Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Verſ. 1. The Lord appeared to Abram]
AFter thirteen years abſence and ſilence, for ought we read; ſo that Abram began to conclude that Iſmael ſurely was the promiſed ſeed, & all the ſons he was likely to have to inherit the land: The Church then may erre, when ſhe cleaves not cloſe to the word; though God at length will direct her into the right way, foreign, Aquila. foreign, Plato foreign.as here he did Abraham. [I am God All-mighty] Or Al. ſufficient, Self-ſufficient (ſo Aquila)▪ Independent, Abſolute, the Original, Univerſall good. Aben-Ezra interprets Shaddai, a Conque…or: Others a Deſtroyer, which a Conqueror muſt needs be. Eundem victorem & vaſtatorem eſſe oportet, ſaith Cameron. And to this the Scripture alludes, when it ſaith Shod ſhall come from Shaddai, Deſtruction from the Almighty, Eſa. 13.6. Some there are that derive Shaddai of Shad a dug, becauſe God feeds his children with ſufficiency of all good things, as the loving mother doth the child with the milk of her breaſts. Hence the Heathen called Diana (and likewiſe Ceres) foreign & Mammoſam, as if ſhe were the Nurſe of all living creatures. God is the onelyonly ſatisfactory good, proportionable and ſitting to our ſouls, as the dug to the childes ſtomach. [Walk before me] Heb. Indeſinentèr ambula, Walk conſtantly, ſtep for ſtep, and keep pace with me. Auſtin would not, for the gain of a million of worlds, be an Atheiſt for half an houre, becauſe he …new not but God might in that time make an end of him. Am. 3.3.For can two walk together and they not agreed, ſaith the Prophet? Ye cannot ſerve the Lord (ſaith Joſhua to the people that promiſed fair) that is, J…ſh. 24.19.unleſs ye will ſerve him entirely, walk uprightly, as Abram here; walk evenly, without halting or halving with him. Holineſs muſt run thorough the whole life, as the warp doth thorough the woof: all the parts of our line of life muſt be ſtreight before God. As for ſuch as turne aſide to their crooked wayes (as the Planets ſteal back by a ſecret ſlow motion of their own, contrary to that of the Primum Mobile) The Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, with openly prophane perſons (Pſal. 125.5.) when peace ſhall be upon Iſrael, upon all that are Iſraelites indeed, in whom there is no guile. Surely, as an unequall pulſe ſhews a diſtempered body, ſo doth uneven walking an unſound ſoul, ſuch as is not verily perſwaded that God is All-ſufficient, able and ready to reward the upright, and puniſh the hypocrite.
Verſ. 2. And I will make my Covenant] This is now the fifth confirmation of the Covenant; which ſhews that it is the prora and puppis, the firſt, ſecond and third of our ſalvation; and it is fit we ſhould be well ſtudied in it, and aſſured of our intereſt. For as the Mercy-ſeat was no larger then the Ark, ſo neither is the Grace of God then the Covenant. And as the Ark and Mercyſeat were never ſeparated; Exod. 25.10. to 17.ſo neither is his mercy from his people.
Verſ. 3. And Abram fell on his face] Twas ſit he ſhould, now that God talked with him. Such a poſture of body befits us at the hearing of the word, as may beſt expreſs our reverence, and further our attention. Balac is bid to riſe up to hear Balaams parable. Eglon though a fat unweildy man, riſeth up from his ſeat to hear Gods meſſage from Ehud. Neh. 8.5.The people in Nehemiah ſtood to hear the Law read and expounded. Conſtantine the Great, Euſeb.would not be entreated to ſit down or be covered at a Sermon: No more would our Edward the ſixth, whoſe cuſtome was alſo to take notes of what he heard, Act & M…n.which (together with his own applications of the word to himſelf) he wrote in Greek characters, that his ſervants might not read them. The Theſſalonians are commended for this, that they heard Pauls preaching as the word of God, and not of man. Had Samuel thought it had been God that called to him (and not Eli) he would not have ſlept, but fallen on his face before the Lord as Abram here, who was no novice, but knew well, that though God loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience, yet he takes ſtate upon him in his Ordinances, and will be trembled at in his word and judgements.
