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SERMON I.

THE GENEALOGY OF CHRIST.

MATTHEW 1. 1.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham.

THE Gospel of St. Matthew commences with an account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ; that is to say, a list of those persons through whom his descent was reckoned, from Abraham, to Joseph, his mother's husband. For though He was not really the son of Joseph, yet was He at the first supposed to be so. (See Luke 3. 23.) And had He been really Joseph's son, He would not have been legally reckoned of David's lineage unless Joseph had belonged to it as well as Mary. For the Jews reckoned their genealogies only by the husband's side. So that, for their satisfaction, it was well to shew that Joseph,

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"the husband of Mary," (ver. 16.) was lineally descended from David. And besides, by the law of Moses, and by the practice of the Jews, the husband and wife were so closely connected in tribe and kindred, that the ancestors of one were sure to be ancestors also of the other. Thus was this genealogy, both in the estimation of the Jews, and in matter of fact also, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ.

First, then, let us observe how carefully it is here recorded, how absolutely it is by the genealogy proved, that Christ Jesus did really, and truly, take on Him our nature; that Son of God as He was, He became also, in the most strict sense of the words, the Son of man. This, I say, is very clearly established, by these opening verses of St. Matthew's Gospel; which describe the whole lineage of his family, and represent to us in the most lively manner his descent through the successive generations of mankind.

And herein we see further, that in taking on Him our flesh, He connected Himself with men living, not only in all

the different periods of the world, but in all the different ranks and stations of society. Amongst the names here mentioned, we have on the one hand kings and patriarchs; but on the other we have Joseph, who was known as "the carpenter." (See Matth. 13. 55.) And we may hence very justly conclude, that in the person, whose connexions were thus varied, we have all of us, whether rich or poor, whether high or low, a common interest, an universal Saviour. And from this readiness of St. Matthew to mention the most humble individuals in the kindred of our Lord, we may learn further how foolish, how sinful it is, in any of his disciples, to be ashamed, or neglectful, of their poorer relations.

Again, we may observe that in this list of names, besides many which are illustrious for their piety, there are some which are rather notable by reason of their sins. And this is especially the case, in regard to the instances, in which the mothers are here mentioned. Thus Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar, a transaction most

disgraceful to both parents; wherein however the patriarch was constrained to confess, "She hath been more righteous than I." (Gen. 38.26.) And "Salmon begat Booz of Rachab," whom both St. Paul and St. James call the harlot." (Heb. 11. 31. James 2. 25.) And "Booz begat Obed of Ruth;" who, as a Moabitess, was a stranger in Israel; and to the Jews therefore might be a stumblingblock in the lineage of their Messiah. And, lastly, "David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;" the very person, in regard to whom he had most grievously transgressed. Here then we see how our blessed Lord came, not only to wipe out the reproach of our sinfulness, but to do so, by taking that reproach upon Himself. Here we see how truly He was made" in the likeness of sinful flesh;" (Rom. 8. 3;) submitting to an earthly parentage, which was tainted in various instances with our manifold offences. Pure He was and spotless in Himself; and yet He disdained not to have counted in his genealogy the chief of sinners. For our

sins He came; and, in some sort, through our sins; that we might the better know, and the more deeply feel, that He came for them, and hath taken them on Himself.

And here it should be noted, that there are found also in this lineage of our Saviour instances, no less eminent of that piety, which it was the great object of Christ's coming to promote. We have here Abraham, the father of the faithful. We have Jacob, of whom it is written, in God's word, "as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (Gen. 32. 28.) Nay even in the four cases already mentioned as affording either objection to the Jews, or scandal to all, it is observable that they supply also illustrious patterns of that repentance, and faith, and holiness, which Christ in the Gospel enjoins.

Many things there thus are in this genealogy worthy of our devout attention. Many things there are to reward our diligent study, and to convince us, that with such study, there is no passage of Scrip

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