PREFACE. HAVING myself often felt the want of some variety for family Scripture reading, and also the difficulty of finding anything concise enough, and, at the same time, well adapted for such a purpose, I have been tempted to try and arrange, from the works of many eminent Divines, a short explanation of the Gospels, which I have divided into readings for daily use. I hope it may be found useful to some few heads of fami-. lies; at all events, this occupation has enabled me to fill up many sleepless hours, which otherwise would have been most tedious and wearying during my season of affliction and sorrow; and by pondering upon God's Holy Word, I trust it has been the means of my bearing with greater submission the will of my heavenly Father, and of preparing me for that blessed change to which I so anxiously look forward. May the grace of God so rest upon this work that it may bring many others to that happy state, especially my dear children, to whom this is most affectionately dedicated. THE GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW. THE MATT. i. 1-17. HE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; and Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naason; and Naason begat Salmon; and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; and Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; and Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; and Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; and Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; and Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: and after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; and Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazer; and Eleazer begat Matthan; and Matthan begat B Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. THE writer of this Gospel, St. Matthew, was also called Levi. He was the son of Alpheus, but probably not of that Alpheus who was the father of the Apostle, James the Less. He was a native of Galilee; but it is not known in what city he was born, or to what tribe of the people of Israel he belonged. Although a Jew, he was a publican, or taxgatherer, under the Romans; and his office seems to have consisted in collecting the customs due upon commodities which were carried, and from persons who passed, over the Lake of Gennesareth. Our Saviour commanded him (as he was sitting at a place where he received these customs) to follow Him. He immediately obeyed, and from that time became a constant attendant on our Saviour, and was appointed one of the twelve Apostles. After the ascension of our Lord, he continued with the other Apostles to preach the Gospel for some time in Judea; but as there is no further account of him in any writer of the first four centuries, we must consider it as uncertain into what country he afterwards went, and likewise in what manner, and at what time, he died. In this genealogy of Jesus Christ, Abraham and David are particularly mentioned as being His ancestors, because to them the promises of the Messiah had been especially made. To Abraham, that of a Son in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed;' and to David of a Son whose reign should be eternal. And here we see how our blessed Lord, in submitting to an earthly parentage, disdained not to have reckoned among His ancestors the chief of sinners. |