A commentary on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews. By M. John Calvin. Translated…A commentarie on the vvhole Epistle to the Hebrevves. By M. Iohn Caluin. Translated…

But hereof ariseth no small difficulty: Objection. how should Abraham's faith be thus highly commended, seeing he forsook the promise? For as it is true that obedience springs from faith, so also is it as true that faith springs out of the promise. Abraham then being destitute of the promise, his faith also must needs vanish. But the death of Isaac (as we have already said) was as a clean extinguishing of all the promises. For Isaac must not now be considered as a private person among others, but as he in whose loins Christ was enclosed. Answer. The Apostle himself gives us the solution to this question, which would otherwise be somewhat difficult: adding by and by that Abraham gave God this honour, to to wit, Vers. 19 he thought him able to raise up his son again even from the dead. Therefore he rejected not the promise that was made unto him, but did extend the truth and virtue thereof far above the life of his son, because he limited not the power of God within so narrow a compass, as to ⟨p. 265⟩think that Isaac being dead, ¹that also should therefore be bound, or quenched. By this means he kept the promise still, because he tied not the power of God to the life of Isaac, but had this certain persuasion, that it would show it self no less powerful even in his dead ashes, than in quickening and restoring his life again.

But hereof ariseth no small difficultie: Obiection. how should Abrahams faith be thus highly cōmended, seeing he forsooke the promise? For as it is true that obedience springs from faith, so also is it as true that faith springs out of the promise. Abraham then being destitute of the promise, his faith also must needes vanish. But the death of Isaak (as we haue alreadie said) was as a cleane extinguishing of all the promises. For Isaak must not now bee considered as a priuate person among others, but as he in whose loynes Christ was inclosed. Answere. The Apostle himselfe giues vs the solution to this question, which would otherwise be somwhat difficult: adding by and by that Abraham gaue God this honour, to to wit, Vers. 19 he thought him able to raise vp his sonne againe euen from the dead. Therefore he reiected not the promise that was made vnto him, but did extend the truth and vertue thereof farre aboue the life of his sonne, because hee limited not the power of God within so narrow a compasse, as to