Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 1:16

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

We have a natural Ambition to be great, but it is only to be great in the sight of Men, thence one Man coveteth Riches, another Honours, and Reputation, but the true greatness is to be great in the sight of the Lord, who doth certainly judge with the truest and most infallible Judgment. In Gods sight he is a great Man, of whom God maketh a great use, especially in turning many Souls to himself. Consider Iohn separately from his Work, and the Concurrence of God with his Work, he was a very little Man, and so looked upon, by the Pharisees and Rulers, who would not believe in him. His Father was an ordinary, Priest. For Titles and Dignities, he had none, Iohn the Baptist was his highest Title. For his Clothing, he was not Clothed in soft Rayment (as Princes Chaplains) he was Clothed with a Skin, with Camels Hair, and had a Leathern Girdle about his Loyns, yet Christ saith of him, Among those that were born of Women, there had not risen a greater than John the Baptist, he had no Palace, no Stately Habitation, he lived mostly in desert Places little Inhabited. Nature was his Cook, that provided him Locusts and wild Honey. Where was his greatness, but in this? He was a great, and faithful Preacher of the Gospel; and God Blessed his Labours to convert Souls. They are little Men, that do little of the Work, for which God hath sent them into the World, and do little good in their Generation. He shall drink neither Wine nor strong Drink by strong Drink is meant any Drink which ordinarily intoxicateth. This was the Law of the Nazarites, Num. 6.3. It was forbidden the Priests during the time of their Ministration upon pain of death, Levit. 10.9. No lovers of Wine and strong Drink can be great Men in the sight of God. The Minister of the Gospel must not be one given to Wine, 1 Tim. 3.3. Titus 1.7. And he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his Mothers Womb. This is true, both as to Prophecy (which is an extraordinary Gift of the Holy Ghost) and also of the Holy Ghost considered as a Sanctifying Spirit[illegible: 1 letter] renewing the Heart. For many of the Children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. Then it seems there is another Conversion besides the Conversion of Men from Paganisme. Iohn (with the assistance of the Holy Ghost) was an Instrument to turn many of the Israelites, who already Verbally owned the true God, but were Drencht in Errors and Superstitions, and loosness of Life, to the Lord their God, by Repentance, and this he did by Preaching both Law and Gospel to them. This made him a great Man, for Dan. 12.3. They that turn many to Righteousness, shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever.

Marginal references: Malachy 4.