mentioned in v. 14.) but a Demonſtrative, referrinz to the Son of Iſaiah Shear-jaſhub, whom God, v4 3. commanded tine Propher, go- ing to meet 4hax to carry with him, who (probably) vas a very oung Child. Sairh the Prophet, Here 1s a liccle Chtid whom God th Commanded me to brinz wich me: Before rhis Child be much older, this Land which chouart ſo much afraid of, ſhall be quicted of both thoſe Kings, who have now ſome Pofleſfion of it : For at this time, 2 Kings 16. 6. Kezin had taken Elath, a Ciry of Fudah and doubtleſs he and Pekah had taken divers places, for they were come up to 7eruſalem ir felf. And indeed if this be nor the Senſe, it is very hard to conceive to what purpoſe God commanded 1/41 ro rake Shear-jaſhub with him, 1/a. 7. 3. when he went upon this Errand. $0 that, v. 14. remains as a Prophecy reſpeQing the Mej- fiah only, and given not tor any relict of unbelieving Abat as to his preſent Diſtreſs, bur for ſome relief ro God's People among the Fews, with reference to their Poſteriry. This will appear a much more probable Senſe rhan theirs, who think that Maber-ſhatel-haſh- baz is the Son mentioned, v. 14. whom we read of, 7a. 8. 3. who was born to 1/ajah of the Propheteſs, who, ſome think, was ar this time a Virgin, and was a Type of Chriſt ; for the Scripture doth nor tell us whether that Propheteſs was a Virgin, or a Widw: net- ther was it any great wonder, thata Virgin, being married, fhou! conceive, and bear a Son: Nor had this been any reliet ro Abax, as co his preſenc Diſtreſs; for this Virgin (if ſhe were ſuch) was yer to be matried, to conceive and beara Son; fo that according ” tha
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thar Notion, we muſt allow three or four years, before Ahaz could have expeed rehef. This is turther advancaged by thar paflage, T\z. 8.18. Beh2!d T and the Children which the Loyd hath given me are for Signs : Nor the Child, bur the Children. Shear-jaſhub was tor a Sin of God's deliverance of the Fews trom thoſe two Kings; a- her-(bal.:l-haſþ>az was for a Sign of the DeſtruRtion cf che Iſraelites, within free years, and alſo of Syria, which tell out atterward. Thus, V.1.: remains a lireral Prophecy of Chriſt; for the Jewith Interpre- tacivn of ic concerning Hczekiah (born fifreen years atter) 1t 15 £00 ridiculous ro be mencicned.
24 Then Joſeph being raiſed from ſleep, did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wite. ; |
25 And knew her not, until ſhe had brought forth her firſt born Son; and he called his name Jeſus.
The Will of God (as we heard) was revealed to 7iſeph 1n 4a Dream. It is God that giveth a Power to fleep, and a Power to awabe : Therefore it is 1aid, being raiſed from ſ{zep : He ſhewed both his Ezith and Obedience; his Faith in the Divine Revelation; a Cer- tainty of which he had, doubrlcſs, by ſome extraordinary Divine Impretſion ; and his Obedience to the divine Precepr, 11 thar, He roob unto him his Wife ;, that is, he tock her unto his tloute (tor be- trothed Virzins uſed to abide ar their own Friends Houles, ill the Conſummarion of the Marriage) and owning her as his Wie, yet not fully uſing her as ſuch; for the Text faith he hnew her not (a m::deſt Phraſe uſed from the bexinning of the Werid, as appears from Gen.g.1. ro expreſs the Conjugal AQ) tiil ſhe had brought forth her fir/t-born Son. Some make a greac ſtir 1n derermining, whether he knew her afterwards, Jea or na; Some of the Ancients Were ſtiff in their Opini::n, thar he did not; ſfoarethe Popiſh Writers, and many Froteftunt Interpreters. Mr. Calvin, Ithink, derermines beſt; That none will move fuch a Queſtion, bur ſuch as are unvarrant ably cur ri2us 3 nor contend for either part, bur ſuch as are unre./) onably quas- rel/ame. For ason the one fide, none can conclude char ſhe had more Children from the word Until, further than they can con- clude from ſl. 110. 1. that Chriſt ſhall mt fir ever fit at Þis Fa- ther's rizht hand ;, (che word Until being a Paracle only excluſive of a preceding time, not affirming the thing 1n turure time.) Nor doth che term, Firſt-born conclude any born afterwerd : So, on the other fide, there are no cogent Arguments to prove, that 3fary had no more Children by 7Fijſ2ph, We read of che Brother of our Lord, Galath. 1. 15. and of his Mother, and his Brethren, Matth. 12. 47. And tho' it Lc true, Brethren may fiznifie Xirſmer, according tO the Hebrow Diale&; vet thar it doth [> in theſe Texts,cannct be prov'd. The Holy Ghoſt had made uſe of rhe //irzin tor the Produ@tion of the Meſa ; why atter this her Womb ſhould be ſhur up, and 7o- ſeph rake her home to be his Wite, and nor uſe her as ſuch, I cat- not tell; nor yer, what reproach it could be to Mary, Cr to Our Sa- viour, Marriage being Ged's Ordinance, and the undefiled Bed h1- murable; and thofe who think our Saviour would have been di-
honoured in any others lying in the lame Bed afrer him, ſeem to forger how much he humbled himfeif in Tying in that Bed firſt, and then in a Stable, and a Manger : We know he knew her not till Chriſt was born; whether he did aft-rward or no, we are wil- lingly ignorant, becauſe God hath nor rold us. And he called his
name Jeſus : This is added to declare his Obedience to the Com- mand reccived by the Angel. We ſhall meer with more Circum- ſtances relaring to the Birtn of Cliriſt, when we come to the rwo
firſt Chapters of Luke.
CHAP.IE
Wiſe Men of the Eaſt, direfted by a Star, come 13 Fernſalem, to know where Chriſt ſhould be barn. Herod being troubled, 1—3, He corſult- eth the Prieſts about the Place of his Birth, and ſendeth them to Beth- lehem; and to bring him word, 4—10. The wiſe men finding the Child and his Mother, worſhip, and offer him gifts : Warned of God, return nt to Herod, but to their Country another way, 11—12, Gd appearing to J-ſeph, biddeth him t9 flee into Egypt with Teſus and his Mother. The time of his abode there, 13—15. Herod, in his rage, billeth all the Children of Bethleherr, 16—18. After his Death, F + ſeph, by God's Command, returneth again with the young Child and his Abther into Galilee, and dwelt at Nazareth, 19—23.
+ Luk, 2. I. O W when * Jeſus was born in Bethlehem of
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