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proper subordinate order. When a woman marries, she may continue to love her own parents and relatives as formerly; she may extend her affection and regard to the parents and friends of her husband; in a course of years the number of those whom she loves and values may be greatly increased, without interfering with each other, or with what she owes to her husband; but there is a different and special regard due to him, which if she should transfer to another person, she would be criminal. Thus we may love, and we ought to love, our husbands, wives, children, parents, and friends; and if we consider them as the Lord's giftsif we seek his blessing in them and upon them-if we hold them at his disposal-if we employ all our influence with them, to engage them to seek and love him supremely-if, when they are removed from us, we are disposed to yield a cheerful submission to his holy will-and if, when things are brought into competition, we rather choose to venture displeasing our dearest friends, than to sin against the Lord-with these restrictions we cannot easily love them too much.

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But who can come up to this standard? I suppose no person can completely. But we may aim at it; we may lament our deficiency; we may pray for more grace; and by grace we may approximate more and more to it. It is not necessary to distress ourselves with what may happen; as, how should I behave, if the Lord were to take the desire of my eyes from me suddenly? We are to live to-day, and to leave tomorrow with him. If we presume that we could support such a stroke, we should probably find it too heavy for us. But this we may say, The Lord is all-sufficient, and he is faithful. He has promised strength according to the day. He permits me to call upon him in the VOL. VI. 3 R

time of trouble; and I trust, when the time of trouble shall come, he will enable me to pray for that help from him, without which I know I must sink; for in myself I am weaker than a bruised reed. In the mean time I endeavour to cast all my care upon him who careth for me.

For the rest, we are in the Lord's school-the school of the cross. His daily providential dispensations are suited to wean our attachment from every thing here, and to convince us that this cannot be our rest-it is polluted. Our roses grow on thorns, our honey wears a sting. Frequently our sharpest trials spring from our choicest comforts. Perhaps, while we are admiring our gourd, a worm is secretly preying upon its root. As every bitter thing is sweetened to a believer, so there is some bitter thing mingled with the sweet. This is wisely and mercifully ordered. It is necessary. And if things were not so bad with us, as in the language of sense they sometimes are, they would probably be soon much worse. With such hearts as we have, and in such a world as we live in, much discipline is needful to keep us from sleeping upon the enchanted ground. But the time is short. It will not be thus always. We hope soon to be out of the reach of sin and temptation. Happy hour, when sorrow and mourning, hitherto our inseparable companions, shall flee away, to return no more! when joy and gladness shall come forth to meet us, and conduct us home! Then those who have loved each other in the Lord upon earth, shall rejoice together before him, shall drink of the rivers of pleasure that are at his right hand, and their happiness shall be unspeakable, uninterrupted, without abatement, and without end.

OMICRON.

THE CONSTRAINING INFLUENCE OF THE

LOVE OF CHRIST :

A SERMON,

PREACHED IN THE CHURCH OF THE UNITED PARISHES OF

ST. MARY WOOLNOTH AND ST. MARY WOOLCHURCH-HAW,

LOMBARD-STREET,

BEFORE THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE LORD MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND SHERIFFS,

On the 30th day of March, 1800,

FOR THE BENEFIT OF

LANGBOURN-WARD CHARITY-SCHOOL.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. MATT, v. 16.

TO THE

TREASURER, THE TRUSTEES, AND COMMITTED

OF

THE CHARITY SCHOOL OF LANGBOURN-WARD,

THIS SERMON,

PUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST,

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED AND PRESENTED,

BY THEIR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

JOHN NEWTON.

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