Wesley Corpus

RRirtr ni the1 passions ' is the kst I1 intend tb'meiitib'n, by which the angels (it is prtfbable) preserve good meii; especially iii' or from stiirltual'dahi gers. And this is by applying tHeinselVe's, tb tHeir reasbri, by instilling good1 thoughts« ihfe their hearts'; either' siteh as' ate1 go6d iri tHeir bwri' naure ;as tend1 to' GuV improvement iri Virtue ; or such as arb C6ntraryi to the' sitggdstibris of flesh1' and' bl6bdy by -tftiicbV w«i, are tdrripted' tb' vice. It is' ri'bt unlikely tftitt; we' arb indebted1 to them, ntit brity for rnbst of trrose inflections' which sudderiiy dart irittf bur minds we know not how, having rib con'riekiori: wrfti iky thing that went b'eibre therri'; but for many of thb's'e also which seem errfirely our arid naturally consequent frouir the pre ceding. It were easy l!o demonstrate that to some 6f thes'e herids aill those actions' are recfuerbfe which we cdri cbriceiv'e buf guardian ang'efe t6 pbrforrii iri execution of this' theff charge. But we come 4b our third Mquiry, whit was, why this' charge was assigned therri ; fbr what reasons we may suppose He who is omr/ip're sfti arid brrihlpdterit dbes hbt use his bwu immediate power, but of these his,seryants.to execute his pleasure. I am not ignorant that this is usually thought a knowledge too wonderful for us thatman can not attain a view of these ways of God, these hid den treasures of his providence. It cannot, how ever, be unlawful to extend.our searches far as our limited faculties will permit, provided we ap-' proach with due reverence and humility, and offer nothing contrary to the analogy of our faith. Consistently with these, we may presume that, one reason wherefore our gracious Cre ator assigns this charge to his holy angels is, because they delight in it ; because they have additional happiness therein, besides what results from being employed in the ser vice of God ;- seeing the more benevolent any being is, the more pleasure he enjoys in doing good. And that these are benevolent in the highest degree we cannot but infer, by their holding the highest rank among creatures, in asmuch as God always favours and honours them most who are most like him ; for God is love, and to conduct others in the paths of hap