I apprehend the first design of the text is to point out the _Genealogies_ of the tribes of Israel, and is supposed to have been wrote by Ezra, and put into their hands, soon after the return from Babylon, as the captivity for seventy years, had thrown every thing in confusion.—The second design is to shew the _Pedigree_ of the Messiah, that it might appear that our dear Lord was, according to the prophecies that went before him, the _Son of David_, the _Son of Joseph_, the _Son of Adam_—this the Evangelists, in the New Testament, have shewn. There still appears one more worthy our observation; that the _first thirteen Names_ in this Chapter have a signification in them, as they are Hebrew Names, and appear to be expressive of a Work of Grace in its commencement, carrying on, and completion, in the happy departure of the soul to glory. I pretend to no learning myself, of course must be indebted to Hebrew scholars for the translation of them—to God the divine Spirit, I am entirely indebted for the knowledge of the great things these Names express. On each I shall write but little, as it would swell this Sermon to a volume if I were to write all that I apprehend; I will only give the out-lines, and hope the reader will be entertained, and, above all, instructed, comforted, and built up on his most holy faith. The Names, as they stand before us, are thus in their signification: Adam, _Earth_—Seth, _Foundation_—Enosh, _Weakness_—Kenan, _Mourning_—Mahalaleel, _Illumination of God_—Jared, _Reigning_—Enoch, _dedicated_—Methuselah, _sending forth Death_.—Lamech, _cutting down_—Noah, _Rest_, or _Consolation_—_Shem_, a Name—Ham, _Warmth_—Japheth, _Enlargement_. There is a beautiful gradation in them, and we shall consider them in order, and enlarge particularly on some. ADAM. This word signifies _Earth_; some read it _red Earth_, to shew our original—formed of the dust of the earth, and in consequence of sin, to dust we must return! This is an humbling thought to proud mortals. Adam was a striking figure of our blessed Jesus, in many instances; at present we only view him in his origin. God displayed his sovereignty in creating man, and setting him up as the head of all mankind. He viewed him as the figure in which our blessed Jesus should hereafter appear. He viewed all the elect in him, ordained the fall through him, for the grand purpose of displaying the riches of his grace, and the exaltation of our nature, through its union to Jesus: so the elect, as fallen in Adam, and actual transgressors, are become earthly, sensual, and devilish! Almighty grace appears, in its sovereignty, passing by fallen angels, and raising such earthly creatures as we are! Here, believer, admire and adore the God who loved your nature so well as to chuse it, and redeem it, and afterwards, by the gracious inhabitation of God the Spirit, to make it his holy, living temple.—This leads me to notice the name