John Trapp on Zechariah 7:1

CHAP. VII.

Verſe. 1. IN the ſourth yeer of King Darit[illegible: 1 letter]s] Two yeers and a month after the former ſermon. The word of the Lord was precious in thoſe dayes: T[illegible: 2 letters] Lod gave the word: Pſal. 68.11. but it cannot be ſaid that great was the company of thoſe [illegible: 1 letter]hat pr[illegible: 1 letter]ach[illegible: 1 letter]a it; during the Captivity they complained that there was no more any Prophet; neither any among them that knew how long their mi[illegible: 1 letter]ery ſhould laſt. Soon after their return, God ſtined them up Haggie, and Zachary; and after that Malachy: and then there was Chathimath chazon, as the Jewes ph[illegible: 1 letter]afe it, a ſealing up or end of Propheſie. Onely they had Bath-gol as they calt it, a voice from heav[illegible: 1 letter]n ſometime, as Mat. 3.17. Ioh. 12.28. This and the pool of Betheida only were left them as extraordinary fignes of Gods love to that people. But for a puniſhment of their killing the Prophets (as they did this Zachary between the Porch and the Altar) and ſtoning thoſe that were ſent unto them (as they did the other Zachary the ſon of Jehojadah) they had no more Prophet[illegible: 1 letter],Mat. 23.37. till the Archprophet, and his forerunner the Baptiſt came. And now alſo by thi[illegible: 1 letter] long vacation of two yeers and a month, it appeareth that Preachers were rare, and that ſermons they had but ſeldome. Neither was it otherwiſe here in England at the firſt reiormation: for to many churches (for want of Preachers) Readers were ſent. Whence one of the Martyrs wiſhed that every able Miniſter might have ten Congregations committed to his charge, [illegible: 1 word] Cant. 180. till further proviſion could be made.

the word of the Lord came unto Zachariah The Lord is ſaid to come to Balaam, Abimelech, Laban &c. But he never concredited his word to theſe proſane perſons; as he did to the holy Prophets, of whom it is ſaid as here, The word of the Lord came unto them.

in the fourth day of the ninth month] which anſwereth to our November; why the preciſe time of the propheſies is ſet down, See the Note on Hag. 1.1.