father of the faithful. And from Hamath. This was anciently a famous city, which probably had its name from Hamath, one of the fons of Canaan, the grandfon of Noah. It had once a king whofe name was Toi*, who was one of the princes whom Solomon conquered. Afterward it fell into the hands of the Syrians; and may, in this place, denote the land of Syria, a large country in the Greater Afia, which now forms part of the Turkish empire. And from the islands of the fea: by which may be intended the countries furrounded by the fea, lying to the westward of Canaan; fuch as the Leffer Afia, which was anciently confidered as a peninfula; Europe, encompaffed by the fea; and particularly the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. From thefe places, wherein the remnant of God's people are fcattered, he will fet his hand, to recover them from their difperfions, to enjoy the ineftimable privileges of his church, and to fubject themselves to his government whom he hath appointed King over his holy hill of Zion.This prediction received its fulfilment, in fome measure, at the promulgation of the gofpel by the apoftles and minifters of our Lord, by whom the pofterity of Ifrael, dispersed over thefe places of the earth now mentioned, were invited to participate in the glorious prerogatives belonging to the kingdom of Chrift; when those of them who were ordained to eternal life, believed, and were made partakers of the heavenly call ing. The truly memorable event of which you read the history in the fecond chapter of the Acts, prefents to view the first fruits of the fecond recovery of the remnant of God's people, and affords a happy prelibation of its future full accomplishment. As the learned Dr. Lowth obferves, "This part of the chap"ter contains a prophecy which certainly remains yet "to be accomplished, and fhall in due time receive "its full completion:" for which, let us often unite

2 Sam. viii. 9.

our

our earnest prayers to him who builds up Jerufalem, and gathereth together the outcafts of Ifrael. Affured that he is faithful who hath promised, let us live in the joyful expectation that he will do as he hath said.

12 And he shall fet up an enfign for the nations, and fhall affemble the outcafts of Ifrael, and gather together the difperfed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth.

The prophet next foretels in what manner the Lord will accomplish the prediction contained in the preceding verfe, and the glorious fuccefs which fhould accompany the means to be employed for this purpofe.The enfign or ftandard here intended, is the root of Jeffe, the great Meffiah mentioned in the 10th verfe, who fhould be elevated to the view of all nations by the miniftry of the gofpel; under whose banner they are invited to inlift, that, by his conduct, and with his affiftance, they may war a good warfare. This enfign is erected for the benefit of the nations of the earth, that the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, beholding this remarkable fignal, may repair, without delay, to this illuftrious Perfon, whom God hath given for a Leader and Commander to the people, that from him they may receive direction and fupport, with every needful bleffing, and at laft complete victory and eternal glory. What a noble difplay is thus given of the moft amiable benevolence, and tender compaffion, toward the children of men! Though the nations have rebelled against their rightful Sovereign, revolted from under his mild government, and acted in hoftility against their gracious Lord, the Governor among the nations hath fet up an enfign, to convene them to attend to overtures of peace, and published proclamations of his good-will and mercy. He hath erected a ftandard, not, with hoftile intention, to affemble his armies, to deftroy thofe who have rifen in rebellion against him: but he lifts up the banner of 4 S

the

the cross, that, by the displays of his everlasting love therein exhibited, he may draw all men unto him; that they may closely adhere to his interest, distinguish themselves by attachment to his perfon, nobly fight his battles, and enjoy his prefence and protection. To this enfign refort all the nations of them that are faved. The joyful confequences fhall be, as defcribed in the following part of the verfe,

