12. MATTHAN who died without Children.

13. JACOB the Legal Son of Matthan.

LUKE.

CHA P. III.

the fon of Aram, which
was the son of Efrom,
which was the fon of Pha-
res, which was the son of
Juda,

34 Which was the fon
of Jacob, which was the
fon of Ifaac, which was
the fon of Abraham,which
was the fon of Thara,which
was the fon of Nachor,

35
Which was the fon
of Saruch, which was the
fon of Ragau, which was
the fon of Phalec, which
was the fon of Heber,which
was the fon of Sala,

JOHN.

14. JOSEPH, Eli's Son and Jacob's Heir.

If you count the number of thofe in the Legal Line, who are mention'd by name as they are extracted out of the Genealogical Book, you will find there were just fourteen who had the Government of the Kingdom of Judah, from the time of Chrift back to the Babylonish Captivity, in which time the Kingdom of Judah fell, and as many from the Babylonish Captivity to David, who was the firft of his Family that wore the Diadem: and there were the like number from David to Abrakam, as will appear by the following Table.

MATTHEW.

CHAP. I.

vid, are fourteen generations: and from David until the carrying away into Babylon, are fourteen generations and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Chrift, are fourteen generations.

And if you

CHAP. III.

36 Which was the fort of Cainan, which was the fon of Arphaxad, which was the fon of Sem, which was the fon of Noe, which was the fon of Lamech,

37 Which was the fon of Mathufala, which was the fon of Enoch, which was the fon of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the fon of Cainan,

38 Which was the fon of Enos, which was the fon of Seth, which was the fon of Adam, which was the Son of God.

JOHN.

afcend from Abraham to Adam, the first man, you will find nineteers Patriarchs whofe names follow.

So that the number of all the men in the natural Line from Chrif to Adam is

LXXII, from whom Jefus of Nazareth defcended.

CHAP.

Before Chrift according to the Vulgar Æra, 4

Јони.

21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcifing of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was fo named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

CHA P. IV.

His Circumcifion. The Coming and Depar-
The Offering of Chrift in the Temple. The
The Song of Simeon. Jofeph's flight
The flaughter of the Infants of Beth-

The first year of Chrift.
ture of the Wife men.
Purification of Mary.
with Chrift into Egypt.
lehem.

EIGHT days after his birth Mary's Son was circumcis'd according to the custom of the Jews, and was nam'd Jefus, as the Angel, who was fent by God to his mother, before his Conception had commanded. Soon after, during the Life of Herod the Great, there came certain Magi (or wife men) from Arabia to Jerufalem, to enquire where they might find the new-born King of the Jews, affirming they had feen an unusual Star in Arabia, by which they understood there was a King of the Jews born, who was worthy to receive the higheft honour from them; and that therefore they were come to worship him. When Herod, a cruel and a jealous Prince,

heard

MATTHEW.

CHA P. II.

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

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

5 And they faid unto him,In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet;

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

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wife-men, enquired of them diligently what time the ftar appeared.

8 And he fent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go, and fearch diligently for the young child, and when ye have found

heard this, he began to fear fome feeds of Sedition would be fcatter'd about by these rumours; nor were the Inhabitants of Ferufalem lefs alarm'd at this declaration of the Wife men. Herod therefore call'd together fuch as were defcended of the chief Priefts, or had themselves difcharg'd that Function, or were chief of the facerdotal Claffes, and fuch of the Sanhedrim as were most famous for Learning, and enquir'd of them in what part of Judea the Meffiah was to be born according to the predictions of the Prophets. They told him that the Mef th must be born in Bethlehem, it having been fo foretold by the Prophet Micah, chap. 5. 2. in these words: Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, tho thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee fhall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Ifrael.

Upon this, Herod fent privately for the Wife men, left the Jews fhould guess at his defign, and made ftrict enquiry of them what time the Star began to appear, by which they understood a King would be born among the Jews, that he might kill the Infant without making any tumult. When they had informed him, he fent them to Bethlehem with a ftrict charge to use their utmost diligence to find out this Child, whofe Reign over Judea was portended by the Star they had feen; pretend