ham. The Book of the Generation, fignifieth no more than the Writing containing the Genealogy or Pedegree ; for OY called all Wri- ungs, Boks, Thus, er. 32. 10, 11. The Evidence of a purchaſe is
called the Book. So Iſaiah, 50. 1. and Hark 10. 4. the Writings
called a Bill of Divorce are both in the Hebrew and the Greek called, |
Vol. IL,
a Book of Divarce. Thus in Ecclefiaſtical Courts ſtill, the term Libel ( which ſignifierh a little B51þ ) 1s uſed ; fo as theſe words, are nor ro be lookt upon as the Title ro rhe whole Gofpel according to St. Matthew, but only co the following Pedegre? of our Saxuour's Anceſtors. [ of Feſus Chriſt ] Of char Perton ro whom the name ot Feſus was given by the Angel, as we ſhall hear further, v. 20. 21.
Becauſe he ſhould ſave his People from their ſins, ( tor Zeſus, as allo
Foſhuah, ſignifies a Saviour or Deliverer) and who allo was che Chriſt, or the Meſſiah, propheied of by Daniel, Dan. yg. 2<, 26. expetted by the Fews, as doth appear from ob. 1. 41, for Meſſh and Chriſt de- nored che ſame Perton, 7oh.4. 25. only Meſſiah was an Hebrew word, and Chrift of Grezþ excraQtion, both fignitying Anointed, and to do note God's defignarion of a Perſon ro the Otfice of a Prieſt, a Prophet, or a King, The Chrift fignifieth . deſignation to all three. | The Son
Y | of
"x —
— , E” , - - AIG. : = : = = I »
Chap: I;
* 2 Sam.!7> I 2.
of David, the Sn of Abraham.) Not the immediate Son of either, but by a long TraduQion, lineally deſcended from both. Abra- ham was long betore David; but 1s here put after him; either be- cauſe he was a King , or becauſe the Fews expetted Meſſtih, was to be the Son of David : Or becauſe the Evangeliſts Detign was to begin rhe Pedegree from Abraham , whom he therefore laſt men- tionerh. Both are named, becauſe both were concerned in the Promiſe of Chriſt. It was made to Abraham, Gen. 12. 3. and 22. 18. and to David renewed, and enlarged, Pſal. 89. 35, 37. Hence it appeareth, that the Fews looke that Chriſt ſhould be the Son of David, Matth. 24. 42. Mar. 12.35. Hence the Evangeliſt puts David in the Front. From Abraham the Fews derived themſelves : they uſtally Gioried, they had Abraham to their Fzther. The Evan- geliſt, by ptoving Chriſt ro have deſcended from Abraham by Tfaac, proveth him an Hebrew of the Hebrews, and to be deſcended from the Sced ro whom the Promiſe was made; and by proving him the Sn of David, he proves him David's righteous Branch, or Branch of rightenſmeſs, mentioned Fer. 23. 5, 5. & 33+ 15+ and 10 to have deſcended trom the Royal Family.
2 Abraham begat Iſaac, and Ifaac begat Jacob, and Tacob begat Judas and his Brethren.
The Evangeliſt reckoneth the Genealogy of our Saviour, by three Periods; reckoning thrice fourteen Deſcents. The firſt Period be- gan in Abraham, and ended in David. The ſecond began 1n $0- lorton, and ended in Fehojachim. The third began with Fehyjachim, and ended in Chriſt, Luke (as we ſhall fee in irs place ) tercherh our Saviour's line, from Adam. From Abraham to David, there 1s no difference berwixt Matthew and Luke : They bcth reckoned up the ſame fourteen Perſons, Luk. 3. 32,33.34+ Bur Luke repeating our Saviour's Pcdegree by his Mother's fide , and Matthew by his ſuppoſed Father's fide , Foſeph, after David they muſt differ, Mary deicending from D.wvid's Family by his Son Nathan, Foſeph de- ſcending from him by Solomon. "All Interpreters agree that there are great Difficulties about the Genealogy of Chriſt, (eſpecially 1n reconciling Matthew and Luke. And the Enemies of Chriſtianity have in all times made their advantage of them, to weaken cur Faith as to the Goſpel; bur Chriſtians-ought ro conſider, 1. That the Fews had without doubt perfedt Genealogies ;, and were more eſpe- cially cxa@ in keeping them as to the Royal Tribe of David, which was 7ud.h, and the Prieſtly Tribe of Levi, that they might have a right King , and High Prieſt ; and it cannot be expected thar aiter ſeventeen hundred years almoſt , we ſhould make our Genealogres, as they could. 2. That they were very apt to make Strifes, about Words, and endleſs Genealogies. As appears by the Apoſtles caution- ing both Timothy and Tits againſt it, Tim. 1. 4. QF 6. 4. Tits 3. 9.
. That it had been a ſufficient exception againſt Chriſt, if they could
pave proved he had not lineally deſcended from David. 4. That tho they cavilled at Chriſt for many things, yer, they never made any ſuch Cavil. $. That we are forbidden Strife, and endleſs Labour about Ge- nealogy. And therefore ir is the moſt unreaſonable thing imagina- ble for us to make ſuch little Diffatisfations, Grounds fur us to queſtion, or disbelieve the Goſpel, becauſe we cannor unty ever knot vie meet with in a Pedegree; bur in this firſt Period, no ſuc DiFculties occurr. Both the Evangeliſts are agreed, and the Old Teftament 22rees both: That Abraham begat Iſaac ({ when he was an hundred years o!d ) we are afſured by Moſes, Gen. 21. 2,5. That Tſaac begat Facob, he alſo te!leth us, Gene 25. 26. So alſo that Facb begat Zudas and his Brethren, Gen. 29435+ Fudah was Facob's fourth Son by Leah, and that Son of whom dying Zacob propheſfied, That him ſhnuld his Brethren praiſe, and to him ; wy wh his Father's Children bow down. That the Scepter ſhould not depart ffom Fudah , nor the Law.giver from between his Feet , until Shiloh came ; and unto him ſhould the gathering of the People be, Gen. 49. 8,9, 10. Tho' Saul, who was the firſt King of 7/rael (given them in wrath) was of the Tribe of Benjamin, 1 Sam. 9g. 21. yet David was of the Tribe Fudah, in whoſe Line the Kingdom held unto the Captivity. (And his Brethren) the Brethren of Judah,are here mentioned, being the Heads of the 7ewiſh Nation : Chriſt deſcended from 7udah.
And Judas begat Phares and Zarah of Tamar, and
Phares begat Eſrom, and Eſrom begat Aram.