Acts 7. verse 6. Galat. 3. verse 17. for the promised seede be∣ganne in Isaac, Genesis 21. verse 12.
Abraham was appointed by God, to sacrifice his only sonne Isaac, in whome the promise was made, Genesis 22. ver. 2. whose faith was so strong, that hee neither disobeyed Gods commandement, neither distrusted his promise, ver. 9, 10.
The doubt.
How could Isaac bee his onely sonne, since Ismael was borne before him, and euen then liuing? I answere, that af∣ter Ismael was by Gods appointment put out of Abrahams familie, he became as dead, and had no place amongst Abra∣hams children, Genesis 21. ver. 12.
An obseruation.
Although circumcision be called Gods couenant, Gene. 17. vers. 10. yet was it not the couenant indeede, but a signe or feale of Gods couenant▪ made to Abraham and to his seede af∣ter him, Gen. 17. ver. 7. It was called the couenant, because it signified the couenant, and had the promise of grace annexed to it, as all sacraments haue. And as circumcision was called Gods couenant, and yet but a signe or sacrament thereof; e∣uen so in the Lords supper, the bread is called his bodie, albe∣it it be but a signe and sacrament of the same. For which pur∣pose S. Austen in his epistle to Bonifacius, hath a very fine saying, well worthie to be ingrauen in golden letters. His ex∣presse words be these. For if sacraments had not a certaine re∣semblance, of those things whereof they be sacraments; they could be no sacraments at all. By reason of the similitude or signification, they oftentimes take the names of the thinges themselues: as therfore in a certain maner, the sacrament of the body of Christ is Christs body; and the sacrament of the blood of Christ is Christs blood; euen so the sacrament of faith is also faith.