The Ten Nations Promised to Abraham

When the Lord was speaking with Abraham about the future (a point you did not ask about), we find that he did not list seven nations but ten, whose land he promised to give to his descendants. This number is plainly made up by adding idolatry and blasphemy. Before the knowledge of God and the grace of baptism, both the irreligious hosts of the Gentiles and the blaspheming hosts of the Jews were subject to their rule while they lived in a spiritual Egypt. But when a man has made his renunciation and come out from there, and, having conquered gluttony by God’s grace, has come into the spiritual wilderness, then he is free from the attacks of these three, and will have to wage war only against the seven that Moses lists. [a]