Southern Christian Advocate

THE HAPPY MAN.

is the condition of that man, who by divine mercy has attained to a state of reconciliation with the Father of spirits! What enjoys him that possesses all? His 'presence is fullness of joy.' But on the contrary, in his estrangement from us, there is nothing but horror. It is with God and the soul as betwixt the sun and the earth. In the declining of the year, when the sun draws afar off from us, how doth the earth mourn and droop; how do the trees cast off the ornaments of their leaves and fruit; how doth the sap of all plants run down to the root, and leave the bare boughs seemingly sere and dead! But at the approach of it, in the rising of the spring, all things seem revived,--the earth decks herself in her fresh habiliments of blossoms, leaves, and flowers to entertain those comfortable heats and influences. So, and more, it is in the declining or approach of this all-glorious Sun of Righteousness. In his presence there is life and blessedness; in his absence nothing but grief, disconsolateness, despair. If an earthly being do but withdraw himself from us for a time, we are troubled; how much more if the King of Glory shall absent himself from us in displeasure. Surely, nothing but our sins can estrange him from us; our miseries do rather attract him to us; our sins, and they only, do separate between God and us. Lord, what can we do without thee? O do thou draw us unto thee, that we may come: do thou enable us to draw nigh unto thee upon the feet of our affections, upon the hands of our actions, upon the knees of our prayers; that so thou mayest draw nigh unto us in thine ordinances, in thy audience, in thy grace and mercy, in thine aid and salvation.--Bishop Hall.