THE MOUTH OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS A WELL OF LIFE: BUT upon him. 12 altar of incense. And when-Zacharias-saw him, he-was-troubled, and fear fell 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer" denois is-heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall-bear thee a-son, and thou-shalt-call his name John." 14 And thou shalt-have joy and gladness; and many shall-rejoice at his birth. 15 For he-shall-be great in-the-sight of the Lord, and shall-drink neither wine nor strong-drink; 16 and he-shall-be-filled with-the-Holy Ghost, even from et ex his mother's womb. And 17 many of-the children-of Israel' shall-he-turn to the-Lord their God. And he shall-go MARGINAL READINGS:- Request. n Grace of the Lord. • Prince of God. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. 11. altar of incense, Ex. xxx. 1-10; xxxvii. 25-.8-| prayers of the saints, Re. viii. 3. 13. fear not-same to Abram, Ge. xv. 1-to Israel, Is. xli. 10, .3, .4; xliii. 1, 5-to Mary, Lu. i. 30, § 2 -to the shepherds, ii. 10. S 4-to the women at the sepulchre, Mr. xxviii. 5, § 93-spoken by Jesus as our high priest, Re. i. 17. prayer-for children: Isaac, Ge. xxv. 21-Hannah, 1 Sa. i. 9, 11, 26-its power in removing curse and procuring blessing, Ja. v. 13-.8. son-promised to Abraham, Ge. xviii. 10, .4-the Shunammite, 2 Ki. iv. 14-.7. call his name - importance attached to names: Adam, likeness, Ge. v. 1-3-Eve, iii. 20-Cain, gotten or possession, iv. 1-Seth, placed or appointed, iv. 25Noah, comfort or rest, v. 29--Abram, great father, xii. 1-3-Abraham, father of a multitude, xvii. 5-Melchizedek, xiv. 18; compare with He. vii. 2-Isaac, laughter, Ge. xxi. 3, 6-Jacob, heeler or supplanter, XXV. 26: xxvii. 36-Israel, prince, xxxii. 28. Jacob's sons: Reuben, see a son, xxix. 32-Simeon, hearing, 33-Levi, joined, 31-Judah, praise, 35-Dan, judg ment, xxx. 6-Naphtali, wrestling, 8-Gad, troop, 11 -Asher, happy, 13-Issachar, hire or reward, 18-Zebulun, dwelling, 20-Joseph, adding or increase, 24Benjamin, son of the right hand, xxxv. 18. John- grace of the Lord,' sent to declare this, Lu. iii. 3, § 7-taught men to manifest the same in their conduct, 11, § 7-it is the character of the dispensation he came to introduce, Jno. i. 16, .7, 29, § 7, 10-the grace of the Lord as to the great promised salvation and blessing of his people, spoken of by his father, Lu. i. 68-79, § 3. 15. great-John acknowledged Jesus as mightier, Mk. i. 1-8, § 7-least in the kingdom of heaven greater than John, Lu. vii. 28, § 29-great nation promised to Abram, Ge. xii. 2. neither wine-the Nazarite, Nu. vi. 2-4-Samson, Ju. xiii. 4-7-John lived a Nazarite Mt. iii. 4, §7; xi. 18, § 29. filled with the Holy Ghost-required in the Christian, Ep. v. 18-promised to Israel, Eze. xxxvii. 14. from his mother's womb. Jer. i. 5-Paul, Ga. i. 15, .6. -See also Is. xlix. 1, 5.-See NOTES. NOTES. 11. Altar. The altar of incense was a small table of Shittim-wood, overlaid with gold, about 22 inches in breadth and length, and 44 in height. Its top was surrounded with a cornice of gold: it had spires, or horns, at the four corners thereof; and was portable by staves of Shittim-wood, overlaid with gold,-see An horn of salvation,' Sect. iii. The altar of incense stood in the sanctuary, just before the inner vail; and on it was sacred incense, and nothing else,-see Incense,' p. 3. The altar of incense and the altar of burnt offering were solemnly consecrated with sprinkling of blood, and unction of oil; and their horns yearly tipped with the blood of the general expiation. The altar of burnt offering stood in the open court, at a small distance from the east end of the tabernacle, or temple: on it were offered the morning and evening sacrifices, and a multitude of other oblations. To it criminals fled for protection. 13. Thy prayer. His prayers in general. We may rather suppose that his prayer was for the deliverance of Israel by the expected Messiah. [It is not likely that himself and his wife, being so old, could have any expectation of a son.] John. The grace or favour of the Lord. 14. And thou shall have joy and gladness, kai Botal xapa co, he will be joy and gladness to thee.' 4] 15. Shall be great. Herod, who beautified the temple, was called 'Great' among men: but the son of the poor priest serving in the temple, and to be brought up in obscurity, was to be called 'great in the sight of the Lord;' i. e. God shall regard him as truly great.