{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">Brethren, it is fitting that you should think of\r\nJesus Christ as of God,—as the Judge of the\r\nliving and the dead. And it does not become us\r\nto think lightly of our salvation; for if we think\r\nlittle of Him, we shall also hope but to obtain little [from\r\nHim]. And those of us who hear carelessly of these things,\r\nas if they were of small importance, commit sin, not knowing\r\nwhence we have been called, and by whom, and to what place,\r\nand how much Jesus Christ submitted to suffer for our sakes.\r\nWhat return, then, shall we make to Him? or what fruit that\r\nshall be worthy of that which He has given to us? For,\r\nindeed, how great are the benefits<a id=\"r260\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f260\"><sup>[260]</sup></a> which we owe to Him!\r\nHe has graciously given us light; as a Father, He has called\r\nus sons; He has saved us when we were ready to perish.\r\nWhat praise, then, shall we give to Him, or what return shall\r\nwe make for the things which we have received?<a id=\"r261\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f261\"><sup>[261]</sup></a> We were\r\ndeficient<a id=\"r262\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f262\"><sup>[262]</sup></a> in understanding, worshipping stones and wood,\r\nand gold, and silver, and brass, the works of men’s hands;<a id=\"r263\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f263\"><sup>[263]</sup></a>\r\nand our whole life was nothing else than death. Involved in\r\nblindness, and with such darkness<a id=\"r264\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f264\"><sup>[264]</sup></a> before our eyes, we have\r\nreceived sight, and through His will have laid aside that\r\ncloud by which we were enveloped. For He had compassion\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_56\">56</span>on us, and mercifully saved us, observing the many errors\r\nin which we were entangled, as well as the destruction to\r\nwhich we were exposed,<a id=\"r265\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f265\"><sup>[265]</sup></a> and that we had no hope of salvation\r\nexcept it came to us from Him. For He called us when\r\nwe were not,<a id=\"r266\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f266\"><sup>[266]</sup></a> and willed that out of nothing we should attain\r\na real existence.<a id=\"r267\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f267\"><sup>[267]</sup></a></p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE SECOND EPISTLE OF CLEMENT.","THE SECOND EPISTLE OF CLEMENT.","Chap. i.—We ought to think highly of Christ."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-105"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"449064811651a2bdf32cf8edf6c711e5bb984c0f890c56b20fbe5fe7de0f1ca8","edition_title":"The writings of the Apostolic Fathers","edition_translators":["Alexander Roberts","James Donaldson","Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1870,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg77576-f263","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Historical 1870 English edition; electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f263","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f263\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r263\">263</a>. </span>Literally, “of men.”</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f263","text_sha256":"dde8e20e706a14d8cf5d69dae7c2b4130be88934332a167d3504cf6730c7a561","verified":false,"work_id":null}