Genesis 17

Genesis 17:1

VVAlk] That is, beare me alwayes in thy mind, to rest thy selfe upon me by faith, to depend upon my providence, and to regulate all thy actions occording to my will.

Genesis 17:2

Make] Having made my covenant already, I will make it firme, and not to be changed.

Genesis 17:4

As for me] Every covenant being mutuall, God here sets downe his promises, and 9. he doth demand of Abraham his duty.

Genesis 17:5

Abraham] That is, father of a great multitude, whereas Abram was but onely, high father, or father of height Father] Not onely by corporall generation of the numberlesse people of Israel; but chiefely by his ingrafting of all nations indifferently, into the body of the Church, through the imitation of Abrahams faith, whereof he was an exemplary and borrowed father. Rom. 4. 12. 17.

Genesis 17:6

Make thee] That is as much as to say, I will make thee a father of many nations, which shall proceed from thee.

Genesis 17:7

God unto thee] That is, by vertue of my Covenant, I will communicate unto thee the effects of all my perfections; and all that which I am in my selfe, I will be in thy behalfe, so that, as I doe live eternally, so will I cause mine to live likewise. As the Lord concludeth, Matthew 22:32. and so on the other side, I wil be he alone, that thou shalt serve, acknowledge, & worship as God, forsaking all the false Gods, of other nations.

Genesis 17:10

My covenant] Circumcision was a condition of the Covenant through obedience, and a Sacrament of it through faith. Now the corporall Sacrament is named by the name of the spirituall thing, according to the scriptures stile, because that on Gods side, this is alwayes joyned with that; by vertue of Gods order and promise. See Exodus 12:11; Exodus 40:15. Matthew 26:26. 1 Corinthians 10:13. Ephes. 5. 26.Circumcised] As in the genitall parts was imprinted a more expresse mark of sinne. Genesis 3:7.

So God ordained for a Sacrament of his grace, this cutting off in the same part, for a figure and seale. First, of the annihilating of the fault, through remission. Romans 4:11. Secondly, of the extirpation of vice, and corruption, and of the life of sin, through the spirit of Regeneration. Deuteronomy 30:6. Jeremiah 4:4.

Romans 2:29. Philip. 3. 3. Colossians 2:11.

Genesis 17:12

He that is borne] The Italian hath it, The servant that is born] meaning the Proselite, who of his owne free will shall adde himselfe to the Church, by the profession of Gods true service. See Exod. 12. 44. 48. But if there were any servants that were not converted to God, the Sacrament had beene prophaned, if it had beene communicated unto them.

Genesis 17:14

Cut off] By capitall punishment by the Magistrate, if the fact be notorious; by excommunication if the delinquent be out of the reach of him; or by the judgement of God, if the fact be secret. Exodus 31:14. Le17. 4. 18. 29. Now this is not to bee understood of Children, but of those who by their age were capable of voluntary rebellion, refusing, or contemning the use of this Sacrament.

Genesis 17:15

Sarai] Sarai signifieth my Lady; as if it were sayd, Lady onely of her family, but Sarah signifieth Lady absolutely, and without limitation, because that Abraham being established father of the faithfull of all nations: God would have his wife also to participate of this title.

Genesis 17:17

Laughed] Not through unbeliefe, not believing a thing which he judged to be strange, and impossible, as Sarah did, Genesis 18:12-13. but through a godly rejoycing and said] Through admiration, not through diffidence, which he could never be blamed for. Now at a hundred yeares of age in those dayes they were not quite unapt for generation. But it was strange that Abraham should at that time begin to get children, and especially by a woman that was barren and past age.

Genesis 17:18

Might live] Thy promises doe surpasse my desires, it would doe sufficient for me, if Ismael might live under thy protection, and bee alwayes in thy favour.

Genesis 17:19

Isaac] That is the son of laughter.

Genesis 17:20

As for] I doe grant thee my temporall blessing for Ishmael, as Genesis 27:39. but as for the spirituall one, for to be heire of the promise of grace, and Patriarch of the blessed off-spring, and to have my Covenant in his posterity, I doe reserve it particularly for Isaac.

Genesis 17:22

Went up] He caused the externall signes of his presence to vanish away, carrying them up to heaven, as Genesis 35:13. Jud. 13. 20. to shew, that is the place of the perfect, and eternall manifestation of his glory.