Perhaps it may startle some, to find us aver that we consider the cholera' in the light, not of an ordinary, but an extraordinary dispensation of Divine Providence. It bears about it no marks of God's ordinary dispensations. It is peculiar, it is unique, it stands alone in the majesty of its desolations. It is the only pestilence which seems to be modified by no change of climate. It kills on the burnt plains of India, and it kills in frozen Russia; it kills in the temperate, as well as the torrid and frozen zones; and, as if to show that no place on earth may safely calculate on exemption, it has visited in its eccentric course every variety of climate, and slain its thousands, among every variety of people—as if it meant to substantiate its title to the character of a judgment of God, despite of all the theories and all the atheism of men.

Those who would hesitate to adopt this opinion, might ask: Why are some portions of the earth more severely visited than others? Why are some comparatively exempt? Are the inhabitants of the parts thus visited sinners above' all others, 'because they suffer such things?' We answer in the language of the Saviour, Nay, but except ye

All that we have to answer to an repent, &c.' objection of this kind is, that as God is a God of wisdom, there must be reasons why, in his tremendous visitations, he scourges one land more than another; but these reasons he has not seen fit to declare to us. "The desolations which are made upon the earth,' are in scripture declared His work,' and if his work, there must be wise reasons for the dispensations.

To a believer in the scriptures as the record of the will of God in relation to man, there can be no other conclusion drawn, when he examines the providential dealings of God as compared with his own declarations, than that every affliction and disease which has ever laid its withering hand on the mortal frame of man-that every judgment which has ever desolated the earth and brought ruin in its train, more or less uniform or complicated-arises out of the necessity which exists, that a just and holy God should express his abhorrence of sin, which is direct rebellion against his righteous government. All the disorder of jarring elements; all the commotions in contending nations; all the convulsions that shake the globe,

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and all the dispensations that sweep away its inhabitants, imply the existence and publish the malignity of sin.' This is not a speculation, but the mere interpretation of God's own language by the facts which exist in God's own government.* Now every form of desolation-war, fumine, earthquake, pestilence, storm and tempest-are but facts which interpret the anger of God against sin. ·If the question is asked, what object has God in the visitation of the pestilence which walketh in darkness, and the destruction that wasteth at noon?' let the general answer be given, that it is to vindicate his own character as a hater of sin; and if the infidel and the scoffer should surmise that this is but a poor way of vindication, let him be told that no other way can be imagined, unless it be by the total ruin of every sinner in one sweeping act of just and terrific vengeance. This would vindicate the character of God's government, and so far as human investigation could come to a conclusion, be a method of perfect justice; but he has not seen

* Jerem. iv. 18, and part of 20th verses. Isaiah, v. 20-25. Leviticus, xxvi. 14-25.

fit thus to pour out his wrath for his own vindication. He has taken a method which as equally displays his anger, though its exhibitions are not so universal. Thus, then, one of the revealed objects of God's works of desolation is, to express, in the language of providential dealing, his essential anger against the sin and rebellion of mankind. this gives me the opportunity to notice another reason for the afflictive dispensations of God's overruling providence, viz. to serve the purpose of such warnings as may lead to repentance, and if not, vindicate his righteousness in the day of eternal condemnation.

And

The grand reason of all the afflictive dispensations of God's providence, whether they relate to individual or national chastisement, next to the necessity of an expression of abhorrence against sin, is to improve the condition of the sinner. This representation God himself has distinctly stated to us, as will be seen by those who will take the trouble to examine the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, from the ninth to the eleventh verses inclusive.

But the question then recurs, how can that

hundreds and thousands of instances, and therefore the objection is entirely refuted by the facts.

But suppose that not one individual instance could be found; suppose that man in his desperate wickedness and perversity, should entirely reject the intended benefit, and refuse to profit by the judgment; then is one of the designs of God most abundantly answered, viz. the vindication of his justice on the great day of judgment, in the eternal ruin of the rejectors of his mercy. There will be no sinner at the day of judgment who will be able to cast a reproach on God, and say that no warning of his danger was afforded him. Every judgment of God with which either the world or an individual has been visited, would rise up in vindication of the justice of God in punishment. I sent that pestilence on such a nation; I sent that famine, that war, that earthquake; I sent on that sinner such a visitation, and thou didst see, and why didst thou refuse to learn? We remember an apologue: "Upon a man of venerable age came the angel of death, and said come with me.' 'Stay,' said the old man, why didst thou not in kindness give me warning?' 'Dost thou accuse me of unkind