h of the divine majesty would have
killed him, had not God added the promise of saving him. It is likely,
however, that his faith had a struggle and was weak. We cannot imagine
how such contemplation of God's wrath weakens courage.

194. This novel expression of the Holy Spirit the heavenly messenger
Gabriel also uses when speaking to the Blessed Virgin Lk 1, 30, "Thou
hast found favor (grace) with God." The expression most palpably
excludes merit and commends faith, through which alone we are
justified before God, made acceptable and well pleasing in his sight.

V. 9. _These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man,
and perfect in his generations; Noah walked with God._

195. With this passage the Jews commence not only a new chapter, but
also a new lesson. This is a very brief history, but it greatly extols
our patriarch Noah; he alone remained just and upright while the other
sons of God degenerated.

196. Let us remember many most excellent men were among the sons of
God, of whom some lived with Noah well nigh five hundred years. Man in
that age before the flood was very long-lived; not only the sons of
God, but also the sons of men. A very wide and rich experience had
been gathered by these people during so many years. Much they learned
from their progenitors and much they saw and experienced.

197. Amid the corruption of all these stands Noah, a truly marvelous
man. He swerves neither to the left nor to the right. He retains the
true worship of God. He retains the pure doctrine, and lives in the
fear of God. There is no doubt that a depraved generation hated him
inordinately, tantalized him in various ways and thus insulted him:
"Art thou alone wise? Dost thou alone please God? Are the rest of us
all in error? Shall we all be damned? Thou alone dost not err. Thou
alone shalt not be condemned." And thus the just and holy man must
have concluded in his mind that all others were in error and about to
be condemned, while he and his offspring alone were to be saved.
Although his conviction was right in the matter, his lot was a hard
one. The holy man was in various ways troubled by such reflections.

198. The wretched Papists press us today with this one argument: Do
you believe that all the fathers have been in error? It seems hard so
to believe, especially of the worthier ones, such as Augustine,
Ambrose, Bernard and that whole throng of the best men who have
governed Churches with the Word and hav