8o IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 



heart." It was after much hesitation that Donne 

 became an "ambassador for the God of Glory"; 

 this was due to some irregularities of his life 

 which, having been visible to some men, might, 

 he thought, bring censure upon him and upon the 

 sacred calling dishonour, although he had made 

 his peace with God against them. He was 

 ordained on the Feast of the Conversion of St 

 Paul, on the 25th of January, 1615, by Dr John 

 King, Bishop of London. 

 Donne wrote : — 



" If our souls have stained their first white, yet we 

 May clothe them with faith, and dear honesty. 

 Which God imputes as native purity." 



He had had great expectations of a Crown 

 employment, but he counted all his Court-hopes 

 but "loss for Christ." "Now," says Walton, "the 

 English Church had gained a second St Austin ; 

 for I think none was so like him before his 

 conversion, none so like St Ambrose after it, and 

 if his youth had the infirmities of the one, his 

 age had the excellencies of the other ; the learning 

 and holiness of both. And now all his studies 

 which had been occasionally diffused, were con- 

 centred in Divinity. Now he had a new calling, 

 new thoughts, and a new employment for his wit 

 and eloquence. Now, all his earthly affections 

 were changed into Divine love; and all the faculties 



