The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

Reason of the Order.

THERE can be no doubt or scruple about the subsequency of the beginning of this Section to that that was next before, for the three Evangelists have so unani∣mously ranked them together, that the order needeth no more confirmation. But about this latter part or the genealogy of Christ there is something more difficult. For some Har∣monists have brought this line of Luke, and that of Matthew together, some bringing Matthews hither with Lukes to Christs baptism, and others this of Luke, to the time of Mat∣thews to Christs birth: But as the Evangelists have laid them asunder, so are they to be kept asunder, and to be disposed in the Harmony according as they lie: for pregnant reasons may be given why the two have laid them at times so far distant. Why Matthew at our Savi∣ours birth, the reasons were given their, in there proper place; and why Luke at his bap∣tism, may be the better seen by looking on the promise, Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent. Matthew wrote his Gospel chiefly for the Jews; and there∣fore it was necessary for him to shew and approve Jesus for the Messias by his Pedigree, which was the manifest and the chiefest thing that Nation looked after, for the judging of the true Christ; this he doth therefore, at the Story of his birth, and beginneth it from Abra∣ham, who was the ultima Analysis, or the furthest that they cared to look after, as concern∣ing his discent. But Luke a companion of the Doctor of the Gentiles in all his travailes writeth his Gospel for the Gentiles, as well as for the Jews: and therefore he sheweth Christs descent at the Story of that time, at which he was first born toward the Gentiles, that is, at his revelation at his baptism, from whence he first began to preach the Gospel. The first words of the promise, the seed of the Woman, the Evangelist sweetly ex∣poundeth in this genealogy, shewing through seventy five descents, that he was the seed of the woman promised to Adam in the garden, and therefore he draweth his line from Adam, in whose loins the Gentiles were, for whom he writeth as well as the Jews, when the promise was made. The latter words, Shall break the head of the Serpent, begin to take place from the baptism of Christ and forward: and first in his victory against Satans temptations, which is the very next story that the Evangelist handleth, and then in his preaching of the Gospel, the power of which must destroy the Kingdom of Satan, from that time forward.