-See Mt. xi. 7-15, § 29, our Lord's testimony to John-at Nain. Drink neither wine. The kind of wine used in Judæa was a light wine, often not stronger than cider in this country. It was the common drink of all classes of the people. The use of wine was forbidden only to the Nazarite, Nu. vi. 3. As John was to preach repentance and self-denial, so he was to be a pattern of both. Strong drink. Distilled spirits were not then known. The art of distilling was discovered by an Arabian chemist, in the ninth or tenth century. Europe and America have been the places where this poison has been the most extensively used; and there it has degraded and ruined millions, and is yearly sweeping tens of thousands, unprepared, into a wretched eternity. There is no scourge, whether pestilence or war, so fatally destructive of the best interests of man, nor any custom so paralysing to all benevolent exertions. to train the young in the love and fear of the Lord, as the use of distilled and fermented liquors. Through their use, thousands of almost broken-hearted mothers, who would delight to send their children to the sabbath school, are compelled to keep them, clothed in rags, confined in their squalid homes. The strong drink among the Jews was probably fermented liquor obtained from dates, figs, and the juice of the palm, or the lees of wine, mingled with sugar, and having the property of producing intoxication. Shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, &c. Shall be divinely designated or appointed to this oflice, and qualified for it by all needful communications of the Holy Spirit. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be illuminated, sanctified, and guided by his influence. [It refers to an actual fitting for the work from the birth, as was the case.-See Je. i. 5, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."] 16. Children of Isr. Descendants of Israel or Jacob. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. 12 ver. If Zacharias, a righteous man, was troubled at the sight of the angel of the Lord, bringing a message of peace, how will the wicked tremble at the presence of the Lord, when he cometh in flaming fire to punish the despisers of his word! 13 ver. Those who, like Zacharias, are the Lord's remembrancers, need not fear. Their prayer shall be heard. The answer of prayer, as in the case of this man of God. may sometimes be deferred only that it may be the more signally answered.-What we should most earnestly desire in the present time, THE PRAYER OF THE UPRIGHT is that which John,' the name of the child promised to Zacharias, represents, the grace of the Lord.' 14 ver. We should rejoice more especially in such favours as will be the occasion of rejoicing to others. 15 ver. Self-denial, and want of the wealth, and honours, and pleasures of the world, however looked upon by man, are not inconsistent with greatness in the sight of the Lord. [Those who are employed in preparing others for the coming of the Lord, should seek to be themselves. filled with the Holy Ghost.] IS HIS DELIGHT.-Prov. xv. 8. VIOLENCE COVERETH THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED.-Prov. x. 11. 11. ALTAR OF INCENSE. the pattern:-Ex. xxx. 1-5. 1, an altar to burn incense upon: thou make it,' &c. And thou shalt make of shittim wood shalt position and use :-6-10 ver. 6, And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 7, And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8, And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 9, Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. 10, And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements; once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.-See ch. xxxvii. 25-.8. [9, p. 3. prayers of the saints:-Rev. viii. 3.-See 'incense,' ver. 13. FEAR NOT. same to Abram :-Ge. xv. 1-see p. (5), second column. to Israel:-Is. xli. 10, .3, .4. 10, Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.' 13, For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 14, Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and 7e men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.'-xliii. 1, 5. 1, But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.' to Mary:'-Lu. i. 30, § 2, p. 9-see Scr. Illus.,' p. opp. spoken by Jesus as our high priest:-Rev. i. 17, And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.' PRAYER. SON. [i. 9, 11, 26. for children: Isaac,' Ge. xxv. 21.- Hannah,' 1 Sa. its power in removing curse, &c.:-Ja. v. 13-8-see p. (8). promised to Abraham:-Ge. xviii. 10, .4. 10, And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.' 14, Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.' to the Shunammite:-2 Ki. iv. 14-7. 