The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision also.For when God promised him protection and exceeding great reward, he, being solicitous about posterity, said that a certain Eliezer of Damascus, born in his house, would be his heir.Immediately he was promised an heir, not that house-born servant, but one who was to come forth of Abraham himself; and again a seed innumerable, not as the dust of the earth, but as the stars of heaven,--which rather seems to me a promise of a posterity exalted in celestial felicity.For, so far as multitude is concerned, what are the stars of heaven to the dust of the earth, unless one should say the comparison is like inasmuch as the stars also cannot be numbered?

For it is not to be believed that all of them can be seen.For the more keenly one observes them, the more does he see.

So that it is to be supposed some remain concealed from the keenest observers, to say nothing of those stars which are said to rise and set in another part of the world most remote from us.Finally, the authority of this book condemns those like Aratus or Eudoxus, or any others who boast that they have found out and written down the complete number of the stars.Here, indeed, is set down that sentence which the apostle quotes in order to commend the grace of God, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness;" (3) lest the circumcision should glory, and be unwilling to receive the uncircumcised nations to the faith of Christ.For at the time when he believed, and his faith was counted to him for righteousness, Abraham had not yet been circumcised.

CHAP.24.--OF THE MEANING OF THE SACRIFICE ABRAHAM WAS COMMANDED TOOFFER WHEN

HE SUPPLICATED TO BE TAUGHT ABOUT THOSE THINGS HE HAD BELIEVED.

In the same vision, God in speaking to him also says, "I am God that brought thee out of the region of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." (1) And when Abram asked whereby he might know that he should inherit it, God said to him, "Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a pigeon.And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another; but the birds divided he not.And the fowls came down," as it is written, "on the carcasses, and Abram sat down by them.But about the going down of the sun, great fear fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not theirs, and they shall reduce them to servitude and shall afflict them four hundred years: but the nation whom they shall serve will I judge; and afterward shall they come out hither with great substance.And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; kept in a good old age.But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.And when the sun was setting, there was a flame, and a smoking furnace, and lamps of fire, that passed through between those pieces.