CONSISTING OF PIECES ON

DOCTRINAL, PRACTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS,

WRITTEN BY

HOSEA BALLOU,

Pastor of the Second Universalist Society in Boston,

AND ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE UNIVERSALIST

EXPOSITOR AND UNIVERSALIST MAGAZINE.

COMPILED BY JOHN E. PALMER.

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the
Lord is sure, making wise the simple-the judgments of the Lord are true, and
righteous altogether-More to be desired are they than gold, yea than much
fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honey comb."-DAVID.

MONTPELIER:
E. P. WALTON & SON, PRINTERS,

SUPREME Majesty of heaven, wilt thou permit those sentitive powers, and faculties of mind, which thou hast combined in me, to speak in thine car? Yes, I am assured, though thou art infinite in thy glorious perfections, it is not inconsistent with thy greatness to indulge the aspirations which it is thy pleasure to awaken in the most humble being which is the production of thy hand.

When I behold thee in those twinkling stars, which attract my wondering eyes, and contemplate thy wisdom, thy power and thy goodness, which are displayed, in all their perfections, in those unnumbered worlds, my heart and all my affections are kindled into devotion, and my whole soul becomes one flame of grateful incense on thine altar. O Lord, thou wilt accept it, for that flame is thine own breath.

And when the curtains of the night are withdrawn, and the glory and beauty of the morning call me from sweet and refreshing slumbers, and mine eyes are op-. ened to behold the welcome ruler of the day, who advances, at thy command, to scatter unnumbered blessings through earth and sea, the outgoings of the morning rejoice my heart, and inspire devotions, which are as fervent and as acceptable to thee, as those of the evening.

When, directed by a portion of thy wisdom, I con

template thy varied goodness, the productions of the several seasons of the year, which are abundantly ample to supply the wants of creation, and so perfectly adapted to the constitutions and appetites of those beings who wait to receive their food from thee, my heart becomes extended in gratitude, and seeks the fellowship of every living thing to assist in rendering to the giver of every good and perfect gift, the grateful homage due for such mercies.

But as it has suited the counsels of thine unerring wisdom, that man shall be raised to a scale of being, which shall be free from the imperfections of his earthly nature and constitution, thou hast, in goodness, appointed, that the imperfections of the present state shall serve to bring to dissolution our present mode of existence, that the more glorious may succeed. This, thy divine favor, thou hast brought to light through the brightness of thy glory, whom thou hast appointed Lord of the dead and of the living. When enlightened by thy word and quickened by thy grace, I am enabled to realize these gospel truths, and connect with them thy gracious favor in the forgiveness of my transgressions, repentance, humility, gratitude and joy unspeakable seem to vie with each other in a heart which now loves thee to the fullness of all its powers.

Wilt thou, O my God, preserve in me these hopes and joys, and keep alive this celestial fire of sweet devotion, that by their influence the powers of temptation may be resisted, and the soul that loves thee preserved from evil,

Divine Goodness.

Where ever visit th' rays of the sun,
Rich treasures of goodness attend them;
And all the brooks and rivers that run,
Both widely convey and defend them.