But let us now come to our present text, which not with words only, but also with a certain force pierceth the hart, and poureth into it love, pleasure, joy, gladness, &c. As if an Angel should now come from heaven, and say unto us miserable and condemned wretches, after this sort: Behold O man, thou hast sinned, wherefore thou hast deserved to be condemned for ever. (This being heard the hart must needs tremble.) Now although all this be true, yet nevertheless God of his grace hath mercy upon thee, & sendeth to thee a Saviour, as he promised to Abraham and his seed. Be of a good cheer, and give thanks to God. Lo, here is the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, who is the son of ⟨p. 40⟩David, the son of Abraham, so that this is not only done, but also written, that thou mayst be certain thereof: Neither will he, neither can he deceive: believe only, and thou shalt have all things. Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth David before Abraham, although the promise was first made to Abraham, and came afterward to David, which promise made to David the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad, and did by it comfort the people. As in the 11. chapter of Isaiah, where the Prophet saith thus: There shall come a rod forth of the stock of Jesse, and a graft shall grow out of his root. Jeremiah likewise saith thus chap. 23. Behold the time cometh, saith the Lord, that I will raise up the righteous branch of David, which king shall bear rule, and he shall prosper with wisdom, and shall set up equity & righteousness again in the earth. And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophets, which they foretold of David, that his kingdom should be raised up, as yt Angel also declared unto Mary, when he said:1 The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, 2& he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom shall be none end. Wherefore Matthew thought good here to set David first as the better known, & next unto him, Abraham, unto whom the promise was first made, as Mary in her song saith: He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our fathers, Abraham & his seed for ever. And that promise is now performed, and in this our text described, as we shall see hereafter. S.
But let vs now come to our present text, which not with words only, but also with a certeine force pearseth the hart, and poureth into it loue, pleasure, ioy, gladnes, &c. As if an Angell should now come from heauen, and say vnto vs miserable and condemned wretches, after this sort: Behold O man, thou hast sinned, wherfore thou hast deserued to be condemned for euer. (This being heard the hart must needes tremble.) Now although all this be true, yet neuertheles God of his grace hath mercy vppon thee, & sendeth to thee a Sauiour, as he promised to Abraham and his seede. Be of a good cheere, and giue thankes to God. Loe, here is the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ, who is the sonne of ⟨p. 40⟩Dauid, the sonne of Abraham, so that this is not onely done, but also written, that thou mayst be certaine thereof: Neither will he, neither can he deceiue: beleue onely, and thou shalt haue all things. Now it is to be noted that Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham, although the promise was first made to Abraham, and came afterward to Dauid, which promise made to Dauid the Prophets did afterward publish more abroad, and did by it comfort the people. As in the 11. chapter of Esai, where the Prophet sayth thus: There shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Iesse, and a graffe shall growe out of his roote. Ieremie likewise sayth thus chap. 23. Behold the time commeth, sayth the Lord, that I wil raise vp the righteous braunch of Dauid, which king shall beare rule, and he shall prosper with wisedom, and shall set vp equitie & righteousnes againe in the earth. And many other such prophecies there are to be found in the writings of the Prophetes, which they foretold of Dauid, that his kingdom should be raysed vp, as yt Angell also declared vnto Marie, when he sayd:1 The Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid, 2& he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome shall be none ende. Wherefore Matthew thought good here to set Dauid first as the better knowne, & next vnto him, Abraham, vnto whom the promise was first made, as Marie in her song sayth: He remembring his mercy hath holpen his seruaunt Israell, as he promised to our fathers, Abraham & his seede for euer. And that promise is now performed, and in this our text described, as we shal see hereafter. S.
- 1Luke 1.32.
- 2Why Matthew setteth David before Abraham. Luke. 1.54.Why Matthew setteth Dauid before Abraham. Luke. 1.54.