Verſ. 4. As for me] Ego ecce. An abrupt ſpeech, to ſhew what haſte God made to comfort and confirm Abram, now fallen at his feet. [Thou ſhalt be a father of many nations.] The Iſraelites, Iſmaelites, Edomites, Keturites, &c. beſides all Beleevers, Gal. 3.28, 29.
Verſ. 5. Neither ſhall thy name any more, &c.] This is reckoned for an high favour by thoſe holy Levites, Neh. 9.7. The Jews ſay, that for honours ſake; God inſerted one of the letters of his own incommunicable name Jehovah into the name of Abram, now Abraham. Sure it is, that by ſtiling himſelfe the God of Abraham, he doth him more honour then if he had ingraven the word Abraham upon the firmament, or in the clouds in letters of gold.
Verſ. 6. I will make thee exceeding fruitfull] Heb. Foecundabo te valdè valdè: And as oft as thou thinkeſt upon thy new name, thou ſhalt remember my promiſe, and reſt aſſured of my performance. See how God of his grace, condeſcends unto us, and accommodates us.
Verſ. 7. For an ever laſting Covenant] Circumciſion, the outward ſign of it, was temporary, and changeable into baptiſme; but the Covenant of grace, thereby then, and by baptiſme now ſealed up unto us, is eternall; being ſtabliſhed and ratified by the death of the Teſtatour, by the blood of the Arch-ſhepherd, Heb. 13.20. Here it muſt be conſidered, that there is a twofold Covenant; 1. Single, ſuch as God makes with children, when baptized; viz. If ye will repent, believe and walk with me, ye ſhall be ſaved. Now if they break the condition, God is freed, D. Preſton of Gods Attrib.he is not bound any further. 2. Double, ſuch as God …kes with his elect onelyonly; and that is to perform both parts, ſc. If you will beleeve, repent, obey, ye ſhall be ſaved. And further, I will give you a new heart, ſo that you ſhall repent, beleeve, &c. and be ſaved. Thus God undertakes for both parts, and ſo it becomes an everlaſting Covenant; ſuch as hath the ſure or unfailable mercies of David. And here thoſe, that are thus in Double-Covenant with God, foreign.are fitly compared to them that are gone in at a Church-door: ſome are further in then others, but yet all are in. So, though the weak in faith be not ſo forward, yet they may be in, though not ſo far in. [And to thy ſeed after thee] See the Note on the next Verſe.
Verſ. 8. All the land of Canaan for an everlaſting poſſeſſion] And yet now, for their inexpiable guilt, in putting to death the Lord of life, they are utterly diſpoſſeſſed of that pleaſant land. In Jeruſalem it ſelf there are not to be found a hundred houſholds of Jews. Adri… the Emperour drove them utterly out of Jewry, Breerewoodand commanded them by proclamation not ſo much as to look toward it, from any Tower or high-mountain: Yea long before this, the Lord, for their wickedneſs, counted them but uſurpers, Funceiu….and called them ſojourners in that land, Ezek. 20.38. and 11.15. If men forfeit their priviledges, God may, at his pleaſure, take the forfeiture and diſ-priviledge them, as he did Saul, and Judas, who by tranſgreſſion fell from his office, that he might go to his own place, Act. 1.25. [I will be their God] This is a ſingular comfort for all beleeving parents. Their greateſt care is for their poor little ones, what they ſhall do another day: why, caſt them upon God, their God as well as thine: for is not he in Covenant with them too? It would be a great ſtay of minde, if God ſhould ſay to us for our children, as David ſaid to Mephiboſheth, or to Barzillai for his ſon Chimham; Chimham ſhall go with me, and I will do to him that which ſhall ſeem good unto thee, and whatſoever thou ſhalt require of me, that I will do for thee. Behold God ſaith all this and more to us, 2 Sam. 19.38.when he ſaith, I will be a God to thee, and to thy ſeed after thee. I remember a ſweet paſſage of Mr. Saunders the Martyr in a Letter to his wiſe: Act. & Mon. 1364.Though we do ſhortly depart hence, and leave our poor Infant (to our ſeeming) at all adventures, yet ſhall he have our gracious God to be his God: For ſo hath he ſaid (and he cannot lye;) I will be thy God, and of thy ſeed. Yea, if you leave him in the Wilderneſs, deſti…u…e of all helps, being called of God to do his will, either to die for the confeſſion of Chriſt, or any work of obedience; that God which heard the cry of the little poor Infant of Hagar, and did ſuccor it, will do the like to the children of you, or any other fearing him, and truſting in him.
