A Defense of the Holy Genealogies, Text
A defence of the holy Genealogies: whoſe ignorance hath greatly hurt the Iewes, and hindered Chriſtianitie.
I HaueHave thought good for the Readers benefite, to adde vntounto your paynes in the Genealogies of Scripture, ſome inſtruction for the vſe of them. AndGods autority. firſt, I hope all godly wyll graunt, that none which are conteyned therein may be ſuppoſed foolyſh or vnprofitable, ſeeing that the gratious ſpirite of wyſedome is autour of them. For all that are in the oldeThe Iewes reuerence. Teſtament, the Iewes acknowledge the wyſedome of God ſo farre, that yf any ſhoulde ſay Man wrought them of humane wyſedome, they condemne him as Godles. And that no leſſe this hath Gods authoritie. The ſonnes of Cham wereGen. 10. 6. Deut. 6. 5. Cuſh, and Mizraim: then theſe wordes: Heare Iſrael, Iehouah our God, Iehouah is one. And Chriſtians muſt thinke no leſſe of ſuch as be in the new Teſtament. Vſes of them be many:Clearenes and ſafety of Religion cannot stande without knowledge in Genealogies. and this a principall, that without dexteritie herein we may ſoone be brought to deny our Sauiour, by miſtaking his family. VVhat harme hath Lyra wrought▪ who woulde not hauehave Nathan ſonne to Dauid, but to Vriah? So our Lorde ſhould come, not of Sem and Dauid, but▪ of Cham. Yet herein he hath been folowed in our notes: whereof ſome be reuoked, & ſome yet abide vnchanged. Our countrey man Lyra, corrupted by ſtudy of malitious Rabbines, and kindlyng ſparkes of ſaythles Iewes, which looke for a pompous kingdome of Salomons family, and hold it a denial of God, to deny that to Salomons family, coulde not conceiue that Chriſte ſhould come of Dauid by an obſcure lyne, whereof neuer anyChristes kingdome holden pompous thorow ignorance of Dauids kingdome. Philem. 1. 10. 1. king. 20. 34. ruled but Zorobabel, and he no longer then to buylde the Temple. This Lyra long deceaued vsus therein: as lykewyſe touching Iechonias, in what ſenſe he ſhoulde beget Salathiel: whether as Paul begate Oneſimus, a ſucceſſour in his kinde for ſo much: and as Baaſa had Achab his ſonne, as the common phraſe of kinges goeth, and likewyſe as Iechonias begate his vncle Zedekias: or in the naturall ſort. Lyra thought him a1. Chro. 3. 15. naturall father, fearing that article of the Iewes which is extant in the Talmud San. from Ramban, article 12. whiche ſtandeth in theſe tearmes. There is no king but of Dauids houſe, and of Salomons family: and who ſo maketh a ſchiſme touching that family, denyeth God, euen the bleſſed God, and the wordes of his Prophetes. If this ſhoulde be graunted them, our Religion were falſe, who ſtay vponupon S. Luke, that bringeth our Lorde from Nathans lyne. Moreouer the othe of God touching Iechonias, that though he were a ſignet vponupon Gods hand, heIere. 22. 24. Hagg. 2. 24. ſhould be pluckt thence & caſt off: if Zorobabel made againe Gods ſignet came of him, that oth of God ſhould be falſified: which thing to thinke of, is moſt horrible For God neuer altered any thing pronounced by an oth. Herin the Iewes dally extreamely, deſpiſing S. Lukes direction: who would hauehave taught them that Salathiel came of Neri, and he of Melchi: whoſe very *Neri, the lyght is mine. Melchi: the King in mine.bare names ſhewe, that a new family looked for the kingdome to come to it, no leſſe then Zachari bringeth Zorobabel to Nathan, naming his family as chiefe vnderunder Dauid. Alſo as the Prophet was called Nathan, who told Dauid fromZecha. 12. 12. God, of Chriſt to ariſe of his loynes: So Dauid gaue no ſmall warning in naming the chylde Nathan, which was next brother2. Sam. 7. to Salomon, that of him Chriſte ſhoulde be. The Iewes frowardnes herein is deadly, and cauſeth their millions to withdraw them ſelues from Chriſtianitie: of which ſinne we are alſo gylty, who thruſt them forwarde, grauntyng theyr doctrine therein true, touching Iechonias and Salathiel: and in Achizia ending the houſe of Salomon. Here obſerue from Iohn Lucidus how in Papiſtry, they had ſmal care of the trueth in this poynt: and agaynſt it take the true Genealogy: now that the Reader may hauehave benefite of his wordes, which in ſome poyntes are good, I hauehave expreſſed them as they lye.
The wordes of Iohn Ludidus.
Dauid the king begate both Nathan and Salomon by his wyfe Berſabe Luke foloweth the line of Nathan: and Matthew the line of Salomon.
