d, laying hold only as
they can of that uncovenanted mercy which, as we have said, they
receive as beggars, not as heirs.

296. It is a great marvel, surely, that the church of the pope, having
made up so great a list of saints, has not yet inserted in that
catalog Saint Eve, a woman full of faith and love, and with an
infinite number of crosses! But perhaps we are to gather from this
omission that it would rather follow the church of the Cainites than
the holy Church.

297. I am inclined to say nothing here about that absurd and idle
fable of the Jews, that Lamech brought his disobedient wives to Adam
as judge, and that when Adam commanded them to render to their husband
due benevolence the wives in reply asked Adam why he did not do the
same to Eve. These fablers say that Adam, who had refrained from the
bed of his wife from the murder of Abel to that time, again lived with
her as man and wife, in order that he might not by his example induce
others to maintain perpetual continence, and thus prevent mankind from
being multiplied. All these fables show how impure the thoughts of the
Jews were. Of the same description is the like argument of these Jews,
who hold that when Seth was born, which was within a hundred years
after the death of Abel, the children of Cain had increased unto the
seventh generation. Such absurdities do wicked men invent to bring
reproach upon the Holy Scriptures. And of precisely the same
description is the opinion that Cain was born in paradise, while, as
yet, the original righteousness of his parents remained. What is the
object of this lying invention but to cause us to do away with Christ
altogether? For take away original sin, and what need is there of
Christ at all? These things are indeed, as we have intimated, unworthy
of being mentioned here. But they are worthy the enemies of Christ and
the enemies of grace.

298. In Seth, therefore, we have a new generation, which arises from
and comes to pass in accordance with the great original promise, that
the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. Appropriately
the name Seth is bestowed, so that Eve may felicitate herself upon the
fact that this seed is established, safe from overthrow. David uses
the same verb: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the
righteous do?" Ps 11, 3. And the Hebrew word forms a perfect rhyme
with its German equivalent: "Seth--steht."

V. 26a. _And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he