14, And he said, What then is to be done for her?' &c. CALL HIS NAME. importance attached to names:- Adam,' likeness, Ge. v. 1-3. 1, This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God male he him; 2, male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. 3, And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.'-' Eve,' iii. 20, And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.'-' Cain,' gotten, or possession, iv. 1, And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.'- Seth,' placed, or appointed, ver. 25, 'And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. Noah,' comfort, or rest, v. 29, And he called his name Noah, saying. This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.'-'Abram,' great father, xii. 1-3. 1, 'Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2, and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3, and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Abraham,' father of a multitude, xvii. 5, Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many na tions have I made thee.'- Melchizedek,' xiv. 18, And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God'comp. with He. vii. 2, To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace.'-'Isaac,' laughter, Ge. xxi. 3, 6. 3, And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.' 6, 'And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.'-' Jacob,' heeler, or supplanter, xxv. 26, ... and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.'-xxvii. 36, And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.' Israel,' prince of God, or, he that prevails, or, overcomes, xxxii. 28, And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.' Jacob's sons:Reuben,' see a son, Ge. xxix. 32, And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.' Simeon,' hearing, ver. 33, And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD bath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also and she called his name Simeon.'- Levi,' joined, ver. 34, And she conceived again, and hare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. Judah,' praise, ver. 35, And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. Dan,' judgment, xxx. 6, And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.'-Naphtali, wrestling, ver. 8, And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. Gad, troop, ver. 11, And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.'- Asher,' happy, ver. 13, And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed and she called his name Asher. Issachar,' hire, or reward, ver. 18, And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Is sachar.' Zebulun,' dwelling, ver. 20, And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.'- Joseph,' add ing, or increase, ver. 24, And she called his name Joseph; jamin,' son of the right hand,' xxxv. 18, And it came to and said, The LORD shall add to me another sou.'-' Benpass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.' JOHN, 'grace of the Lord.' sent to declare this:-see § 7, p. 49-taught men to manifest the same in their conduct:-Lu. iii. 11, § 7. p. 53 -is the character of the dispensation he came to introduce: Jno. i. 16. 7, § 7, p. 48-the grace of the Lord as spoken of by his father-Lu. i. 68-79, § 3, pp. 16-.8. to the great promised salration and blessing of his people, 15. GREAT. [§ 7. p. 54. John acknowledged Jesus as mightier:-Mk. i. 7, 8, the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than John: -Lu. vii. 28, § 29. [his name.' a great nation :-Ge. xii. 2-see ver. 13, supra, call NEITHER WINE. the Nazarite:-Nu. vi. 2-4. 2, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: 3, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. 4, All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk." Samson-Ju. xiii. 4-7. 4, Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 5, for, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. 6. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name: 7, But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive,' &c." John lived a Nazarite:-Mt. iii. 4, § 7, p. 51; xi. 18, § 29. FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. required in the Christian:-Ep. v. 18, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.' promised to Israel:-Eze. xxxvii. 14, And shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.' FROM HIS MOTHER'S WOMB.-See Scrip. Illus.,' p. opp. 1 17. Go BEFORE. predicted:-Mal. iii. 1, Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.' as Elijah:-Mal. iv. 5, 6-see p. (6), ch. iv. fulfilment :-Jno. i. 1934 9 10, pp. 6870 POWER OF ELIJAH. prophesies concerning rain:-1 Ki. xvii. 1. convinces the people that The Lord he is God:'—1 Ki. xviii. 