Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/121



RETHREN, 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.

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

And if we do so, we shall sin; not 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.

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

For indeed 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.

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

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

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.

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 seeing that we had no hope of salvation, but only through him.

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

EJOICE, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath a husband.

In that saying, Rejoice thou barren that bearest not, he spake of us: for our church was barren before children were given unto it.

And again; when he said, Cry thou that travailest not: he implied thus much: That after the manner of a woman in travail, we should not cease to put up our prayers unto God abundantly.

And for what follows, because she that is desolate hath more children than she that hath a husband; it was therefore added, because our people which seemed to have been forsaken by God, now believing in him, are become more than they who seemed to have God.

And another Scripture saith, I came not to call the righteous but sinners (to repentance). The meaning of which is this; that those who were lost must be saved:

For that is, indeed, truly great and wonderful, not to confirm those things that are yet standing, but those which are falling,

Even so did it seem good to Christ to save what was lost; and when he came into the world, he saved many, and called us who were already lost.