sonne, and thou shalt cal his name Isaac, and I wil establish my couenant to him for a perpetual couenant, and to his seed after him. 20Concerning Ismael also I haue heard thee. Behold, I wil blesse him, and encrease and multiplie him exceedingly: twelue Dukes shal he beget, and I wil make him into a great Nation. 21But my couenant I wil establish with [1] Isaac, whom Sara shal bring forth to thee at this time an other yeare. 22And when he had left off speaking with him, God ascended from Abraham. 23And Abraham tooke Ismael his sonne, and al the homebred of his house: and al whom he had bought, al the males of al the men of his house: and he circumcised the flesh of their prepuce forthwith the very same day, as God had commanded him. 24Abraham was nyntie and nyne yeares old, when he circumcised the flesh of his prepuce. 25And Ismael his sonne was ful thirteen yeares old at the time of his circumcision. 26The self-same day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his sonne. 27And [2] al the men of his house, as wel the homebred as the bought seruants and strangers were circumcised together.
ANNOTATIONS
CHAP. XVII.
Changing of names is mystical. S. Aug. li. 16. c. 28. and 39. ciuit. S. Hierom. Tradit. Hebraicis.5. Manie nations.) Abram signifying High or Noble father, changed into Abraham, which signifieth Father of manie (Nations) and Sarai signifying My Princes, changed into Sara, which absolutely signifieth Princesse, import great Mysteries intended by God. For by this changing of names was declared and confirmed, that Abraham by the issue that he should haue of Sara, should be the father of manie Nations, which Gal. 4.S. Paul expresly applieth to his spiritual children, those especially that should belieue in Christ, of the Gentiles, prefigured by Isaac borne of the freewoman, by the promise, as the Iewes were perfigured by Ismael borne of the bondwoman according to the flesh, concluding with the prophet Esay, Esa. 54.that Manie are the children of the desolate, that before was barren. Abraham natural Father of foure Nations: spiritual father of al that doe belieue in Christ. Rom. 4. 11.For albeit Abraham was natural father of foure Nations, the Ismaelites, Madianites, Idumeans, and the Israelites, yet he was spiritual father of manie more, to wit, of al Nations that belieue in Christ from his owne time to the end of the world, of which some are Iewes, but the greatest part Gentiles, as the same Apostle sheweth Rom. 4. Gal. 4. Ephes. 3. Collos. 1. and in other places. Wherby is cleer, that the Church of Christ doth alwayes consist of manie Nations, not as Donatistes and Protestants absurdly say, sometimes of few inuisible or vnknowen persons, The Church of Christ euer consisteth of many Nations.for so Abraham should sometimes be father of few or no Nations, which derogateth either from Gods omnipotencie if he could not, or from his fidelitie if he should not maintaine his promise made to Abraham for euer.
Circumcision a figure of Baptisme.10. Shal be circumcised.) The Sacrament of Circumcision here first instituted, about 400. yeares before the Law of Moyses, is a perfect figure of Baptisme, resembling it in foure things. First by both these Sacraments the faithful are distinguished from infidels. Secondly profession of faith is made in them both,