The ſucceſſours of the kingdome.
Nathan. 2. Sam. 5. 14. & 1. Chro. 3
Mathat, who was called alſo Ahiſar. 1. king. 4. 6.
out of Luke, and out of Philo.
Mainan.
Melea.
Eliacim.
Ionan.
Ioſeph.
Iuda.
Kinges by ſucceſſion.
Symeon, who was called alſo Ioas and Eliah. 2 king. 11.
Leui, who was called alſo Amaſias. 2. king. 14.
Mathat, who was called alſo Azarias & Ozias. 2. king. 15.
The kinges of Iuda.
Salomon. 1. king. 1. & 1. Chro. 3.
Roboam. 1. king. 12.
Abiam. 1. king. 15.
Aſa. 1. king. 15.
Ioſaphat. 1. king. 15.
Ioram. 2 king. 8.
Ochozias, who was alſo called Ioachaz. 2. Chro. 22. *Not ſo, but in Iechonias. Marke in the forged double names, how many of Solomons houſe are faigned to be of Nathan: and what wyſdome coulde be in S. Luke, yf in ſo weightya cauſe he would name famous kinges by obſcure names.In this man the line of Salomō ended: therefore both Matthew and Luke digreſſeth to the line of Nathā, leauing out three kings. Ochozias, Io…s, & Amaſias. Hence Iohn Lucidus floweth with errours, as you may ſee.
out of Luke, and out of Philo, and Matthew.
Iorim, who was called Iotham. 2. king 15.
Eliezar, who was called Achas. 2. king. 16.
Ioſe, who was called Ezechias. 2. king. 18.
Er, who was called Manaſſeh. 2 king. 21.
Elmodam, who was called Amon. 2. kin. 21.
Coſam, who was called Ioſiah. 2. king 22.
*Iahoahaz was brother to Iehoiakim: as in 2. Chro. 36. 4. But in S. Luk Addi is father to Melchi.Addi, who was called Iehoahaz. 2. king. 23
Melchi, who was called Iehoiakim, or Eliachim. 2. king. 23.
Neri, who was alſo caled Iehoiachim, Ieconiah, & Eliah. 2. kin. 24
Salathiel, who was alſo called Meſhezabeel. 1. Chro. 3. & Nehe. 3. Zorobabel, who was alſo called Borachias, begate Rheſa and Abiud, brethren: who were called Meſhullam & Ananias. 1. Chro. 3. and Nehe. 3.
Luke foloweth the line of Rheſa.
Rheſa, who was alſo calledWhat graceles diſgracing of trueth is this to affyrme ſo many togeather to be knowen by other names. Meſhullam. 1. Chro. 3.
out of Luke and Philo
Ioanna ben Rheſa.
Iuda ſurnamed Hircanus.
Ioſeph, or Ioſephus.
Semei, called alſo Abnci.
Mathathias called alſo Eliah.
Maath, called alſo Aſar.
Nage or Nagit, called Artaxat
Eſh, called alſo Agai.
Naum, called alſo Maſloth.
Amos, called alſo Sciroch.
Mathathias, called alſo Siloa.
Ioſeph, or Ioſephus the younger, called alſo Arſes.
Ianna or Ianueus, called alſo Hircanus the ſeconde.
out of Luke, and out of bookes of Syrians.
Me…chi.
Leui.
Matthat.
Eli, who was called alſo Ioachin, the father of Mary.
Mathew followeth the line of Abiud.
Abiud, who was called alſo Ananias. 1. Chro. 3.
out of the Euangeliſt Matthew.
Eliacim.
Azor.
Sadoc.
Achim.
Eliud.
Eleazar.
Matthan.
Iacob.
Ioſeph the huſbande of Mary, of whom was borne Chriſt.