Verſ. 9. Thou ſhalt keep my Covenant.] This is the ſtipulation on Abrahams part, by receiving the Sacrament of Circumciſion, to avouch God to be his God, Deut. 26.17. Now to the making the Lord to be our God, it is required that with higheſt eſtimations, moſt vigorous affections, and utmoſt endeavors we beſtow our ſelves upon him. Thus if we chuſe God for our God, Pſal. 73.25. We ſhall be aſſured, that he hath choſen, and avouched us for his people, 1 John 4.19.
Verſ. 10. Every man-childe amongſt you.] Infants were circumciſed, to ſignifie that we had better be flayed, and have our skin quite ſtripped off, then to have it as a skin-bottle hanging in the ſmoke of filthy deſires, and blown full of unclean motions with the breath of Satan. That wretched Renegado that betrayed the Rhodes was well ſerved. For his promiſed wife and portion were preſented: but the Turk told him, that he would not have a Chriſtian to be his ſon in law, Spec. bol. ſac. p. 157.but he muſt be a Muſſle-man, that is, a beleeving Turk, within and without. And therefore he cauſed his baptized skin (as he called it) to be fleyed off, and him to be caſt in a bed, ſtrawed with Salt, that he might get a new skin, and ſo he ſhould be his ſon-in-law. But the wicked wretch ended his life with ſhame and torment.
Verſ. 11. It ſhall be a token of the Covenant.] It ſeals up nothing then to thoſe that are not in Covenant. Circumciſion to ſuch is but as a ſeal to a blank. Unregenerate Iſrael was to God as Ethiopia, Amos 9.7. Circumciſion of it ſelf, avails nothing, if the heart be uncircumciſed. The Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth of Circumciſion, Coloſ. 2.11. and tells us that the true Circumciſion is made without hands, and is that of the heart in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, foreign.Rom. 2.29. It is a wonderful work of the Spirit, wrought by the Word, upon the Saints in their firſt Converſion, whereby corruption of nature is wounded, beloved ſins caſt away with ſorrow, and the ſinner received into an everlaſting communion with God, and his Saints. Labor this, or you are not a button the better for your Baptiſm. A man may go to Hell with Fontwater on his face, if not baptized with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire. Circumciſion ſeals not up any Covenant of Grace to Turks, as it did not, of old, to Iſmaelites, Edomites, and Midianites, who yet would needs be circumciſed.
Verſ. 12. And he that is eight days old.] This warrants our baptiſing of Infants of both Sexes. See the Notes on Chap. 9. Verſ. 10.
Verſ. 13. He that is born in thy houſe,] Houſholders muſt ſee to it, that their families fear God: They walk not in a perfect way, that do otherwiſe, Pſal. 101.2. that look not Aedibus in propriis, quae prava, aut recta gerantur. [My Covenant ſhall be in your fleſh.] That is, the ſigne of my Covenant (by a Metonymy of the Subject) ſeem it never ſo ſimple, and prove it never ſo painful and ſhameful. The fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer then men, that cry Credat Judaeus Apella, &c.
