other?--the answer of expositors is not so unanimous. Some understand the
last coming of Christ, in the glory of his Father, and holy angels, to
judge the quick and the dead. This cannot stand with ver. 34, "He shall
purify the sons of Levi, and purge them," &c.; but at the last judgment it
will be too late for the sons of Levi to be purified and purged, or for
Judah and Jerusalem to bring offerings unto the Lord, as in the days of
old.

Others understand the first coming of Christ. And of these some understand
his incarnation, or appearing in the flesh; others take the meaning to be
of his coming into the temple of Jerusalem, to drive out the buyers and
sellers (Matt. xxi. 10-12), at which time all the city was moved at his
coming. This exposition hath better grounds than the other, because the
coming of Christ (here spoken of) did not precede, but soon follow after
the ministry of John Baptist, and therefore cannot be meant of our
Saviour's incarnation, but rather of his appearing with power and
authority in the temple. But this also falleth short, and neither
expresseth the whole nor the principal part of what is meant in this text;
for how can it be said that the prophecy which followeth, ver. 3, 4 (which
is all of a piece with ver. 2), was fulfilled during Christ's appearing
and sitting in the temple of Jerusalem? or how can it be conceived that
the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem were pleasant to the Lord at that
time, when the Gentiles were not, and the Jews would not be brought in, to
offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness? So that whether we
understand by Judah and Jerusalem the Jewish church or the Christian, this
thing could not be said to be accomplished while Christ was yet upon
earth. And in like manner, whether we understand by the sons of Levi the
priests and Levites of the Jews, or the ministers of the gospel, it cannot
be said that Christ did, in the days of his flesh, purify the sons of Levi
as gold and silver.

I deny not but the Lord Jesus did then begin to set about this work. But
that which is more principally here intended, is Christ's coming and
appearing in a spiritual, but yet most powerful and glorious manner, to
erect his kingdom, and to gather and govern his churches, by the ministry
of his apostles and other ministers, whom he sent forth after his
ascension.

Of this coming he himself speaketh, Matt. xvi. 28, "Verily I say unto you,
There be some standing here which shall not