As the Almighty, “with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning,” {5c} is “the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;” {5d} as “whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope:” {5e} let the people of this kingdom, strong in faith, raise, on an appointed day, their united voice in prayer; and in the language of sorrow, humiliation, and repentance, cry, O Lord, “we have sinned with our fathers, we have done amiss and dealt wickedly;” {5f} but “Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them who call upon Thee!” {5g} Alas! because we see not the “outstretched arm” of Omnipotence, which governeth the nations; because we hear not the “mighty voice” which universal Nature obeys; we too often forget that “the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear:” {6a} we too often forget that it is “God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the world.” {6b} But is it sufficient to call upon a people, suffering under the apprehension or infliction of Divine judgments, to assemble in the courts of the Lord’s house, to acknowledge the justice of their punishment, and to humble themselves before their God? Let the volume of inspiration again reply, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord?” {6c}—“WASH YE, MAKE YOU CLEAN, PUT AWAY THE EVIL OF YOUR DOINGS BEFORE MINE EYES; CEASE TO DO EVIL, LEARN TO DO WELL, SEEK JUDGMENT, RELIEVE THE OPPRESSED, JUDGE THE FATHERLESS, PLEAD FOR THE WIDOW.” {6d} “BEHOLD, TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND TO HEARKEN THAN THE FAT OF RAMS.” {6e}