in the land of Zabulonb, but in Bethlehem Ephratah, which was in the land of Judahc. The establishment of his kingdom over the face of the whole earth was farther predicted d; and not only is the final restora- tion of the Jews to a participation of it declared6, but their agency in the conversion of the Gentile world is distinctly asserted f. Whatever accomplishment the words of our text received in the apostolic age by the preaching of the Apostles and their immediate converts, they have respect to a period far remote from that age, a period yet future : they refer to a time, when Jehovah will gather his people from the four winds, and reign over them in their own landg; a time, when they shall vanquish all their enemies, as easily as a young lion prevails over a flock of sheep h; but shall be as rich blessings to others, as the dew or rain is to the thirsty earth.
To place this subject in a proper point of view, it will be necessary to shew,
I. The original design of God in their dispersion —
Once they were numerous as the stars of heaven : but now they are reduced to a small "remnant;" and are scattered over the face of the whole earth. This judgment is designed of God,
1. To punish their iniquities —
[Great and manifold were their transgressions, which caused them to be carried captive to Assyria and Babylon : but greater far has been their guilt in rejecting their Messiah, and "crucifying the Lord of glory." and for that they have now been carried captive amongst all nations, and been reduced to the lowest state of degradation for the space of more than seventeen hundred years. The punishment inflicted for this crime is such as was foretold by Moses himself1, and such as our blessed Lord also warned them to expect k. The Jews themselves see and acknowledge, that the hand of God is upon them on account of their sins : and it is God's intention that his dispensations towards them should be viewed in this light by every nation under heaven1.]
b Josh. xix. 10, 15. c Matt. ii. 4 — 6. d ver. 4.
e ver. 3, 6. f The text. s Mic. iv. 6, 7.
h ver. 8. i Lev. xxvi. 27, 33. Deut. xxviii. 62—64.
k Matt. xxi. 39—41. ] Deut. xxix. 24—28.