jefus of Nazareth theonly True andTrom[edMefiah: :2t3 it reafonablc that any man without Reafou, Tcflimony, Evidence, or Record, to give them countenance, timid call into queltion, dif- believe and deny the things wir- neffed Unto, and written by Muir. It, is known what they will artfwer unto this demand, ánd thereby they will flop their own mouths, as to therefufal ofour record in this matter, fo that this exception which amounts to no more but this, that the Jewsbelieve not'theGofpel, and thatbecaufe they willnot, needs no particular con- fideration, it being that whichwe plead with them about in all thefe our difcourfes. And as untoour pwnFaith it is fecured by all there Evidences which we give of the facred Authority ofthe Writings ofthe New Teftament. But moreover they except inparticular, that neither of the Evangeliffs do eitherof 4 t î. fert, or-prove indeed that our Lord jefus did fpríng from the family of David. - For whereas theyalert, and Chriftians believe, that he was bornof the Virgin, Mary, with- ' out coujundtionlbf man, and that Mph was only reputed to behis Father, becaufehis Mother was legally efpoufed unto,him, both Genealogies belong unto Jofiph alone, as is evident from the begmmugoftheone, and theend of theother. Now the Lord 7e- fias beingnot related unto Jnfeph, but by the legal contrail of his Mother; he cannot be efteemedin his right to belong tinto the family of David. This is pleaded by many ofthem, as alfo they take notice of the difficulties which have exercifed many Chri- ttians in the reconciliation of tlag filveral Genealogies recorded by the two Evangelifir; onto all which exceptions, we 'than briefly reply; and take them out of our way. hirft; Suppofe it granted, that the Genealogie recorded by Matthew be properlythe 4. t4. Genealo of /AM, what madnefs is it to imagine that avowedly propohng to ma, nifèlt JefusChriJE to have been of the family ofDavid,. and premifrng that delign, in the title of Genealogy, he doth not prove and confirmwhat he had fo defigned, ac- cording to,the Lawsof Genealogies, and ofthe legal juil al erting any one to be of filch a tribe or family. No more is required for the accomplifhment of the promife, but that the Lord jefus thould be fo of the family of David, as it was required by the. Laws of Families and Genealogies, that any perfon ;night belong unto it. Now this might beby the legal marriagèofhis Mother unto himwhowas of that family } for after that contrai of marriage, whatever Tribeor Family the was of before, the was legally accounted to:be of that Family, whereunto by herofoufatsthe was engrafted. And of that Family;and noother, was he to be reckoned, who was born of her, after thole efpoufals. Now that the reckoning of Families and Relations among the Jews by God's Own appointment,' did not alwaies followNatural Generations, but fometimes Legal Inffitutiimr, is martial by the Lawof aman dying without due : for when the next Kinfman took the Wife of thedeceafed, to rail up feed. unto him, he that was born of the Woman, was by Law not reckoned to be his Son by whom he was be, Often, but was to be the Son, and of theFamily of him that was deceafed, to bear his name, and inherit his eftate,- Numb.; 6. 6. And this legal cognation; Lukefeems to intimate, chap. I. 27. Where he faies, that the Mother of 3efùs was ofoufèdunto a man whofi name was Jofiph, of the Family of David; there being no reafon to mention his Family, but that the Genealogy of his Wives Son was to relate thereunto. And if this were theLaw of Genealogies, and legal relations unto Tribes and Families, as evi, dently it was, Matthew recording the Genealogic of Jofeph, to whom the blefed Vir- gin was efpoufed before the birth of Jefus.Chrift, doth recordhis, according to' the mind of him' whogave both Law and Promife, and upon this known Rule of Genea- logies, and legal relations, may Matthew proceed inhis recital of the pedigree of Jo- feph, and profefs thereby to manifeft, how Jefus Chrift was theSon of David, theSon ofAbraham. Secondly, Although there wasno indifpenfibleneceflìty among theJews, binding them-to marry within their Tribes, itnlefs the Women were inbritrixis, in which cafe provifion was made, that inheritances might not be transferred fromone Tribeunto another, yet it ismorethan probable, thatthebledVirgin Mary was Of the fame Family with Jofiph, and this fo notorioufly known; that feting Genealogies were not reckoned by Women,itor the Genealogies of Women direétly recorded;there was'no' better, or more certain way-of declaring his pedigree, who wasbornof Mary, then bÿ his, unto whom the was fo nearly related. So that on feveral accounts, the Ginea, logy recorded by Matthew, proves Jeffs Chriff to have been of the Family of Da. vid.- Secondly, For Lute, he dothdirei`dly, andof let purpofe, give, ús the Genealogyof the blefdVirgin 'Mary,. the Mother of our LordJefus tòr the line-of his progenitors, which
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