Note, None can tell future Events, but they who are fent by God; and when any predicted Events do not hap pen, is certain, that Prophet fpoke his own Imaginations, and he had no Inspiration from God.

Note, In Verfe the 4th Zachary is called a young Man,

CHAP

CHA P. III.

The Vifion of Joshua made High-Prieft, and crowned; the Promife of the Meffiah, the Eaft; God's Affiftance in building the Temple promised to Joshua,

GOD

OD fhew'd Zachary, Fofkua (or Jefus) the High Prieft, ftanding before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan ftanding at his Right Hand to refift him. The Devil had excited Sanballat and the Samaritans to hinder the Building of the Temple and City; for which the Angel, who is called Lord, faid to Satan, The Lord reprove thee, who hath chofen FeruSalem, because it had fuffered abundantly, and was as a Brand pulled out of the Fire. By this we are inform'd, how much the Devil hinders all good Defigns, which the Angels promote, and they pray to God against him, without any railing Reflections.

V. 3. Joshua was clothed with filthy Garments; but the Angel commanded them to be taken away, and declar'd that he had taken away his voies, or unlawful Garments, and they put on him a High-Prieft's long Garments, (odpn) put upon him a clean Mitre, (xapy) or Prince's Hat.

V. 7. Then the Angel declared, that God Omnipotent would make him Judge in his House; and that he should keep his Courts, and govern the Jews, if he would walk in his Precepts.

V.8. Then Jefus is commanded to hear who was made the High Prieft, and thofe Governours who were under him; because they are Men who can observe this Prodigy. Behold I will bring my Servant the Eaft. Here the Coming of the Meffiah is declared to the High-Prieft, and his Sanhedrim, who was to come to the Temple, that was then building. Here the Meffiah was called the Eaft; becaüfe his Star was to appear in the Eaft at his Birth. And the High Priest and the inferiour Priefts are called on to obferve this Prodigy of

his

his Star: So that 'tis not improbable, that from this Prodigy, Traditionally interpreted, the Magi had the Knowledge that this Star in the Eaft predicted the Birth of the Meffiah. Luke, Ch. 1. 'tis faid, In quibus nos vifitavit oriens ex alto. Joshua is a Prieft crowned, and as a Type of Chrift, is called the Eaft. Ch. 6. v. 12. he is called, the Man of the Eaft: but here, The Meffiah is my Servant the Eaft, who is to be brought to the Temple, as Malachi fays; and this will be a Prodigy.

V. 9. I have laid a Stone before Joshua: and these are the Materials for Building made ready for him: Upon one Stone fhall be feven Eyes, many fhall carve them; behold I will dig the Foundation, Ch. 1. (that is, begin the Building.) Thus the Lord by Zachary, encourages the going on of the Building, and promiles his Affiftance, and that he will remove the Iniquity (or Defolation) in one Day; that is, fpeedily, or in that Dedication Day, when all fhall rejoice and feaft, with their Wine and Fruits; that is, under their Vine and Fig-trees. The Seven Eyes may be a Cupola on the Temple, with fo many Windows; and that intimates the Finishing of the Tems ple, as the Trench does the laying the Foundation.

CHA P. IV.

Zachary's Vifion of the Golden Candlestick and Two Olive-Trees, which represent the Service begun in the Temple re-built.

V. 1.Hitherto Zachary was in a Prophetick Dream, as Efdras was; and the Angel awaked him, and gave a Vision of a Golden Candleftick, with a Bowl on the Top of it, and feven Lamps thereon, and feven Pipes to the feven Lamps which were on the Top thereof, and two Olive-Trees by it on the right Side and left of the Bowl.

V. 5. The Angel then spoke to Zachary, who called him Lord; and faid, This is the Word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, Not by great Power, but by my Spirit, Zerubbabel fhall reduce the great Mountain of Rubbish into a Plain and he fhall bring forth the Head-Stones thereof with Shouting, crying Grace, Grace; (that is, the Carving is gracefully carved, and fuits with the others carved gracefully ;) God's Spirit fhould direct Zerubbabel in finishing the Work, as well as laying the Foundation. The Head-Stone is called the Stone of Inheritance, which is the laft laid when the Building is finifhed, and fit to be inhabited; and for this end Zerubbabel fhould know, that God fent Zachary to him. Whosoever hath defpifed the (mall Beginnings of the Building, fhall rejoice when the Perpendicular is in the Hands of Zerubbabel, with those seven Artificers, who are called the Eyes of the Lord, which run too and fro through the whole Earth. These Seven are those that fearch all Judea for Materials; or elfe thefe Eyes are a Cupola, or feven Spires fet upon the Temple, and feen from all Places.

V. 14. The Two Olive Trees are the Two Anointed ones, representing Joshua and Zerubbabel, who will take care of the Service of the Temple, and its Lights; and for that reason are called filii pinguedinis: They ftand by the Lord of the whole Earth: And the Candlestick reprefents the Temple fi · nished, wherein the feven Lamps must burn.

The

The feven Eyes may be the Overleers of the Building: For Jofephus fays, thro' the Diligence of the Overseers, (which he names) the Temple was finish'd sooner than was expected, Lib. 1. of his Antiquities.

Some imagine, that seven Eyes were graven on one Stone, to fignifie God's Providence over that Nation; and this placed on the Top of the Temple to be feen every way.

CHAP,