17-40, .6. threatened by Jezebel:-1 K1. xix. 2, Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.' brings fire from heaven upon those whom Ahaziah sent to apprehend him:-2 Ki. i.; comp. Lu. ix. 54, § 59. divideth Jordan, and is taken in a fiery chariot by a whirlwind up into heaven:-2 Ki. ii. effectual in prayer:-Ja. v. 17-see p. (8), ch. v. John was not the very person of Elias:-Jno. i. 21, .5, § 10, p. 68. 21, 'And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 25, And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?' yet was the Elias that was for to come :-Mt. xi. 14, § 29. TO TORN THE HEARTS. directed multitudes to the God of Abraham, in simplicity of faith and practice :-Mt. iii. 5-10; Lu. iii. 7-14, § 7, p. 52. to Jesus as the Lamb of God:-Jno. i. 29, 36, § 10, pp. 69, 70. as the bridegroom: Jno. iii. 29, § 13, p. 89. WISDOM OF THE JUST. the wise shall understand:-Ho. xiv. 9, Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.' Christ made unto us wisdom:-1 Co. i. 30, 'But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.' the wisdom from above...Ja. iii. 17, But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.'-The just are those who, like Abraham, submit to the wiedom of God in the gospel: Rom. iv. 20-.5. 20, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21, and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22, And therefore it was impnted to him for righteousness. 23, Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, If we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.'--True wisdom regards the recompence to be enjoyed at the resurrection of the just: He. xi. 13-.6. 13, These al died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14, For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15, And truly, if they had been mindful of the country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16, But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.' MAKE READY. Hezekiah and people prepared:-2 Ch. xxix. 36, And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.' call to be ready :-Lu. xii. 40, § 63, Be ye,' &c.-Mt. xxiv. 42-4, § 86, Watch,' &c.-Rev. xvi. 15, Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.' the bride made ready:-Rev. xix. 7, 8. 7, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8, And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.'-xxi. 2, And I John saw. the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.' 18. WHEREBY SHALL I KNOW, &c. Abraham asked a sign :-Ge, xv. 1-8. GENESIS XV. After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great 2 reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my 3 house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one 4 born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine 5 own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and 6 he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for 7 righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give 8 thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD, 9 whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: ll but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them 12 away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great 13 darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and 14 they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt 16 be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity 17 of the Amorites is not yet full. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed 18 between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto 19 the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, and 20 the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, 21 and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. xvii. 17-see ver. 7, p. 3, ، well stricken. Gideon:-Ju. vi. 36-40. 36, And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37, behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. 38, And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39, And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. 40, And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.' GABRIEL, 'man of God,' or God is my strength.' appeared to Daniel:-Da. viii. 16, And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.'-ix. 21-3. 21, Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22, And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 23, At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.' to Mary:-Lu. i. 26, § 2, p. 9, 'And in the sixth,' &c. 20. BECAUSE THOU BELIEVEST NOT. Moses and Aaron:-Nu. xx. 12, And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.' A lord at Samaria:-2 Ki. vii. 1-20. God faithful notwithstanding:-2 Ti. ii. 13, If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." THE HOPE OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE GLADNESS: BUT 18 before him in the-spirit and power of Elias, to-turn the-hearts of-the-fathers to thechildren, and the-disobedient to the-wisdom of-the-just;" to-make-ready a-people prepared for-the-Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall-I-know this? for I am an-old19 man, and my wife well-stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto-him, I am Gabriel, that stand in-the-presence of God; and am-sent to-speak unto thee, and 20 to-shew-thee these - glad-tidings. evayyeλioαobaι σOL TAUTA. And, behold, thou-shaltbe dumb, and not able to-speak, until the day that these-things shall-be-performed, because ave' v thou-believest not my words, which shall-be-fulfilled in their season.? εις τον καιρον αυτών. MARGINAL READINGS:-P My God is the Lord. Righteous (plural). things. t Unto the time of them. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. 17. go before-predicted, Mal. iii. 1-as Elijah, iv. 5, 6-fulfilment, Jno. i. 19-34, § 10. power of Elijah, 1 Ki. xvii. 1; xviii. 17-40..6; xix. 2; 2 Ki. i. ii.; Lu. ix. 54, § 59; Ja. v. 17-John was not the very person of Elias, Jno. i. 21, .5, § 10-yet was the Elias which was for to come, Mt. xi. 14, § 29. to turn-directed multitudes to the God of Abraham, in simplicity of faith and practice, Mt. iii. 5-10; Lu. iii. 7-14, § 7-to Jesus as the Lamb of God, Juo. i. 29-36, § 10-as the bridegroom, Jno. iii. 29, § 13. wisdom of the jusi, Ho. xiv. 9; 1 Co. i. 30; Ja. iii. 17; Ro. iv. 20-.5; He. xi. 13-.6. To evangelize to thee these ready-Hezekiah and people prepared, 2 Ch. xxix. 36-call to be ready, Lu. xii. 10, § 63; Mt. xxiv. 42-4, § 86; Re. xvi. 15-the bride made ready, Re. xix. 7, 8; xxi. 2. 18. whereby-Abraham asked a sign, Ge. xv. 1-8; xvii. 17-Gideon, Ju. vi. 36-40. Gabriel-man of God,' or God is my strength,' appeared to Daniel, viii. 16; ix. 21-3-to Mary, Lu. i. 26, § 2, p. 9. 20. because thou believest not-Moses and Aaron, Nu. xx. 12-a lord at Samaria, 2 Ki. vii. 1-20-God faithful notwithstanding, 2 Ti. ii. 13. NOTES. 17. Shall go before him. Before the Messias, or the Lord Jesus-see Mat. xi. 11, § 29, p. 225. In the spirit and power of Elias. As possessing the same prophetic spirit, and commissioned with similar authority. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. The restoration of mutual affection uniformly accompanies true religion. It is part of the character of the irreligious to be without natural affection. -See Ro. i. 31, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.' God, such as Abraham and David, have delighted in this hidden wisdom, in Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.] To make ready a people. By shewing them what they were in the sight of God, and what they ought to become. Thus preparing them for his free offer of salvation, by proving their want of that mercy and divine grace, which might enable them to walk before God in righteousness and holiness. The three persons in the Godhead seem to be re ferred to in ver. 14-7. John was to be filled with the Holy Ghost; he was to turn many of the children [The disobedient. The people who had, because of of Israel to the Lord their God,' i. e. the Father; and their disobedience to the law, been called Back-with regard to the Son, in whose sight he was to be sliding Israel;' and who were given a bill of divorce great,' he was to go before him in the spirit,' &c. and sent away out of the land, but who were to be In the presence of God. An image borrowed from espoused to the Lord, according to the gospel, Je. iii. the customs of oriental courts, where he is said to 8-12. 8,And I saw, when for all the causes whereby stand before the king, who has always access to the backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her royal presence; it may, therefore, be interpreted, a away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treache- favourite minister.' So to stand before God, signifies Tous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the that he was honoured or favoured by God; permitted harlot also. 9, And it came to pass through the light- to come near him, and to see much of his glory-see ness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and com 1 Ki. xvii. 1. Elijah said unto Ahab, As the,' &c. mitted adultery with stones and with stocks. 