portion. Lord, if I have thee, I have enough. Though all the streams were cut off; yet the fountain remains; I cannot be poor. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none on earth I defire befides thee. Though my flesh and my heart fail; yet God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Bleffed God, though death separate from

all

all things here below, it cannot separate between thee and me." O, here I rejoiced again, chose my God again, and again renewed the dedication of myself to him, my whole foul and body, with all I have, am, or can do. O, his word comforted, his rod comforted me. I faw no frown in it: No, but the kind chastisement of my indulgent Father. This portion of scripture was very sweet, " If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not fons. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth." Therefore I cried out, " I know, O Lord, thy judgments are right, and in very faithfulness thou haft afflicted me."

" But I must cease. - For such blessed seafons are better felt than expressed. I continued so composed and comfortable, that I feared those who knew not the cause would think me void of natural affection; till my taking my last farewell at his funeral. And then I found the bonds of natural affection very strong; and I wept much. But as I followed to the grave, I pleaded thus with God, "Lord, I adore thee still as my fovereign. I do not repine at thy hand. But, dear Lord, pity me, and suffer me to weep under the smart of thy rod; it is my only fon." Then I thought on Psalm ciii. " As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." This comforted me. But as I inquired again, if my tears were not finful, and the effect of an unrefigned will, which I dreaded most of all, I was comforted again by reflecting, that when

Martha

Martha and Mary wept for their brother Lazarus, the blessed Jesus was not angry, but wept with them. O, then I again adored a sympathifing Savior, a glorious high priest, who was sensibly touched with the feeling of my infirmities. These and such like were the exercises of my mind, while following and laying my dust into the grave. And ever since I have been kept composed and cheerful.

" The Lord in mercy grant that I may more and more glorify him in this affliction. O that my fins may be more mortified. Lord, grant I may come out of this furnace as gold purified and fitted for my master's use. If I have behaved in any measure as becomes a child of God, and any resignation has appeared in me, Lord, it is all owing to the riches of thy glorious and special grace: For hadst not thou by that compelled me to act otherwise, I should have flew in thy face, murmured, fretted and repined at thee; cast away all my other comforts and mercies, and faid I had none left, because thou hadst taken one from me. Lord, these, and more than these, would have been the effects of my perverse nature. Therefore, not unto me, not unto me; but to thy glorious name be all the glory forever and ever. Amen."

IN the year 1741, a religious, female foci

ety was formed under the care of Mrs. Ofborn, they

1

they having chosen her to be their head. Of which she makes mention in her account of her own life, which has been tranfcribed, page 49. This society met for some time twice every week, viz. on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Afterwards they agreed to meet but once a week, on the afternoon of Wednesday or Thursday. Mrs. Ofborn was continued and confidered the head of this society from that time to her decease, which was above fifty years; and it still subsists, and there are above thirty members of it who are now living. It has confifted of a much greater number of members. About thirty years ago, above fixty persons were members of it. But the war, and other evils which have fince that time taken place, have diminished it.

This society have met constantly once every week, during this whole time of above half a century, excepting a few interruptions, by some extraordinary occurrences. They also have observed four whole quarterly days in every year, as days of fasting and prayer, confeffing their sins, and seeking God for spiritual bleffings on themselves, on the church of Chrift, and on all nations. They also have been wont to spend the afternoon of every first Thursday of each month in prayer together; and the afternoon of every Saturday before the monthly administration of the Lord's Supper. They have a box, which stands in the room where they meet, into which money is put by each one, as she is able and inclined. And at the end of the year, or any other time, when they