17Therfore when the sunne was set, there arose a darke mist, and there appeared a fornace smoking, and a flake of fire passing between those diuisions. 18That day God made a couenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed wil I giue this land from the riuer of Ægypt euen to the great riuer Euphrates, 19 The Cineans, and Cenezites, the Cedmonites, 20and the Hethits, and the Pherezits, the Raphaims also, 21and the Amorreans and the Cananites, and Gargasites, and the Iebusites.
ANNOTATIONS.
CHAP. XV.
To belieue Gods word without staggering is an act of iustice.6. Belieued God.) S. Hilarie (li. 9. de Trin.) and S. Ambrose (li. 1. de Abraham. c. 3.) by this example teach vs, what manner of faith is reputed to iustice, to wit, such a faith as without tergiuersation; or requiring of proofe or reason, doth simply belieue that which God once saith, because he is omnipotent, how farre soeuer the thing that is said surmounteth our vnderstanding. For so heroical was the act of Abrahams faith, promptly belieuing Gods word in a matter most hard to his former conceit, that for the same he receiued singular prayse; and for the like afterwards was called The father of manie Nations (c. 17. v. 5) and by S. Paul The father of al that belieue (Ro. 4. v. 11) Not workes before faith but ioyned with faith are meritorious.where the Apostle teacheth that Abraham had no iustice, nor estimation of iustice before God, vntil he belieued in Christ (v. 18, 19, 20) because al workes before that faith are insufficient. Neither was this a sole faith, but had other necessarie vertues of hope, and charitie, humilitie, reuerence, obedience, and the like ioyned with it. Wherfore S. Iames testifieth that Abraham was iustified by workes (that is by workes following faith, not going before faith). Only faith doth not iustifie.For Faith (saith he) if it haue not workes, is dead in it-self, (c. 2. v. 17) And by workes Abrahams faith was consummate v. 22. And concludeth thus: Do yee see, that by workes a man is iustified, and not by faith only. v. 24.