Luke therefore proſecuteth all the generations which proceede naturally, directly according to the lyne of Nathan. And beganne at the Father of Mary the virgen, who is called Eli, or Ioachin: becauſe he was named with a double name. For Rabbi Haccanes the Hebrew, in his anſwere to the thyrde requeſt of Antonius a Conſul of Rome affyrmeth: That be receiued by reuelation from Elias, that the Parent of the mother of the Meſſias had a double name: the one Eli, the other Ioachin.Arediculous and vaynefable. And afterwarde Rabbi Haccanas ſayth. There was a certayne Mayde in Bethleem of Iuda, whoſe name was Mary, the daughter of Ioachin Eli, of the kinred of Zorobabel the ſonne of Salathiel, of the tribe of Iudah. Thus much he ſayth. Mary therefore was the naturall daughter of Eli or Ioachin: But Ioſeph the huſbande of Mary was the ſonne in law of the ſame Ioachin, and by conſequent was his lawfull ſonne by affinity. For as Mary was in the firſt degree of conſanguinity to her father: ſo was Ioſeph in the firſt degree of affinity to his father in law, ſeeing there was true matrimony betweene Ioſeph and Mary. Therefore S. Luke ſayth, That Chriſte was thought to be the ſonne of Ioſeph, which was the ſonne of Eli. That is to ſay, his ſonne in law, and in the place of Mary he putteth her huſband, according to the cuſtome of the Scriptures. But S. Matthew deſcribeth firſt the generations according to the lyne of Salomon the king, vntyll there was none left of his race: the which kynred faylyng, he is afterwarde compelled to digreſſe into the lyne of Nathan: becauſe of hym were borne the ſucceſſours of the kingdome, as we ſaid before in the 9. chapiter of our ſeconde Booke. And S. Mathew agreeth with S. Luke vntounto Zorobabel. But becauſe Zorobabel,Not in one worde, ſauyng in Salathiel, but both handle ſeueral men, and all from Dauid. who was alſo called Barachias, the ſonne of Salathiel, begate two ſonnes, that is to ſay, Rheſa who was called Meſhullam, and Abiud who was called Ananias. Therefore S. Luke proſecuteth the lyne of Nathan by his ſonne Rheſa, vntounto the father of Mary the virgen: and S. Matthew proſecuteth the ſame lyne by his ſonne Abiud vntounto the father of Ioſeph the huſbande of Mary. Therefore both of them were borne of the ſeede of Dauid by the lyne of Nathan: but Mary is borne by the one branch, that is to ſay, by Rheſa and Ioſeph by the other branch: that is to ſay, by Abiud. Philo the *An Vtopian Hebrew.Hebrew ſheweth vsus theſe thynges: and Iohn Annius in his Commentaries vponupon the abbreuiaries of the ſame Philo declareth them plentifully. Petrus Galatinus alſo deſcribeth this Genealogie in his ſeuenth Booke and twelfe chapter agaynſt the Hebrewes. But in this he erreth, That he agaynſt the trueth, thought that there were two Salathiels, and two Zorobabels: the which he prooueth not. But he may eaſely be confuted by this: in that the lyne of Salomon ended in theNot ſo butin the 18. generation. ſeuenth generation: and in his Genealogie there is no Salathiel nor Zorobabel found. Neyther could Ioſeph deſcend from Salomon, becauſe his race was cut off many yeeres before. But he ſprang from the lyne of Nathan by the ſame Abiud, as Mary ſprang from the ſame lyne of Nathan by Rheſa, as we hauehave ſayd. Salathiel therefore, which is called the ſonne of IeconiasSalathiel is in deede one and the ſame in both Euā gel…ſtes, but Iechonias & Neri are ſeuerall men: the one of Salomon, the other of Nathan and in what ſence Iechonias dying childleſſe, is ſayde to beget Salathiel. That Lucidus marked not. by S Matthew, is the ſame Salathiel which is called the ſonne of Neri by S. Luke, becauſe Ieconias, Neri, and Ioachin Eli, are the ſame men, as Philo witneſſeth. For Ieconias who is alſo ſurnamed Neri, begate Salathiel in Captiuity, of whom Zorobabel was borne: who was the Captayne of the people after theyr delyuery, that is, after the 70. yeeres deſolation of the Temple. VVhen S. Matthew therefore ſayth, And after the carying away into Babylon, Ieconias begate Salathiel. It is not to be vnderſtoode, that he begate hym after the Captiuity, but after the carying away in the time of the Captiuity. For Galatinus vrgeth by argument, ſaying. That there were more generations according to S. Luke, and fewer according to S. Matthew: becauſe deſcending from Rheſa they begate ſooner: And thoſe that were begotten of Abiud, progenerated more ſlowly: therefore they were more, and theſe the fewer in number. Auguſtine in his 16. Booke of the Citie of God and 11. chapter ſetteth downe this reaſon touching other generations, ſaying. Thus, not becauſe Heber was the *The. 70. were not vnderſtood by S. Auguſtine touching Canian, put in more then the Hebrew had.ſixt from Noah, and Nimrod the fourth: therefore they coulde not liue at the ſame tyme. For this falleth out, that ſeeing they lyue longer, where there are fewer generations: and leſſe tyme, where there be more deſcentes: that eyther they were borne later where there were fewer, or ſooner where there were more. If Peter Galatinus had fully read the whole obſeruation of Philo, and the Comentarie of Ioannes Annius vponupon the ſame, without queſtion he woulde not hauehave fallen into this errour: But Galatinus declareth the reſt aright, which pertayne to this Genealogie. There is therefore no diſagreement founde betweene S. Matthew and S. Luke, but eyther of them hath deſcribed aright the true Genealogie of CHRIST. Thus farre ſpeaketh Iohn Lucidus, extreamely deceyued by a forged Philo▪ whom with a like Beroſus, and Metaſthenes all faygned in Italy of late dayes. M. Ioſeph ScaligerDe emendat temporum. damneth, not more vehemently then iuſtly, and ſharpely reproueth them, who in their great lyght of learning that now ſhyneth in the worlde, ſtayne their labours, otherwyſe good, with ſuch autours. Thus ſycke Romiſtes and others are: but Iewes monſtrouſly.
