Arm me with jealous care, As in thy sight to live; And Oh! thy servant Lord prepare, A strict account to give. Help me to watch and pray, And on thyself rely; Assured if I my trust betray, I shall for ever die. _Wesley._ Since, with pure and firm affection, Thou on God hast set thy love, With the wings of His protection, He will shield thee from above: Thou shalt call on Him in trouble, He will hearken, He will save, Here for grief reward thee double, Crown with life beyond the grave. He shall _charge_ His angel legions Watch and ward o’er thee to keep, Though thou walk through hostile regions, Though in desert wilds thou sleep; On the lion vainly roaring, On his young, thy foot shall tread, And, the dragon’s den exploring, Thou shalt bruise the serpent’s head. _J. Montgomery._ CHASTENING. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither _chasten_ me in thy hot displeasure.--Psalm vi. 1. Blessed is the man whom thou _chastenest_, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law.--Psalm xciv. 12. Whom the Lord loveth he _chasteneth_, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.--Hebrews, xii. 6. O keep up life and peace within, If I must feel thy _chastening_ rod! Yet kill not me, but kill my sin; And let me know Thou art my God. O give my soul some sweet foretaste Of that which I shall shortly see! Let faith and love cry to the last, “Come, Lord, I trust myself with Thee!” _Baxter._ When urged by strong temptation to the brink Of guilt and ruin, stands the virtuous mind With scarce a step between; all-pitying Heaven, Severe in mercy, _chastening_ in its love, Ofttimes in dark and awful visitation, Doth interpose, and call the wanderer back To the straight path, to be for ever after A firm, undaunted, onward-bearing traveller, Strong in humility, who swerves no more. _Joanna Baillie._ So, Christian! though gloomy and sad be thy days, And the tempest of sorrow encompass thee black; Though no sunshine of promise or hope sheds its rays To illumine and cheer thy life’s desolate track: Though thy soul writhes in anguish, and bitter tears flow O’er the wreck of fond joys from thy bleeding heart riven, Check thy murmuring sorrows, thou lorn one, and know That the _chastened_ on earth are the purest for Heaven; And remember, though gloomy thy present may be, That “the Master is coming,” and coming to thee. _S. D. Patterson._ CHERUB--SERAPH.