10, And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not And am sent, &c. The angels are ministering spiturned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, rits, sent forth to those who shall be heirs of salva tion. saith the LORD. 11, And the LORD said unto me, The He. i. 7, 14. And of the angels he saith, Who backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of treacherous Judah. 12, Go and proclaim these words fire. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?' Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.' Ho. ii. 14-20, wherein Christ is shewn to be made of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. All that have been truly just before Because thou believest not, &c. This was both a sign and a judgment: a sign that he had come from God, and that the thing would be fulfilled, and a judgment for not giving credit to what he had said; it was wisely ordained to fix the attention of the Jews on the promised child. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. 17 ver. We should set before us the example of those who have been eminently serviceable in the cause of God. [Few, like Elijah, have been willing to endure much for the truth's sake; for which we have now the example of a greater than Elias or John, even of Him who endured all things for us. The great preparation required is, the preparation of a people for the Lord. The reconciling of men, one to another, in the Lord, & the bringing them back to the simplicity, in faith and practice, of those who were truly just before God, are among the best preparations for the coming of the Lord.-Those who would sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God, must walk in the steps of faithful Abraham.] 19 ver. The very appearance of the angel was a sufficient sign that the word of promise would be fulfilled to Zacharias. [The first appearance of Jesus, the angel of the covenant, is to us a sufficient sign that all covenant mercy will be bestowed.] [20 ver. However long delayed the things promised may have been, those that stand in the presence of God and know his mighty power can, with assurance, testify that the words of God will all be fulfilled in their season.] God requires of us that we should not be unbe lieving as to unfulfilled prophecy; we should know his revealed purposes, and look forward to their fulfilment. God punishes unbelief, even in those who are truly righteous in his sight. WISE MEN LAY UP KNOWLEDGE.-Prov. x. 14. [5 THE EXPECTATION OF THE WICKED SHALL PERISH. Prov. x. 28. GOD SHEWS MERCY TO THE FULL; 21 And the people waited-for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried-so-long in the 22 temple. And when-he-came-out, he-could not speak unto-them: and they-perceived that he-had-seen a-vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto-them, and remained 23 dieμeve speechless." And it-came-to-pass, that, as-soon-as the days of his ministration were-accomplished, he-departed to his-own house. (G.3.) The Conception of John the Baptist. Luke i. 24, .5. Hill Country of Judea. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, 25 saying, Thus hath the Lord - dealt with-me in the-days wherein he-looked-on me, to-take-away my reproach among men. MARGINAL READINGS:-"Deaf and dumb. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. 22. vision first vision recorded, Ge. xv. - God 25, thus hath the Lord dealt with me-Naomi was spake in them to Jacob, xlvi. 2-visions and dreams, dealt bitterly with whilst the Lord was leading her Nu. xii. 6-Balaam, xxiv. 4-Daniel, ii. 19-Ananias, into great blessing, Ru. i. 20; iv. 15.-See He. xi. Ac. ix. 10-Cornelius, x. 3-Paul, xvi. 9; xviii. 9. NOTES. 21. Waited. For his coming out, to be blessed by him, as was the custom of the priest to do.-See Nu. vi. 23-.6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,-21, The LonD bless thee, and keep thee:-25, the LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:-26, the LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, & give thee peace.' Marvelled. Wondered. The priest, it is said, was not accustomed to remain in the temple more than half an hour. 22. They perceived-for he beckoned. He made signs, he nodded assent to what appeared to be their impression. Had seen a vision. The word vision' means sight, appearance, or spectre, and is commonly applied to spirits, or to beings of another world. 