The Lost Books of the Bible

That we ought to value our salvation; and to skew that we do, by a sincere obedience.

BRETHREN, we ought so to think of Jesus Christ as of God: as of the judge of the living, and the dead; nor should we think any less of our salvation.

2 For if we think[515] meanly of him, we shall hope only to receive some small things from him.

3 And if we[516] do so; we shall sin; not[517] considering from whence we have been called, and by whom, and to what place; and how much Jesus Christ vouchsafed to suffer for our sakes.

4 What recompense then shall we render unto him? Or what fruit that may be worthy of what he has given to us?

5 For indeed[518] how great are those advantages which we owe to him in relation to our holiness? He has illuminated us: as a father, he has called us his children; he has saved us who were lost and undone.

6 What praise shall we give to him? Or what reward that may be answerable to those things which we have received?

7 We were defective in our understandings; worshipping stones and wood; gold, and silver, and brass, the works of men's hands; and our whole life was nothing else but death.

8 Wherefore being encompassed with darkness, and having such a mist before our eyes, we have looked up, and through his will have laid aside the cloud wherewith we were surrounded.

9 For he had compassion upon us, and being moved in his bowels towards us, he saved us; having beheld in us much error, and destruction; and seen that we had no hope of salvation, but only through him.

10 For he called us who were not; and was pleased from nothing to give us being.