The duty of a Christian people, under Divine visitations, however feebly, has been faithfully stated, according to the conscientious belief of the writer: may He, in dependence upon whose blessing, and to promote whose kingdom it has been written, make it instrumental to the production of a religious improvement of the afflictive dispensation sent upon the land. The nature of the disease has ceased to be doubtful, and the pestilence which has been so long advancing towards us is admitted now by all to have reached our shores. Once more, then, let the question be asked, “What will ye do in the day of visitation when your desolation shall come from far, to whom will ye flee for help?” Oh that one simultaneous cry would respond from the inhabitants of this kingdom—“WE WILL TRUST IN THE LORD FOR EVER, FOR IN THE LORD JEHOVAH IS EVERLASTING STRENGTH!” When Solomon, on the dedication of the temple, prayed, “If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, or whatsoever sickness there be: then what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sin, and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house; then hear Thou in heaven, Thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and render to every man according unto all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest, for Thou only knowest the hearts of all men.” {233a} The Lord returned the gracious answer: “I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people: if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” {233b} Prayers, set forth by authority, are offered up to the throne of grace, throughout the kingdom, and it has pleased the Almighty to deal graciously with His people, in mitigating the virulence of the pestilence: let a fast be proclaimed, that on an appointed day the whole nation may “humble themselves, and pray, and seek the Lord’s face:” let associations be formed to assist the ministers of God’s Word and Sacraments, to exhort and entreat the people to “turn from their wicked ways:” and if “the Lord’s people, which are called by His name,” humbled and contrite turn unto Him, with all their hearts, and with mourning and fasting, and cry, “Spare us, O Lord, spare Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy most precious blood; turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause Thine anger towards us to cease;” “Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and just are Thy judgments:” if they “cease to do evil, and learn to do well,” then in God’s good time the gracious promise will be fulfilled, for “the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it,”—I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.