HALF HOURS WITH THE BEST POETS.

GOD EXCELLENT IN LOVE.

BAILEY.

GOD is great in love ;

Infinite in his nature, power, and grace;
Creating, and redeeming, and destroying—
Infinite infinitely. But in love—

O! it is the truth transcendant over all

When thus to one poor spirit He gives His hand,

He seems to impart his own unboundedness

Of bliss. We seem to be hardly worth destroying,
And much less saving; yet he loveth each,

As though all were his equal.

POWER AND BENEVOLENCE.

BERNARD BARTON

God is not great because omnipotent!

But because power in him is understood

And felt and proved to be benevolent,

And wise and holy-thus it ever should!

For what He wills we know is pure and good,
And has in view the happiness of ALL;