Verſ. 14. That ſoul ſhall be cut off.] From the Common-wealth of Iſrael: So ſhall thoſe be from benefit by Chriſt, that are uncircumciſed in heart; As hateful to him, as Goliah was to David. Pray therefore, that God will thruſt his holy hand into thy boſome, and pull off that abominable fore-skin. He had much ado to forbear Moſes, when he met him in the Inne; and we know why, Exod. 4.24.
Verſ. 15. Thou ſhalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah.] The Chaldee Sarai, is made Hebrew Sarah: One of the four Letters of Jehovah being alſo added (as before in Abraham) that ſhe may be abſolutely a Lady or Princeſs.
Verſ. 17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed.] Not as doubting, much leſs deriding, Rom. 4 19. but as rejoycing and admiring the goodneſs and power of God. The narrow mouthed veſſel of his heart not quickly capable of ſo great comfort, (for Tarda ſolet magnis rebus ineſſe fides) he fell upon his face and laughed.
Verſ. 18. Oh that Iſhmael might live.] The life of grace here, and of glory hereafter: That he be not killed with death when he dies, as Jeſabels children were, Revel. 2.23.
Verſ. 19. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with him.] This was a far greater favor, th…n that beſtowed on Iſmael in the next verſe. Twelve Princes ſhall he beget. Nothing ſo ennobleth, as Chriſt, Graces, being in the Covenant, &c. Iſai. 19.25. Aſſyria is the work of Gods hands, but Iſrael his inheritance.
Verſ. 20. And as for Iſmael, I have heard thee.] Faithful prayer may have any thing at Gods hands. It is but ask and have with Abraham: As Zedekiah ſaid to his courtiers gloſingly, God ſaith to his ſervants ſeriouſly; The King can deny you nothing. Let this encourage to pray for our ſelves and children; for by prayer we may take out of Gods treaſury, plentiful mercy for our ſelves and ours.
Verſ. 21. But my Covenant.] This is the thirteenth time that the Covenant is named in this Chapter, ſaith an Interpreter; and hereby is meant the promiſe of Chriſt and ſalvation by him. A ſubject ſo ſweet to every ſanctified ſoul, that Saint Paul cannot come off it. He names the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ten times together in ten verſes, 1 Cor. 1.1. to 10. It was to him Mel in …re, melos in aure, Bernard.jub…lum in corde.
Verſ. 22. And he left off talking with him.] As a man with his friend. Mr. John Holland, Bach. of Divin. See my True Treaſ. p. 373.Such honor have all his Saints. O ſpeak it when I am gone, and preach it at my funeral, God dealeth familiarly with man, ſaid that heavenly Spark, how ready to be extinct. Saint Paul calls prayer foreign, an entreparlance with God, 1 Tim. 2.1. and foreign, the confident intergatory or rejoyndre of a good conſcience toward God, 1 Pet. 3.21. The Perſian Monarks held it a piece of their ſilly glory, to ſecret themſelves from their greateſt ſubjects, Eſther 4.11. And Jupiters Image at Creet was made without ears. Plutarch gives the Reaſon, Non enim convenit audiri ab eo quenquam, qui omnium rerum ſit Dominus at que princeps. A pretty plea for Baal. He is too great to talk with men. Our God thinks not himſelf ſo. He ſollicites ſuitors, and loves to be, interchangeably, ſollicited by them.
Verſ. 23. Abraham took Iſmael.] To make the other more willing. [Circumciſed the fleſh.] Not regarding the affliction, danger, ſcandal, ſhame of the action in the eyes of the world.
Verſ. 26. In the ſelf ſame day.] To ſhew his prompt and preſent obedience, without ſhucking and hucking, without delays and conſults.
Verſ. 27. All the men of his houſe.] Faciles ſe praebent in re ardua & ridicula. An excellent pattern of a well ordered family.