Man. Whetiier they have ſaid encugh to Satisfaction, I cannot tell, A5raham,upon the fame Queſtion, was gratificed with a Sign, Gen. 15.910. ſo was Gideon, Jud. 5, 17. Where there is no difference in the Words,or in a Fa#,there miy be a great difference in the Hearty and its inward Habit and 32tims from which thoſe Words pro- w God to ſce that better than we can diſcern itby the Words. Before Arm's time, we read of no ſuch Ex- neither do we find that
but oniy as to the Lord's giving his Poſterity Canaan, Betides that ,
'1t is ſaid, Ver. 6. FH belteved,and it was counted to him [37 Rignteuf-
neſs 3 aad the Apoſtle cxtcileth his Faith, Rom. g.tg. 8:ing mt weak in the Faith. he conſidered not his own Body ww dead, wh2n be wi about an hundred zcars o{d,ncr the Deadneſs of Sar3in's womb, He fFag- gered mt at tie promiſe thraugh unhelizf, but was ſtr1g in faith, 27- ving glory to Grd, being ſully perſwaded, that what he had promiſed he was able to perforin, $5 as he as ed not 4 Sign for the begecting of a Faith in him,(he believed the i.ord without 2 Sign ; }oniy, fear-
phecy, Mal. 4. 5, 5. from whence isan evident proof, That Chriſt! ing his own Heart,he asked a Sign tor the farther Encreaſe and
was the Lord our God, before whom 7Jo'n the Bapti t came, in the Spirit and Power of Elias, and therefore he is called Elias, Mal.g.s.
azexpounded by Chriſt; Matth. 11. 14. Wark g. 11. The Jews not | his Deſire. It was only the Privation of Speech until the
underſtanding this,keeps them in a vain Expectation of a Meſſiah to
this Day, and of a perſonal Coming of Eli before him. It 15 the Obſervation ot ſome Learned Men, that where the Word Power 15 added to the Spirit,or Holy Ghoſt, it figaifies a more than ordinary
meaſure and influence of the Spirit ; as in this Chapter v. 35. Ads IO. 38. 1 Cor. 2. 4. 1 Theſſ. 1. 5. But I rather think, that by that Phrafe,[ In the Spirit and Power, here is meant, with the ſame Zeal and Frawe of Spirit that Elijah had. We have before in our Notes upon Matthew, ſhewed in how many things John the Baptiſt was lixe Elijah,to ſay nothing of his Habit, and the Severity of his Life,
in reſpe& of the moſt corrupt time wherein they both lived, their
Fatthtulneſs in their Miniſtry,their Warrath and Zeal in their Work, their Boldneſfs,nct fearing to reprove Princes for their Errors, CTc. | 11 turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children.) Malachy addeth, and the hearts of the Children to the Parents ; inſtead of which Luke lath, and the Difobedient to the Wiſdom of the Ju$, that is, to bring both 75442 and Old to Repentance. The Hearts of the Fathers a- mongſt the jews to the Dottrine of Chriſt and his Apoſtles their Children; and the Hearts of the Jews, which with reſpe& to Abra- bam, aac and Jacab, and David, are Children to the Dottrine hich they embraced,and the ways of God wherein thoſe juſt Men Walked, which is the Do&rine of Wiſdom. To reconcile many among!t the Jews to that which ſome of th:m own and profeſs,tho others of chem arc yet Apoftatized, and yet led away with the Su- perititions of theſe degenerate and corrupt times. | To make ready 4 Perple prepared for the Lord. ] To acquaint this part of the World wth the 37:ſi 5,and to prepare them for receiving him and his Do- QArine,which is preſently to be revealed by himſelf 3 taking off PcoplesPrejudices,and diſcovering and commendingChriſt to them. Or by bringing Men to a true Repentance for their Sins, - and a lenſe of them,till which they cannot believed, to prepare them for more internal Reception of the Lerd Jeſus Chriſt, For Jokn is ſaid
Confirmation of his Faith. Echdcs, Zachartuh s Punithment was gentle,and of that Nature,that it allo carried with it n Anſwer to Wrrds of the Angel ſhould be fulfilled. { Becauſe tho believedſt nt my Words, ] The Words of God b+ his Metfengers are-to be be'teved ; and the not believing their Words which they ſpeak truly from kim,aud as ſs ſent, is a Sin God will ſeverely puniſh. It 15 all one,not to vbe- lieve God,as not to believe thoſe whom he ſends, ſpeaking what he bids them. {Which ſhall be fulfilled in their ſeaſm ) The Unde<lief of Men thall not make the Word and Promiſe of God of no efteet, But God's Promiſes have their Seaſons, before whici2 we mult no - expe the Accompliſhment of them, Hab. 2. 3.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and mar- velled that he tarried fo long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not {peak unto them,and they perceived that he had ſeen a vition in the Temple, for he beckned unto them, and remained
ſpeechleſs. 23 Andit came to paſs, that as ſoon as the days of his miniſtration were accompliſhed, he departec : his own houſe. : While the Prieft was in the Holy Place, the Pcople were 10 22% part of the Temple called the Cour? of Iſrael, or the Core of 192 =
ple, praying : When he had done, he came out, an bleniza them according to the Law,Numb. 6. 23, 24. where is tne FO Cr ice ſing which he uſed for this the Peopie waited botore nov wear home. Whether the Angel's Diſcourſe with Zachor:5 mo —_—
241 ie
: Prieſt was wont to ſtay,it is uncertain 3 vut fo { came out,he was not
or his Amazement at the Viſion made him ftay longer © he did,and when he able to pronounce the BleTing, n ipeak at all,only he beckneth to them, by which the People og that he had ſeen ſome Viſion. Yet Pumbneſs being nave of thoſe Doul'y
DefeRts for which by the Law they were &t9 be remoyed gs
Ar $A NOV <q v_p
Chap. J,
angel, * Whereby * Gen:
i
: [01 '' : i l;
A k» | ;
—_
! I} ' " 4 > $85 155 F © "Y v2 oh ts h 4 We
5
means >
A—_—
+