Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

First, Suppose it granted, that the Genealogy recorded by Matthew be properly the § 14 Genealogy of Joseph, what madness is it to imagine that avowedly proposing to manifest Jesus Christ to have been of the family of David, and premising that design, in the title of his Genealogy, he doth not prove and confirm what he had so designed, according to the Laws of Genealogies, and of the legal just asserting any one to be of such a tribe or family. No more is required for the accomplishment of the promise, but that the Lord Jesus should be so of the family of David, as it was required by the Laws of Families and Genealogies, that any person might belong unto it. Now this might be by the legal marriage of his Mother unto him who was of that family; for after that contract of marriage, whatever Tribe or Family she was of before, she was legally accounted to be of that Family, whereunto by her espousals she was engrafted. And of that Family, and no other, was he to be reckoned, who was born of her, after those espousals. Now that the reckoning of Families and Relations among the Jews by God's own appointment, did not always follow Natural Generations, but sometimes Legal Institutions, is manifest by the Law of a man dying without Issue: for when the next Kinsman took the Wife of the deceased, to raise up seed unto him, he that was born of the Woman, was by Law not reckoned to be his Son by whom he was begotten, but was to be the Son, and of the Family of him that was deceased, to bear his name, and inherit his estate, Numb. 36.6. And this legal cognation, Luke seems to intimate, chap. 1.27. Where he says, that the Mother of Jesus was espoused unto a man whose name was Joseph, of the Family of David; there being no reason to mention his Family, but that the Genealogy of his Wives Son was to relate thereunto. And if this were the Law of Genealogies, and legal relations unto Tribes and Families, as evidently it was, Matthew recording the Genealogy of Joseph, to whom the blessed Virgin was espoused before the birth of Jesus Christ, doth record his, according to the mind of him who gave both Law and Promise, and upon this known Rule of Genealogies, and legal relations, may Matthew proceed in his recital of the pedigree of Joseph, and profess thereby to manifest, how Jesus Christ was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.

First, Suppose it granted, that the Genealogie recorded by Matthew be properly the § 14 Genealogy of Joseph, what madness is it to imagine that avowedly proposing to manifest Jesus Christ to have been of the family of David, and premising that design, in the title of his Genealogy, he doth not prove and confirm what he had so designed, according to the Laws of Genealogies, and of the legal just asserting any one to be of such a tribe or family. No more is required for the accomplishment of the promise, but that the Lord Jesus should be so of the family of David, as it was required by the Laws of Families and Genealogies, that any person might belong unto it. Now this might be by the legal marriage of his Mother unto him who was of that family; for after that contract of marriage, whatever Tribe or Family she was of before, she was legally accounted to be of that Family, whereunto by her espousals she was engrafted. And of that Family, and no other, was he to be reckoned, who was born of her, after those espousals. Now that the reckoning of Families and Relations among the Jews by God's own appointment, did not alwaies follow Natural Generations, but sometimes Legal Institutions, is manifest by the Law of a man dying without Issue: for when the next Kinsman took the Wife of the deceased, to raise up seed unto him, he that was born of the Woman, was by Law not reckoned to be his Son by whom he was begotten, but was to be the Son, and of the Family of him that was deceased, to bear his name, and inherit his estate,