And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
Ver. 1. And the Lord visited Sarah.] God pays not his people with words only, as Sertorius did his soldiers, a He fools them not off with fair promises, b as Ptolemy (surnamed therefore Dωσων) did his favourites; but is real, yea, royal in his promises and performances. Of many promisers it may be said, as Tertullian of the peacock, all in changeable colours: as oft changed as moved. Italians all; as Aeneas Sylvius said of Italy; Novitate quadam, nihil habet stablile. Not so their ancestors, the Romans. They had a great care always to perform their word; insomuch, that the first temple built in Rome was dedicated to the goddess Fidelity. Great men's words, saith one, are like dead men's shoes: he may go barefoot that waits for them. Not so good men; they will stand to their oath, though it tend to their loss. Psa 15:4 They are children that will not lie. Isa 63:8 Their Father is a God that cannot lie. Tit 1:2 He is the God of Amen, as Isaiah calleth him; Isa 65:16 and "all his promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus," 2Co 1:20 "the faithful and true witness". Rev 3:14 Judah would not break promise with the harlot, lest he should be shamed. Gen 38:23 One of the laws of the knights of the band in Spain was, that if any of them broke his promise, he went alone by himself, and nobody spake to him, nor he to any. When God serves any so, let him be so served. But the promises are ancient. Tit 1:2 And not any tittle of them, as yet, ever fell to the ground. Wherefore, "gird up the loins of your minds, and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought unto you". 1Pe 1:13 "Faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it". 1Th 5:24
a Zonaras.
b Pollicitis dives quilibet esse potest. - Plutarch.