Hence love and adoration-never could

The contrite spirit at His footstool fall

If power, and power alone, its feelings did appal!

If then divinest power be truly so,

Because its object is to bless;

It follows that all power which man can know,
The highest even monarchs can possess
Displays alone, their "less than littleness ;"

Unless it seek the happiness of man,

And glory of the Highest :—nothing less Than such a use of power one moment can Make its possessor great, on wisdom's Godlike plan.

GOD LOVES THEE BEST.

MARY ANN BROWN.

Who loves me best? My mother sweet,
Whose every look with love is replete ;
Who held me, an infant on her knee-
Who hath ever watched me tenderly;
And yet I have heard my mother say,
That she sometime must pass away:

Who then shall shield me from earthly ill?
Some one must love me better still!

Who loves me best ?-My father dear,
Who loveth to have me always near;

He whom I fly each eve to meet,
When passed away is the noontide heat :
Who from the bank where the sunbeam lies
Brings me the wildwood strawberries.

Oh! he is dear as my mother to me-
But he will perish, even as she.

Who loves me best ?-My sister fair,

With her laughing eyes and clustering hair!
Who flowers around my head doth twine,
Who presseth her rosy lips to mine,
Who singeth me songs in her artless glee,
Can any love me better than she?
Yet, when I asked, that sister confessed,
Of all, she did not love me best!

Who loves me best?-My brother young,
With his healthy cheek and his lisping tongue;
Who delighted to lead me in merry play
Far down the green wood's bushy way;

Who showeth me where the hazel-nuts grow,

And where the fairest field-flowers blow;

Yet perhaps he loves me no more than the restHow shall I find who loves me best!

My mother loves me-but she must die;
My white dove loves me—but that may fly ;
My father loves me he may be changed;
I have heard of brothers and sisters estranged:
If they should forsake me, what shall I do?
Where should I bear my sad heart to?
Some one, surely, would be my stay-
Some one must love me better than they.

Yes, fair child, there is One above,
Who loves thee with an unchangable love ;
He who formed those frail, dear things
To which thy young heart fondly clings—
Even though all should forsake thee, still

He would protect thee through every ill,
Oh! is not such love worth all the rest?
Child! it is God who loves thee best!

DIVINE AFFECTION UNCHANGABLE.

ISAIAH.

*

Sing aloud, O ye heavens; and rejoice, O Earth ;
Ye mountains, burst forth into song:

For Jehovah hath comforted his people,

And will have compassion on his afflicted.

But Zion sayeth: Jehovah hath forsaken me;

And my Lord hath forgotten me.

Can a woman forget her sucking infant,

That she should have no tenderness for the son of her

womb ?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget thee.

Behold, on the palms of my hands have I delineated thee,
Thy walls are forever in my sight.

They, that destroyed thee, shall soon become thy build

ers;

And they, that laid thee waste, shall become thine off

spring.

Lift up thine eyes around, and see;

All these are gathered together, they come to thee.

As I live saith Jehovah,

Surely thou shalt clothe thyself with them all as with a

rich dress,

And bind them about thee as a bride her jewels.

*Lowth's translation.

HE WILL REST IN HIS LOVE.

ZEPHANIAH.

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty,
He will save;

He will rejoice over thee with joy;
He will rest in his love;

He will joy over thee with singing.

LOVE ENTERTAINING THE PRODIGAL.

GEORGE HERBERT.

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin;

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack,
From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked any thing.

"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here"Love said "You shall be he."

"I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah! my dear, I can not look on thee."

Love took my hand; and, smiling did reply, "Who made the eyes, but I ?"

"Truth, Love, but I have marred them : let my shame Go where it doth deserve.'

"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?" My dear then I will serve."

66

"You must sit down." savs Love," and taste my meat," So I did sit and eat.

He would protect thee through every ill,
Oh! is not such love worth all the rest?
Child! it is God who loves thee best!

DIVINE AFFECTION UNCHANGABLE.

ISAIAH.

Sing aloud, O ye heavens; and rejoice, O Earth;
Ye mountains, burst forth into song:

For Jehovah hath comforted his people,

And will have compassion on his afflicted.

But Zion sayeth: Jehovah hath forsaken me;

And my Lord hath forgotten me.

Can a woman forget her sucking infant,

That she should have no tenderness for the son of her

womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget thee.

Behold, on the palms of my hands have I delineated thee, Thy walls are forever in my sight.

They, that destroyed thee, shall soon become thy build

ers;

And they, that laid thee waste, shall become thine off

spring.

Lift up thine eyes around, and see;

All these are gathered together, they come to thee.

As I live saith Jehovah,

Surely thou shalt clothe thyself with them all as with a

rich dress,

And bind them about thee as a bride her jewels.

*Lowth's translation.