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the actual lineal descent of the present lord from his progenitor? A more effectual apology may therefore be made for the apparently incorrect table of our Lord's descent. The lapse of eighteen hundred years will afford to the candid mind a full reply to every objection now raised against some trivial irregularities, in tracing the correct list of the persons from whom Jesus Christ descended, as it relates to his human nature. I said apparently incorrect tables, because I am fully persuaded that persons skilled in this branch of science might, satisfactorily, solve all the difficulties which occur on this subject. But the limits of your publication will not admit of a full investigation. Suffice it to observe, that the genealogy of Christ is given by Matthew in the line of Joseph, because he was born in wedlock, and therefore generally accounted his son, agreeably to the general custom of tracing genealogy in the line of the father. And let it be remembered, that both Joseph and Mary were of the same tribe, as appears by their going to the same city (Bethlehem) to be taxed. So that it is clear that Christ was the son of Abraham and David, both by father and mother.

Luke gives his genealogy by Mary. Matthew shews Christ's royal descent from David and Solomon, from his father-in-law Joseph, who descended by his own father Jacob from Solomon. So Luke gives us Christ's natural descent as "the Seed of the woman," from Mary, daughter of Heli; and thus descended from Nathan, another of the sons of David. The learned investigator may find an ple satisfaction, by consulting Mr. Henry's Exposition, in loc.; and especially the authors quoted

by Dr. Doddridge, or referred to in his notes on this subject in his Family Expositor, vol. i. p. 44, &c.

I remain yours respectfully,

H. M.

ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

If our Savior was crucified on the Friday, and rose again early on Sunday morning (which appears clearly from the Evangelists) how could the words be verified which he speaks of himself, Matthew xii. 40, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth?”

Sir,

YOUR correspondent wishes to be informed how the words of our Savior could be verified, which he spake of himself, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth:" and yet Christ was crucified on the Friday, and rose again on the Sunday.

In answer to this, it may be proved, as it often has been, that this expression and many others, are merely Jewish ways of speaking; and exactly agree with the event to which they allude, when they are rightly ex plained.

It must be observed, that the Jews count their natural days, or days of twenty-four hours, very differently from what we do; for we reckon from twelve o'clock at night to twelve the next night; but they reckoned from sunset to sunset; all the time between they called

a day: just as Moses did when he said, "the evening and the morning were the first day. And from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath."*

Another thing to be observed on this head, is, that they reckoned, as indeed all nations do, any part of a day of twenty-four hours for a whole day. To this purpose an eminent Jewish writer, Aben Ezra,† speaking on the law for circumcising an infant on the eighth day, says, That if the infant were born but one hour before the first day was ended, it was counted for one whole day; and so for the same reason, the part of the day that was past when it was circumcised, was reckoned a whole day, if only one hour of the evening was past with which that day began. Reckoning then that the first day began on our Thursday at sunset and ended upon Friday at sunset, and because our Lord died about three in the afternoon of that day, reckoning that part of the day for a whole day: by this means we have one day; Saturday is, on all hands, allowed to be another day; and as the third day began on Saturday at sunset, and our Savior rose on the morning following, that part of the day is fairly computed for the third day.

The expression on the third day, is about ten times used in the New Testament on this occasion, and therefore must serve for explaining the other phrases, but once or twice at most made use of: such as that of Christ's rising after three days; the meaning of which expression is fairly shewn, where we read that Rehoboam said to the people§ "Come again unto me after

* Lev. xxiii. 32 ---See also Acts xxviii. 27, compared with verse 33. On Lev xxii. 3. Mark viii. 31. § 2 Chron. x 5.

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three days;" and yet we find,* "that the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the King commanded, saying, come again to me on the third day." A plain instance, that both phrases mean the same thing.

As for the expression of our Savior's being three days and three nights in the heart of the earth; from the foregoing observations, the account of that is very easy; for the Jews, like us, had no one word by which to express a day of twenty-four hours, or, as the Greeks called it, a day-night, as we might do. They sometimes styled it a day, as we do; but at other times, a day and a night; so that we are to understand by the expression of three days and three nights, no more than that Jesus was to be in the grave three days, as we would express it, reckoning, inclusively, the first and last for two of them, and counting the pieces of days for whole ones; and of this way of speaking, there is a remarkable instance in the book of Esther:† she declares that she would fast with her people, the Jews, three days, night and day; and yet we find her, upon the third day, at a banquet with the King and Haman her adversary.

By this, therefore, it plainly appears, that Jesus rose from the grave at the time foretold by him; and thus the prediction was fully accomplished.

ON PSALM xvi 10, AND ACTS ii. 27.

E. E. PROFESSES

himself much puzzled with that

article in the Apostle's creed, that Christ "descended

* Verse 12.

† Chapter iv. 16.

+ Chapter v. 1.

into hell;" and as to the true meaning of these Scrip tures, Ps. xvi. 10, and Acts ii. 27.

It is certain, many of the antients, believed that Christ descended into hell literally: either to preach deliverance to the spirits then in prison, (whence arose the doctrine of Purgatory;) or, at least, to publish there his triumphs, over Satan, Death, and Hell. But, since the nature of the Hebrew language has been more deeply studied, it has appeared sufficiently evident, that by hells in Scripture, is often meant either the grave, or the invisible world in general. The radical idea of the original term ads, is the hidden or concealed place; and such is also the primary meaning of the Saxon term hell, from Helan, to cover over. As to the word soul, it is certainly not always used for the immortal spirit; but for the animal frame, whether alive or dead. So that the passage in question may be properly rendered,

Thou wilt not leave my animal frame in the grave;

Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption.

It may be added, this article did not belong originally to the Apostle's creed; and when it was first inserted, the words, "was buried," were omitted. For farther satisfaction, E. E. is referred to Bishop Pearson on the Creed; or to Mr. Buck's Theological Dictionary, under the word Hell.

JOD.

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