in the camp of rebellious seraphim. There it was, "That among the faithless, faithful only he; "And with retorted scorn his back he turn'd Thus, Novitio, this faithful guardian nobly retreated from the tents of rebellion, and ere long returned commissioned with the rest of the celestial hosts, to fight with the perfidious miscreants, in the quarrel of the Most High; and there he discovered at once his zeal for his God, and the prowess of his own martial arm: for when, Before the cloudy van, "On the rough edge of battle ere it join'd, "Satan with vast and haughty strides advanc'd "Came tow'ring, arm'd in adamant and gold; "Abdiel that sight endur'd not, where he stood "Amongst the mightiest, bent on highest deeds. But from his armed peers "Forth stepping opposite, half way he met. "His daring foe, at this prevention more "Incens'd, and thus securely him defy'd. "Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reach'd The height of thine aspiring unoppos'd "The throne of God unguarded, and his side the enemy to give the attack with advantage. Encamps around them, when dangers are most rife, and humanity is most inactive and off its guard." Around those that fear him ;" rather thus exprest in condescension to our unbeliev ing weakness; the believer being sometimes conscious that he fears God, when he dares not conclude that he loves him. That no room may be left for unbelief to found its arguments upon, the potency of the illustrious protector is pointed out in his character as the "angel of the Lord." "All are not of thy trade; there be who faith 66 Seem'd in thy world erroneous to dissent : "From all my sect thou seest; now learn too late "How few sometimes may know, when thousands err." It was thus fervent Abdiel accosted the prince of rebels, when they met between the opposing fronts of the angelic armies, on that awful day on which all the hosts of heaven and hell, were drawn forth to battle, on the, till then, unstain'd field of Æther. And, "The grand foe, with scornful eye askance, "Thus answer'd the faithful Abdiel. 66 Ill for thee, but in wish'd hour "Of my revenge, first sought, for thou return'st "From flight, seditious angel, to receive Thy merited reward, the first essay "Of this right hand provok'd, since first that tongue "Inspir'd with contradiction, durst oppose "A third part of the Gods, in synod met, "Their deities to assert. But well thou com'st "Before thy fellows, ambitious to win "From me some plume, that thy success may shew "Destruction to the rest. "At first I thought that liberty and heav'n "To heav'nly souls had been all one; but now "I see that most through sloth had rather serve "Minis'tring spirits, train'd up in feast and song; "Such hast thou arm'd the minstrelsy of heav'n "Servility with freedom to contend, "As both their deeds compar'd this day shall prove "To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern reply'd, "Apostate, still thou err'st, nor end wilt find "Of erring, from the path of truth remote: "Unjustly thou deprav'st it with the name "Of servitude, to serve whom God ordains, "Or nature; God and nature bid the same, "When he who rules is worthiest, and excels "Them whom he governs. "Reign thou in hell, thy kingdom; let me serve "Yet chains in hell, not realms expect: meanwhile "So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, "Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell "On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, "Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield Such ruin intercept; ten paces huge "He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee His massy spear upstay'd.". According to the matchless Milton, the faithful' Abdiel first asserted the sovereign right of his God,' both by word and deed: and thus he hath continued an invincible hero in the cause of his master, a willing and faithful guardian of his militant children, as you have just now seen in the conflict betwixt him and the infernal brotherhood. I thought in my dream that I thus replied: I thank you most heartily, my dear, my venerable Veratio, for this discovery, so strange and surprizing in itself; and I thank you most gratefully, dear sir, for this opportunity of seeing the valour of this celebrated angel. But worthy Veratio, whose delight appears to be to instruct the ignorant, I pray you deign to inform me, if it is possible that such a war may be maintained around a Christian, and the party himself, for whom the strife is, remain unacquainted with it? To which I thought he replied: You may be at no loss, Novitio, to know that the best of Christians, even fathers in the Redeemer's family, see and know only in part, therefore there may be many things of this kind transacted among the immaterial inhabitants of the spiritual world, without their knowledge. Every Christian may certainly be informed by the volume of revelation in general, that all the angels of God are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto them who are appointed heirs of salvation; nevertheless there are many offices of kindness performed by those benevolent spirits in behalf of the saints, which the most intelligent Christians remain utterly ignorant of, whilst they sojourn in this land of separation and sorrow. As we may see in the case of good Stabilius, he perfectly knows that God is the prime efficient of all his peace and composure of mind; but he doth not know that there is a martial seraph appointed by the sovereign of heaven as the guardian of his bed, and protector of his dying moments; nor is he in the least apprehensive that there is such a swarm of reprobate spirits so near, and so earnestly seeking the distraction of his mind. If the militant members of the chosen church could really see their shining attendants, and understand all the ways of the Lord perfectly, they would enjoy the heavenly glories before the appointed time; but the fulness of joy, and the manifest glories of the redeemed are reserved for eternity, therefore not to be expected in time. On this account many of the Lord's works are done in the dark, and his ways are involved in thick clouds; so that poor purblind mortals cannot discern them before they enjoy the light of eternity. And you yourself, Novitio, may know that the conflicts betwixt our benevolent protectors, the guardian angels, and our enemies of the reprobate race, are not to be seen with bodily eyes, but with the more refined rays of the mind. Bodily eyes discern corporeal objects, but spiritual sight alone can discern spirit... I thought in my dream, that towards the dissolution of Stabilius, I beheld a squadron of armed seraphs, who were dispatched from the armies in the skies to assist Abdiel in the protection of this chosen disciple who, as soon as arrived, and fraternal salutation passed after the angelic manner, they told him, that Jehovah, having from the throne of his holiness seen, that great numbers of the enemies had assaulted him and his charge, had sent them to his assistance. Abdiel thus replied: Welcome, my spotless brethren, welcome are ye now to me; for I have been vigor pusly attacked, and still the daring infernals are reso lute; but through the strength of my God, I have preserved my charge inviolate. Come, my brethren, let us prepare for immediate action, for the enemies though frequent repulsed, being now afresh recruted from hell, are rallying their utmost force, and soon will return intrepidly to the charge. This said, I perceived that those ever-armed seraphs each of them drew his flaming sword, fixed his shield, and planted themselves around the bed of the good Stabilius, every hero putting himself in a posture of defence, saying with united voice, "It is the good will of our Lord that his chosen ones should be preserved."-Happy man, said I, who art thus defended!" I thought in my dream, that after all this was done, the good Stabillius, as if he had received fresh vigour at the arrival of his celestial visitants, opened his mouth, and most fervently expressed himself in the following manner: I know that he is God, and that he is my God. He hath guided me from my conception to this my dying day; all his judgments towards me have been mingled with mercy, and holy and reverend is his name; all his mercies have been mixed less or more with judgment. I will therefore, with the royal Hebrew, sing of mercy and of judgment; unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. A chain of well-concerted and blessed providences laid hold of me at my conception, and till now hath led me in such a manner, that all hath been for good, and now, my friends, it is with amazement I see both the ends of the chain unalterably fixed in the eternal throne. It cometh from and centereth in the Father's everlasting love to me, in the person of Jesus, unworthy as I am; and O! let God, even God in the person of the Redemer, be praised, be owned and glorified with my last, my departing breath. Hear me, my fellow Christians, for I speak now within the immediate views of eternity, and Death even now oppresseth my weary lungs; behold, "I go the way of all mankind; but I know that my Redeemer liveth; and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and although after my skin worms destroy, f |