Oh may it not be, that the wickedness of the land shall avert from it the mercy and blessing of the Most High! May it not be, that the fearful words shall become applicable to us, “Thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, in returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength; and ye would not!” Oh! rather may “the spirit of grace and supplications” be poured upon the people, for “Will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are all they that wait for Him.” Then shall the Lord’s people derive joy and peace from those transporting words of comfort: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord Thy Redeemer.” “God’s judgments are in the earth.” In many places there has been a literal fulfilment of those terrible predictions, the application of which is not to be considered limited to any time or nation: “All joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone: in the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.” {235a} Truly in our case it may be said, “the isles saw it and feared, the ends of the earth were afraid.” {235b} Oh! without experiencing the extreme severity of the scourge, may this nation learn the lesson it is meant to teach! “They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea. Wherefore glorify ye the Lord; even the name of the Lord God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.” “Trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.” Proclaim every where “God is our hope and strength,” a “sure refuge in the day of trouble.” “Then shall the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Then shall they know that “the Lord is a very present help in trouble; blessed are the people whose trust is in Him.” Then, God grant that it may be said of this land, long favoured and blest of heaven, thou “hast glorified God in the day of visitation;” {236a} therefore, thou shalt “obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” {236b} “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be thy rere-ward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, HERE I AM.” {236c}