The Lost Books of the Bible · 136 of 214

Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians: Chapter I

1.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 meanly of him, we shall hope only to receive some small things from him.

3.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.

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 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.