A26960:119
More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second…
More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second appendix to the Reasons of the Christian religion being I. an answer to a letter from an unknown person charging the Holy Scriptures with contradictions, II. some animadversions on a tractate De Veritate, written by ... Edward Herbert, Baron of Cherbury ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1672
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, Your first Case is of Mat. 1. 8, 9. Joram begat Uzziah, &c. Answ. Here are two difficulties to be resolved; First, whether Joram begat Uzziah, (called also Azarias.) Secondly, why Matthew leaveth out Ahazariah, Joas and Amaziah.
First, Your first Case is of Mat. 1. 8, 9. Joram begat Ozias, &c. Answ. Here are two difficulties to be resolved; First, whether Joram begat Ozias, (called also Azarias.) Secondly, why Matthew leaveth out Ahazariah, Joas and Amaziah.
And for the first is it not strange that you should number this with contradictions? Are we not all called the Children of Adam? and Abraham called the Father of all the Jews? Is there not a mediate as well as an immediate Generation and Progeny? Is not causa causae, causa cavsati? Did not your Great Grandfather beget you in causa, while he begat him who begat him, who begat you immediately? What more common among the Hebrews, than to call Posterity the Children of their Ancestors. Even Christ is called The son of David? And use is the master and expositor of words. And you were born too late, to teach either God or the World, in what sense to use words so many hundred years ⟨p. 59⟩ago? This Language was well understood by them that used the like.
And Secondly, For the next question you must understand the scope of an Author and his undertaking, if you will understand his words. Matthews design was not to name every person in all these periods of time, from whom Christ descended; But first to show for Memory sake, how the line of Christs Progenitors may be mentioned by three fourteens in three several periods of time: one from Abraham to David, and one from David to the Captivity, and one from thence to Christ: Therein commemorating as many as God was pleased hereby to make memorate, to their honour, and to show the truth of the descent of Christ from Abraham and David. Secondly, And God is not bound to give us a reason, why he omitteth any of their names: But this probability is obvious, that seeing Matthew would for memory keep himself to the number of fourteen, none were fitter to be left out than the Posterity of Athalia, and so of Ahab and Jezebel; which God hath foretold