12. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

13. And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

14. And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud :

15. And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

16. And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17. So all the generations from Abrahain to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

It was according to prophecy that Christ should be of the seed of Abraham, and particularly of the house and lineage of David; and therefore it was necessary to set this point in a clear light by a recital of his genealogy.*

18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

Joseph's character is here placed in an amiable light. His sense of justice and regard to the law could not suffer him to live with her as his wife, after the discovery which probably she made to him of her being with child; his good-nature, joined to what he saw in her, and perhaps

St. Matthew derives his pedigree by Joseph, his supposed father, St. Luke by Mary, his mother, from David; Heli, mentioned in Luke iii. 23, as the father of Joseph, being in reality the father of Mary. For, Matt. i. 16, Joseph is called, and was, the son of Jacob, and therefore could only be the son of Heli by marriage; which also appears from the writings of the Jews, who spake of Mary as the daughter of Heli; see Bengelius. And both genealo.. gies put the matter out off all doubt that Christ was David's son.

some degree of credit which he gave to her account of the matter, prompted him to put her away in the gentlest and kindest manner. We may suppose he was full of doubts till God relieved him from his perplexity.

20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:

He could have no satisfaction in the case but by a divine testimony, and therefore had it. Do thou also receive it with simplicity of belief. This is making a right entrance into the history of our Lord, and in this disposition we shall go on happily with our reading.

20. For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

The new birth of every child of God, we are expressly told, is by the same Spirit, John iii. Look narrowly at the words and actions of Christ, to know what the Holy Ghost must and will be in you, miracles excepted. Aiming at this likeness in the power of a true faith, is being a Christian; all else is unprofitable hearing.

21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

His own willing people, accepting him as their Jesus to save them from the guilt, punishment, and power of their sins; making atonement for sin by his death, and removing it from the heart. All who are saved are saved as sinners, and only by him. This text stands in the front of the New Testament as the ground-work of the whole, and all that follows is only a further opening of it. Therefore! understand the sacred import of the name Jesus. Frame a perfect idea of his office in the world, and in you. You, too, must call his name Jesus from your own experience. Consider yourself as a guilty, helpless creature, perishing in sin; and then every word he spoke, and every miracle he wrought, will draw you to him for the salvation you want, and can have only in and from him.

VOL. I.

N

22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth

a son,

It must be done because it was foretold; and it was therefore both foretold and fulfilled, that we might expect some great thing from this miraculous, divine conception. How great we never could have imagined, if the next words. had not told us. Think what a treasure the Scripture is, and what high things it brings to our knowledge!

23. And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

God joined to the human nature, that by this union we might be joined to the divine, and partakers of its blessedness. God with us, in the grace of remission, and the power of his Spirit, that in the sense of so great a mercy, we might be with him in heart, will, and affection, for our redemption by him.

24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

The divine command put an end at once to all his doubts and scruples. Here was a good heart; here is our example but we do not want direction immediately from heaven in all points of duty; we have it in the Scriptures.

25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born

son:

The words do not necessarily imply that he did afterwards, or had children by her; and the general current of antiquity is against it.

25. And he called his name Jesus.

Not only in obedience to God, but through faith in the name. O Jesus! be thou our Jesus, our Emmanuel. Be with us now, and always, in the power of thy holy

name, and bless the work we are about, to our present comfort and everlasting salvation.

SECTION II.

Chap. ii. verse 1-23.

WISE MEN COME TO CHRIST.

1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

By what kind of wisdom or knowledge they were led to take this journey we cannot certainly say; and perhaps it can only be accounted for by supposing them to be under a divine, supernatural guidance and direction.

2. Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

What was a king of the Jews to them, if they were not brought to the knowledge of his universal, spiritual kingship? What is it to us, if we do not unfeignedly acknowledge him under that title, as our Lord and our king? Whatever they meant by the word worship, we know what kind of worship is due to Christ. We too have a stur, a brighter star than they had, "the day-spring from on high," the light of the Holy Scriptures, to guide us to him; and it is our own fault if he himself does not shine into our own hearts. O! come, come to him with faith, and longing for all his benefits. What can you say this very hour? Are you come, or are you not?

3. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

The Jews understood their prophecies so well, as to expect the Messiah just about that time. And therefore it

is no wonder that at so strange an event as the coming of these men at this critical season, and the account they gave of it, all Jerusalem should be troubled, i. e. moved, or variously affected; Herod and his party fearing the loss of his kingdom, others with hopes of a deliverer, and all mistaking his business in the world. Let us also be moved; and so moved as to inquire carefully into the one great design of his coming.

4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

They knew from the prophet Micah that Christ must be born there. Before his coming the point was clear to them beyond contradiction; but, when they found he did not answer their expectations by appearing among them as a temporal prince, this circumstance was no longer regarded. See what worldly hearts can do to wrest the truth from us, and darken the plainest passages of scripture!

7. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

Herod stands upon record for his craft and policy to get and preserve his kingdom, and we have a flagrant instance of it in this chapter. Thy heart abhors his cruelty; but dost thou worship the child Jesus in truth and sincerity?

9. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.