And fhall affemble the outcafts of Ifrael, and gather together the difperfed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. The outcafts of Ifrael may denote, the pofterity of the ten tribes of Ifrael, who are often called by the name of Ephraim, as in the following verfe. The refidue of that people have, for a long period of time, juftly merited the defcription of outcafts, because God hath caft them out of his fight, and ejected them from the good land which he gave unto their fathers for a poffeffion, as he threatened that he would do, if they perfifted in their fins. They have also been caft out by other nations among whom they refided, as unworthy of participating with them in the privileges of good fubjects. The dispersed of Judah, are the Jews, who have likewife, for may ages, been fcattered to and fro among the kingdoms of the Gentiles; firft, by means of the Babylonish captivity; afterward, by the Grecian monarchy, and the invafion of the Romans; and laftly, by the perfecution raised by the enemies of Christianity against those that believed in Jefus Christ, who were obliged to flee for fafety into different countries. So widely were they difperfed at the day of Pentecoft, that the writer of the Acts of the Apoftles declares, that devout men of that people then reforted to Jerufalem, out of every nation under heaven. On account of their obftinate blindness, and inveterate prejudices against the gospel of Jefus Chrift, they ftill continue difperfed over the world, expofed to innumerable hardships, and almost every where neglected and defpifed.- This widely fcattered people God graciously

declares,

declares, He will gather together from the four corners of the earth. The word tranflated corners, fignifies alfo wings, as you fee it rendered in the margent of fome Bibles; which, according to the idiom of the Hebrew language, denotes the most diftant parts of the earth. In allufion to the wings of a bird, which are extended when she takes her flight, the remote extremities, the utmost boundaries of any thing, are called its wings or corners, as in the words before us. From the moft remote parts of the earth, the Lord will gather together the remnant of his difperfed people. As, in fcripturelanguage, fcattering imports affliction and diftrefs, fo collecting into one place or fociety, intimates reftoration from a calamitous condition, and recovery to a profperous and happy ftate.--Had not this defirable great event been exprefsly foretold, we fhould have reckoned that the obftacles which lie in the way of its accomplishment were unfurmountable: but being promised in the faithful word of God, as his own glorious work, whofe counsel fhall ftand, and for whom nothing is impoffible, every obftacle difappears, and the great predicted object rifes into view. Firmly perfuaded of this approaching event, which God will haften in its season, and encouraged in our expectations by the partial fulfilment which this prophecy hath already received, let us earnestly pray for its full completion, to the glory of God, and the joy of his people.

13 The envy alfo of Ephraim fhall depart, and the adverfaries of Judah fhall be cut off: Ephraim fhall not envy Judah, and Judah fhall not vex Ephraim.

In this verfe, are reprefented the happy confequences of the restoration and converfion of Ifrael and Judah. From the book of Judges we learn, that an invidious fpirit powerfully operated among the Ifraelites as early as the days of Gideon and Jephthah. A va

riety of circumstances might contribute to promote this bad difpofition among that people, which difcover、ed its pernicious influence on many occafions. The tribes of Jofeph and Benjamin, which occupied the middle and best part of the land of Canaan, and who, of all their brethren, were the most flourishing, arose from the two fons of the fame mother. Jofhua, the fon of Nun, who was the leader and commander of Ifrael, and who probably obtained fome peculiar advantages for the tribe to which he belonged, was of the tribe of Ephraim. Saul, the fon of Kish, who was the first anointed king over the whole nation, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. David, the prince who next filled the throne, arofe from the tribe of Judah. Jeroboam, an Ephrathite, was the inftrument of rending ten tribes from their fubjection to the royal family of the tribe of Judah, which was intermixed with a number of Benjamites; and of laying the foundation of another kingdom, called Ephraim or Ifrael, in diftinction from that of Judah. From that time, emulation and strife arose between these two kingdoms, which afterward feldom enjoyed peace and concord, but were often engaged in bloody and deftructive wars with each other. Thefe caufes contributed, with others that might be mentioned, to kindle and keep alive mutual rancour and envy between the two nations. At the time in which this prophecy fhall be fulfilled, the envy of Ephraim fhall depart, never more to appear. Envy is a moft uneafy dif temper of the mind, catched not fo much by infection, as excited by the profperity of other people. It preys not fo much upon the mifchiefs and miferies, as upon the fucceffes and happinefs of thofe who are its objects it is not troubled at their loffes, but at their affluence and advancement, though their riches does not diminish or injure its enjoyments. Happy period when envy and vexation fhall ceafe among brethren; when animofities, contentions, and dif cords, fhall be extinguifhed among the people of

God;