genealogical steps, which were really more numerous than those mentioned. See by all means his Panastratise Catholicae, vol. iii. b. 18, ch. 2. Very lately also John Frederick Frese- nius has produced a commentary on the thrice fourteen gene rations of Matt, i., which not only exists in a separate form, but has also been inserted by his brother with equal advantage into his fifth pastoral collection from John D'Espagne.1 The very Programm itself employs words which accommodate themselves to my opinion in spite of their author ; for at p. 24 he says, — " By the gradual evolving of the Divine promise,2 the complete time which had elapsed from GOD'S entering into covenant with Abraham was divided into three periods, nearly equal in length, if you reckon that length by ages of men." He is right in employing the word Ages (Aetates) ; for the equality consists properly in the number of ages intimated by the number of generations expressed ; whereas the actual number of genera tions, some of which are expressed and some omitted, is some what larger than that of those which are expressed. Such being the case, the numbers stated in Holy Scripture invite the diligent reader to arithmetical calculations, nor can they safely be treated with contempt where they accord with the matter under consideration. The Hebrews frequently express numbers of years by generations. Away with Jewish Ingenuity ! away with Cabalistic Sagacity! Christian research will rightly endea vour, if not to attain to, at least to follow after, the sagacity of the Evangelist, mentioned in the Programm (p. 25.) It may easily be supposed that the Programm, delivered on a solemn occasion in a celebrated spot, must have found many more readers than this my explanation. I trust, however, that it may confer some little advantage on some few readers ; and it is better to induce even one man to search after truth, than to estrange many from a single trace of it, however slight.
18. ToS de Xpiffrou 75 yevvqais O'-JTU:, %v, The generation, however, of
1 John d'Espagne lived in the 17th century.
He wrote, besides other works, Essay des merveilles de Dieu 1'harmonie des temps, published at Geneva, 1671. — (I. B.)
2 " Promissionis Divines Gradatione," literally, " By the Gradation of the Divine Promise," i.e. by the several stages of its evolution to fulfilment.