LOVE IN HEAVEN.

ND is there care in heaven? and is there love

In heavenly spirits to these 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!

How oft do they their silvery bowers leave,

To come to succour us that succour want!
How oft do they with golden pinions cleave
The flitting skies, 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 plant;

And all for love, and nothing for reward :

O why should heavenly God to men have such

regard?

SPENSER.

MAN'S SERVANTS.

OR us the winds do blow;

The earth doth rest, heaven move, and fountains flow:

Nothing we see but means our good,

As our delight or as our treasure:

The whole is either cupboard of our food,

Or cabinet of pleasure.

The stars have us to bed;

Night draws the curtain, which the sun withdraws;
Music and light attend our head;

All things unto our flesh are kind
In their descent and being; to our mind,

In their ascent and cause.

More servants wait on man

Than he'll take notice of. In every path

He treads down that which doth befriend him,
When sickness makes him pale and wan.

O mighty love! man is one world, and hath
Another to attend him.

Since, then, my God, Thou hast

So brave a palace built, O dwell in it,
That it may dwell with Thee at last.

Till then afford us so much wit

That, as the world serves us, we may serve Thee, And both Thy servants be.

GEORGE HERBERT.

PSALM CXLVIII.

OU who dwell above the skies,
Free from human miseries;

You whom highest heaven embowers,
Praise the Lord with all your powers:

Angels, your clear voices raise,
Him your heavenly armies praise;
Sun and moon, with borrow'd light,
All your sparkling stars of night;
Waters hanging in the air,

Heaven of heavens, His praise declare !

His discover'd praise record,

His, who made you by His word;

Made you evermore to last,

Set you bounds not to be past.
Let the earth His praise resound,

Monstrous whales, and seas profound,

Vapours, lightning, hail, and snow,

Storms which, when He bids them, blow;
Flowery hill and mountains high;
Cedars, neighbours to the sky;
Trees that fruits in order yield;
All the cattle in the field;
Savage beasts, all creeping things,
All that cut the air with wings;
You that awful sceptres sway,
You inured to obey ;
Princes, judges of the earth,
All of high or humble birth;
Youth and virgins, flourishing
In the beauty of your spring;
You who bow with age's weight,
You who were but born of late;
Praise His name with one consent-
Oh, how great! how excellent!
Than the earth profounder far,
Higher than the highest star.
He will us to honour raise ;-
You, His saints, resound His praise;
You, who are of Jacob's race,

And united to His grace.

GEORGE SANDYS.

1577-1643.

PSALM XCIII.

LOTHED with state, and girt with might,
Monarch-like Jehovah reigns-
He who earth's foundations pight,*
Pight at first, and yet sustains.

He whose stable throne disdains
Motion's shock and ages' flight;
He who endless One remains,
One, the same, in changeless plight.
Rivers, yea, though rivers roar,
Roaring though sea-billows rise,
Vex the deep and break the shore,
Stronger art Thou, Lord of skies!
Firm and true Thy promise lies,
Now and still as heretofore;

Holy worship never dies,

In Thy house when we adore.

SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.

1554-1586.

* Built.