But he did teach him this; as a beautiful old story
of the Arabs sets forth. They say how (whether before or after God
called him, we cannot tell) Abraham at night saw a star: and he
said, 'This is my Lord.' But when the star set, he said, 'I like
not those who vanish away.' And when he saw the moon rising, he
said, 'This is my Lord.' But when the moon too set, he said,
'Verily, if my Lord direct me not in the right way, I shall be as
one who goeth astray.' But when he saw the sun rising, he said,
'This is my Lord: this is greater than star or moon.' But the sun
went down likewise. Then said Abraham, 'O my people, I am clear of
these things. I turn my face to him who hath made the heaven and
the earth.'
And was this all that Abraham believed--that the sun and moon and
stars were not gods, but that there was a God besides, who had made
them all? My friends, there have been thousands and tens of
thousands since, I fear, who have believed as much as that, and yet
who cannot call Abraham their spiritual father, who are not
justified by faith with faithful Abraham.
For merely to believe that, is a dead faith, which will never be
counted for righteousness, because it will never make man a
righteous man doing righteous and good deeds as Abraham did.
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