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OF THE

MERCIES OF THE LORD,

IN PROVIDENCE AND GRACE,

ΤΟ

WILLIAM WESTHORP.

"Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what
he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, an d
he was extolled with my tongue."-PSALM lxvi. 16, 17.

Some boast of their superior birth,

And of their pedigree;

Their great possessions, too, on ear

But 'tis not so with me.

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LONDON:

PRINTED BY W. W. HEAD, FARRINGDON STREET, E.C.

INTRODUCTION.

DEAR SPIRITUAL READER,

There is something very humbling in taking a view of the Lord's gracious dealings towards us. Moses told literal Israel-" Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no" (Deut. viii. 2). Also "Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children" (Deut. iv. 10). Again, "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down and when thou risest up" (Deut. xi. 19).

Thus I trust it is from a spiritual impulse

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that I have sent into the world this brief account of the Lord's gracious dealings towards the dearly beloved late partner of my sorrows and joys. I often felt a desire that he should himself write a little account of the Lord's dealings towards him, but, like most good men, he kept putting it off, and when urged to do so, would often reply, "It is so little worth; but, as he had left three dear children, one son and two daughters-whom he had often taken to the throne of grace in prayer and supplication that the Lord. would put His fear in their hearts, as well as those to whom he felt knitted and united in Church fellowship, having spoken to them of the Word of life-the consideration of these things made me reluctant that some account of all the Lord had brought him through should be forgotten, or unknown.

There were many obstacles in the way, for the painful affliction of rheumatism, that he had laboured under for many years, had greatly weakened the arm, and caused the hand to shake.

In February, 1828, a few months before he was taken with his last attack, I was reading to him the experience of that good man, Mr. James Bourne, how sweet and pleasant the Lord made the self-told tale of a brother's joys and sorrows, and while the tear was trickling down the cheek, I said, "Now let us have a little of what the Lord has done for you." He replied, "I cannot write well." I said, "Though I greatly feel my weakness, yet, the Lord enabling me, I will take

it down from your lips." I did so, and the little account now before you is the result.

Though his abilities were not of the highest order, yet his well-known truthfulness, honesty, firmness, and uprightness, commended him to those that feared God. He was fearful of going beyond his depth; what God showed him that he preached. He had a deep sense of man's ruinous fall, and would often say man was not half but wholly dead. The doctrines of grace he would declare God had sealed upon his heart Himself. The electing love of God was a theme so dear to him; he would say, "This blessed doctrine men reject. O Blessed Spirit, let it come nearer to me!" and he repeated the lines of Ryland

"Why was I saved and not another?

Why was I called and not my brother?
Lay there in me some excellence
To allure and charm Omnipotence?

Oh no, alas! I differed not

From Adam's other sons in aught
Except in this, I did excel

In serving sin, deserving hell."

A few months before his last attack in 1868, being very feeble, as he was returning from chapel, leaning upon my arm, he suddenly stopped, and, looking at me, said, "My dear, the doctrines of grace and the truths I have been enabled to preach, are dearer to me than ever." I saw such a holy light and pleasure upon his countenance that I cannot easily forget.

Thus have I sent into the world this brief

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