23. As soon as the days of his ministration, &c. As soon as he had fulfilled the duties of the week. [It might have been supposed that the extraordinary occurrence in the temple, together with his own calamity, might have induced him at once to leave his place, and return home. But his duty was in the temple. His piety-his strong sense of the imperative nature of obedience-prompted him to remain there in the service of God. He was not unfitted for burning incense by his dumbness, and it was not proper for him to leave his post.] 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me. Alluding to the painful dealing of God as to her husband's inability to speak, which sobered the joy she would naturally feel at being given a child. She felt that, although specially blessed, she was under the chastisement of the Lord, in Zacharias' punishment. To take away my reproach. Among the Jews, a family of children was counted a signal blessing; an evidence of the favour of Gud. See Le. xxvi. 9; Ps. cxiii. 9; cxxviii. 3; Is. iv. 1. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. 23 ver. When under chastisement, we must patiently continue in the performance of duty. Perseverance in the service of God is the best way to have our afflictions removed, and to lighten them while they continue. [Public worship is but a part of our duty; the domestic circle claims much of our time and care.] [24, .5 ver. When God sees it meet to temper mercy with judgment, as in the case of Elisabeth, who was so dealt with, as to her husband, whilst she was being given a son, we should, like her, humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and be thankful for the grace bestowed.-Correction is no sign of the Lord's having forsaken his people; the time of His hiding may be the time of ripening mercy.] ADDEND A.* EVANGELISTs, p. 1. Evangelists. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are called The four Evangelists,' in a special sense, being the messengers, heralds or preachers, and the writers of the Narratives of our Lord's Life, &c. MATTHEW, (sig. The Gift,) surnamed Levi, the son of Alpheus. He was a Jew, and a publican or tax gatherer. Jesus called him from the receipt of custom, and he left all, rose up, and followed him, see § 22. He was chosen to be an Apostle,-see Matt. x. 3, § 27; and is supposed to have remained in Jerusalem, with the rest of the apostles, until after the council recorded in Acts, xv. ch., (A.D. 42;) about which time he wrote his gospel in Hebrew for the Jewish converts who remained in Judæa after the dispersion of the mother church, when all the apostles, except James, departed on their evangelizing mission. A Greek translation of the same gospel was made by Mark. It is supposed Matthew took Ethiopia for his lot, and there suffered martyrdom. Matthew presents Christ to us as our Prophet; as HE who was sent of the Father, to reveal to us a knowledge of the kingdom of heaven, which is the gift of God,' in Christ Jesus. He speaks much about the reward of the righteous in the world to come. He has the most frequent reference to Christ's fulfilling or confirming the words of the prophets; and our Lord's prophetic discourses are more fully given in this gospel. MARK (sig. Cleansing'). He was converted by the instrumentality of Peter, who (1st Ep. v. 13) styles him his son. The internal evidence of this gospel proves him to have been a Jew, intimately acquainted with the language, idioms, and topography of Palestine. He is thought to be the young man alluded to, Mark xiv. 51, 2, § 88. He is supposed to have written his gospel at Rome as the interpreter of Peter. The frequency of Latin terms and phrases, clothed in Greek, prove it to have been designed not for Jews, but for Roman converts in particular. The Mark mentioned in the Acts, and at Col. iv. 10; 2 Tim. iv. 11; Philem. 24, Mr. Greswell thinks is not the same as the reputed convert of St. Peter. It is a character of Mark's gospel, that where Matthew is full, Mark is concise, and vice versa. Mark dwells more on the miracles, or power, of HIM who is our King and our example of service. LUKE (sig. 'Light-giving'). He is the writer of this gospel and of the history of the Acts of the Apostles. The first intimation of his connexion with the propagation of the gospel is at Acts xvi. 9--18, in the account of St. Paul's second mission, and when he was arrived at Troas: where the use of the plural number plainly indicates that the writer of the Acts' was in company with St. Paul. From Col. iv. 14, Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you,' we learn he was a surgeon or physician, beFor the fifth grade chiefly. 6] DUTIES CANNOT HAVE TOO MUCH DILIGENCE, NOR TOO LITTLE CONFIDENCE. AND YET REMAINS FULL OF MERCY. |