I will ſhew a cure for both: But firſt marke the Iewes ſicknes in Gemara. They ſay in Tal. Saned. Pa. 37. b. That captiuitie was an expiation for all ſinnes. And proue that by Iechonias, whoſe ſonne Salathiel is called, after that God bade all the earth to write him chyldles. But Zedekias *Who is called a brother. 2. Chro. 36. 10 but in ryght was an vncle. 2. king, 24. 17. & 1. Chro. 3. 15. Iere. 24. 8.caſe and Zachari might hauehave taught them to vnderſtande ſonnage in an other ſenſe. And ſeeing S. Luke preuented their errour: they ſhould not bring an inſtance from the matter in controuerſie. Moreouer, it is manifeſt that captiuitie purgeth not ſinne, by them who with Zedekias were captiued, who were as bad Figges. Therefore they are groſely deceyued. Rambam in his treatiſe of repentance ſhewing how it maketh men farre from God, to be neare him, bringeth Iechonias for an example: who (ſayth he) was a ſignet to be pluckt off: and in Zorobabel is a ſignet agayne. This Rabbine called of Iewes a great Eagle, is blynde of the two eyes, becauſe he taketh it as graunted, that Iechonias naturally begat Salathiel. For Sedar Olam zuta warned him of this poynt, that it was in deede the Rabbines report, as hauing no further authoritie. Alſo in that touchyng repentance, he is doubly deceyued: For if Iechonias repentance had been ſo ſinguler, he had not been kept ſo long in Priſon 37.Iere. 52. 31. yeeres, all Nabuchadnezers lyfe tyme. In that age God vſually gaue open bleſſinges in kinges affayres. Moreouer euen MoſesDeut. 3. 25. repentance and prayer to enter Canaan, could not preuayle againſt the oth of God. So yf he had been Iob, Noah, or Daniel,Ezek. 14. 14. he could but ſaue his ſoule, the decreed puniſhment he could not auoyde. The blyndnes of the late Iewes may herein appeare. Aben Ezra muſt alſo be dealt with, who vponupon the Cant. ſayth, that Chriſt is called Salomon, becauſe he commeth of him. Can the moſt holy, whoſe workes were knowne of eternity, come of families moſt vngratious, as of Ioram who kilde his owne brethren, of Achazias Achabs lynage, of Ioas that kilde Zachary, of Amazia that worſhypped Edom Gods, of Achaz worſe then he, of Ioakim whom Rambam reckoneth amongſt them that ſinned agaynſt the holy Ghoſt? A kingdome of iuſtice woulde not be deriued from ſuch a race. This myght mooue them to reſt in plaine Scripture, to ende Salomons race in Iechonias. And herein alſo I hauehave aunſwered our forged Philo, who woulde ende Salomons houſe in Ochoſias. But to that I wyll adde this much: that God preuented it by ſixe2. king. 11. 2. 2. king. 13. 1. 2. king. 14. 13. 1. Chro. 3. 11. 2. Chro. 22. 11 2. Chro. 23. 3. Scripture, wherein Ioas is tearmed ſonne to Achazia. Beſides no natiue Iewe euer dreamed of ſuche a quirke, as to ende Salomons houſe ſo obſcurely. Moreouer▪ Ioas age, and the place of his bringing vp, and the Gentlwoman that ſaued him, all playnely argue his kinred. Ouer and beſides, it paſſed the wit of Athaliah to finde out all Nathans houſe ſo far.God in the old Teſtament recordeth not deſtructions of families, but vponupon impiety. Neither doth God recorde families to be deſtroyde, but vponupon mention of impiety: for whiche none of Nathans houſe is any where blamed. VVherefore this fayned Philo ſo groſly deceyuing vsus, might make vsus better regarde ſkill in principall families: where vnſkilfulnes hath heen the ruine of Chriſtianitie.
An other great errour in the deriuing of the kingdome from Zorobabels houſe is lyke vntounto this, For by Abiud vntounto Ioſeph it ſhould be brought: which Line principally is called The Sainctes of the moſt high (Trinitie) Dan. 7. from whom the foure beaſtes take the kingdome, though they ſhall poſſeſſe the kingdome eternall. Some forged Rheſabs houſe to rule: and many folow that: as though Mary could hauehave been heyre to a kingdome in Iudah. And yf ſhe might, why would S. Mathew omit her Lyne in ſhewing the right of the kingdome, and come to Ioſephs houſe: whoſe right muſt needes belong to Chriſt his ſonne by law and mans eſtimation.