We have 4 natural Ambition to be great, but it is only to be great in the fight of Men ;thence one Man coveteth Riches, another Honours, and Reputation 3 but the true Greatneſs is,to be great zn the ſight of the Lord, who doti certainly judge with the trueſt and moſt infallible Judgment. In Ged's fight, he 15 a great Man of whom God maketh a great ule ; eſpecially in turning many Sou!s to him- {1f, Conſider 7-bn ſeparately from his Work,and the Concurrence of God with his Work z he was a very litile Man,and fo looked up- an by the Pharijzes and Rulers, who wou'd not belteve in him. His Father was an ordinary Vrieſt, For Titles and Dignities, he had none 3 Jobn the BaptiSt was his higheſt Title. For his Cloathing, he ws not cloathed in ſoft razment (as Princes Chaplains ) he was eloathcd with a Shin, with Camels Hair, and had a Leathern Girdte abaut bis Loins 5 yet Chriſt ſaith of him, Among theſe that were b1rn Women, there had not riſen a greater than Fohn the Baptiſt, Uc 114 no Paiace,no ſtately Habitation ; he lived moſtly jn deſert pla- co: little inhabited. Nature was his Cook that provided him Lo- zuſts and wild Boney. Where was his Greatnels but in this 2 He was 4 £rcat and faithful Preacher of the Zoſpel; and God bleflea iis Labours to convert Souls. They are little Mea, that do little of the Work for which Sod hath ſent them into the World, and 4: little Good 1n the1r Generation, f #e ſhall drink neither Wine noy \trmng Drink. | By $irong Drink 15 meant any Drinþ which ordinari- iy intoxicateth, This was the Law of the Nazarites Numb. 5, 3. It was forbidden the Prieits during the time of the!r Miniſtration, up- on pain of Death, Levit. 10. g. No Lovers of Wine and jtong Drinh can he Great Men in the fight of God, The Miniſter of the Goſge! muſt not be one g7ven fo Wine, 1 Tim- 3.3. Tit. 1. 7.| Ang he ſhalt be filed with the Holy Ghoſt, even from hs Mothers womb. ] This is tru-,both as to Prophecy (which is an extraordinary Gift of the Ho- ly Ghoſt _) and alfo of the tJoly Ghoſt, conſidered as a jantifying Spirit renewing the Heart | For many of the Children of Ifrael ſail he turn to the Lord ther God. Then it ſeems there is another Con- vernon 2efidles the Convertion of Men from Paganiſm. Fohn (with
J
the atfiftince of the Holy Ghoſt ) was an Inſtrument to turn many
of the jrazlites, ( who :iready verbally owned the true God, but | ceed ; and we mult allo
were drencht'd in Errors and Superſtitions,and looſnefs of Life,) to | tz Lord their S0d,by Repentance ; and this he did,by Preaching voth Law and Goſpe) to them. This made him a great Man ; for Dar. 12. 3+ They that turn many to Righteauſneſs, ſhall ſhine as the Stars ſor ever and ever, | 17 And he ſhall go before him in the ſpirit and power of Elias,to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
p þ; or children, and the diſobedient|; to the wiſdom of the juſt, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
God was laſt ſpoken or he muſt therefore be the him mentioned here,before whom Fohn the Baptiſt was to go,according to the Pro-
perience of God's Power 1n ſuch Caics, Abraham deiired a Sign as to this,that God would give h1m a Chia,
fo have preached the DoGrine of Repentanco for ihe Remiffen of Smns,and to have preached,faying, Repent . for the Eingdmm no Hedven at band. Allo deiaming the Phariſees, who wer? the grcit Enc- m1es of Chriſt, by detetting to the Peovle their Hy Thus he made read; a People prepared for the Lid. : 18 And Zacharias ſaid unto the | bo4 ' »* ,» ſha!l I Know this *fortaman old man, and my wite *” well ſtricken in years.
The Words are much the ſame with thoſe of 4brah; Whereby ſhall I know 1 ſhall inherit it, viz. the Land of C, Mary,v. 34. of this Chapter, when the fime Ange 144 cold her he ſhould have a Chiid, v.31. faith, How thall this be, j-eing 1 bnow not a man ? Gidemn alſo asked 4 Sign, Jid.5. 5. To our appearance and Judgment there ſeemeth no great vifterence 2ctwine cheſe,and Zachariah 1n this place asking a Srgnz only Zachariah here oppoſeth his own Senſe and Reaſon to the Words of the Angel + vet we thall hear a ditferent iffue of this Queſtion, or Anſwer to it,
I9 And theangel anſwering, ſaid unto him, I ain Gabriel, _ that ſtand in the preſence of Ged: and am ſent to ſpeak unto thee, and to ſhew thee theſe glad tidings.
20 And behold, thou ſhalt be dumb, and not able to ſpeak, until the day that theſe things ſnall be per. formed, becauſe thoa believeſt not my words, which ſhall be fulfilled in their ſeaſon.
It 1s by ſome obſerved, Chat before the Cpiivity of Brbylin, we read of no Name of any Angel, who have oo Naines 2s wr have, but aſſume Names to declare the nature of their vaiftration ; and that Gabriel figmfieth the Faw ,or the $rrcgth of 72d, becauſe the declaring of the Goſpel, whici tio Apoſtic deilurcs, Rom, 1.4 5.The : ower of God to Salvation, ſecmth to have been his pecutior Minit - {tration We read of this Gabriel, Dan. $. 15 and 0 21.where we 19d him foretelling the Weſt s,and the working of Mans Redem- ption ; to which i rophecics he dountlel> reters Zach iriah nn laying, T am Gabriel. We again thall mcet with him, v.:6,27. 67+ months
(Ore wi -. +
Þ
m,Gonns.9, mann? And
after this, appearing to the Virgin Hay, aid telling her the ſhould
bring forth the Meftah. He addeth, | thut Hand inthe preſence of God |
as the good Angels always behold the Preſence of 5ur heave: ly Father {a5 our *aviour tells us} and are ready to x ſent avout his Meſſ:ges,
(whence is the Name of Angels) They are calicd God s Winiftors, P/al. 103. 21. ard 194. 4-| and am fent t2 ſpeab vnt» th2e, und 19 thew thee glad 111-5. 739 tent me on purpoſe to declare this thing to thee. Which Zacyirnch might have known ty the Time and Place when he appoared,at thc REO! Prayer, at the Altar fa the Holy Piace. where the Evil Anzels uſed not to few thernſelves. { And beholi thou fl be drmb, and nx; able £2 [peak until the day i hat theſe things (hall be performed, | Tnvmcs Fave perglex:d them- ſelves to pive a juſt ACccour:t of this f1:ns ©: 1 Mmont of f5 good 2
ol!