Our walls of flesh, that close our souls, God knew how weak, and gave

A farther guard, even every man, an angel guide to save. And men for us be angels, while they work our souls to

save.

Warner.

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Is there care in heaven? is there love In the heavenly spirits to those creatures base, That may compassion of their evils move? There is: else much more wretched were the case Of men, than beasts; but O the exceeding grace Of highest God, that loves his creatures so: And all his works with mercy doth embrace, That blessed Angels he sends to and fro,

To serve to wicked man, to serve his wicked foe.

Spenser.

ANGELS.

Fair is the heaven where happy souls have place,
In full enjoyment of felicity,

Whence they do still behold the glorious face
Of the divine eternal Majesty.

More fair is that where those Idees on high
Enranged be, which Plato so admired,
And pure intelligences from God inspired.
Yet fairer is that heaven, in which do reign
The sovereign powers and mighty potentates,
Which in their high protections do contain
All mortal princes and imperial states.
And fairer yet, whereas the royal seats
And heavenly dominations are set:
From whom all earthly governance is set.
Yet far more fair be those bright cherubims,
Which all with golden wings are over dight,
And those eternal burning Seraphims,

Which from their faces dart out fiery light.
Yet fairer than they both, and much more bright,
Be th' angels and archangels, which attend

On God's own person, without rest or end.

Spenser.

THE ROD.

God's rod doth watch while men do sleep, and then The rod doth sleep while vigilant are men.

Herrick.

ANGELS.

How oft do they their silver bowers leave,
To come to succour us that succour want?
How oft do they with golden pinions cleave
The flitting skys, like flying pursuivant,
Against foul fiends to aid us militant?
They for us fight, they watch and duly ward,

And their bright squadrons round about us plaut;

And all for love, and nothing for reward:

Oh! why should heavenly love to man have such regard.

Spenser.

GABRIEL-THE AMBASSADOR.

Out of the hierarchies of angels' sheen,

The gentle Gabriel God call'd from the rest:
"Twixt God and souls of men that righteous beene,
Ambassador he is, for ever blest.

The just commands of heaven's eternal King,
'Twixt skies and earth he up and down doth bring.

Fairfax.

PRESERVATIVES FROM TEMPTATION.

A heart in heaven will be a most excellent preservative against temptations to sin. It will keep the heart well employed. When we are idle, we tempt the devil to tempt us; as careless persons make thieves. A heart in heaven can reply to the tempter, as Nehemiah did, I

am doing a great work, so that I cannot come. It hath no leisure to be lustful or wanton, ambitious or worldly. If you were but busy in your lawful callings, you would not be so ready to hearken to temptations; much less, if you were also busy above, with God. Would a judge be persuaded to rise from the bench, when he is sitting upon life and death, to go and play with children in the streets? No more will a Christian, when he is taking a survey of his eternal rest, give ear to the alluring charms of Satan. The children of that kingdom should never have time for trifles, especially when they are employed in the affairs of the kingdom; and this employment is one of the saint's chief preservatives from temptation.

Baxter.

ON CHANGE OF WEATHERS.

And were it for thy profit to obtain
All sunshine? no vicissitude of rain?
Think'st thou that thy laborious plough requires
Not winter frosts, as well as summer fires?
There must be both: sometimes these hearts of ours
Must have the sweet, the seasonable showers
Of tears; sometimes the frost of chill despair
Makes our desired sunshine seem more fair:
Weathers that most oppose to flesh and blood,
Are such as help to make our harvest good:
We may not choose, great God; it is thy task:
We know not what to have, nor how to ask.

Quarles.

ce PIOUS ORGIES, PIOUS PRAYERS!"

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Where, then, shall hope and fear their objects find? Must dull suspense corrupt the stagnant mind?

Must helpless man, in ignorance sedate,

Roll darkling down the torrent of his fate?
Must no dislike alarm, no wishes rise,

No cries invoke the mercies of the skies?
Inquirer, cease; petitions yet remain

Which Heav'n may hear, nor deem religion vain.
Still raise for good the supplicating voice,

But leave to Heav'n the measure and the choice.

Safe in his power, whose eyes discern afar
The secret ambush of a specious prayer;
Implore his aid, on his decisions rest,
Secure whate'er he gives, he gives the best.
Yet when the sense of sacred presence fires,
And strong devotion to the skies aspires,
Pour forth thy fervours for a healthful mind,
Obedient passions, and a will resign'd;
For love, which scarce collective man can fill;
For patience, sov'reign o'er transmuted ill;
For faith, that, panting for a happier seat,
Counts Death kind nature's signal for retreat:
These goods for man the laws of Heav'n ordain,

These goods he grants, who grants the pow'r to gain;
With these celestial wisdom calms the mind,

And makes the happiness she does not find.

Samuel Johnson.