Chapter I.—We Ought to Think Highly of Christ.

Brethren, it is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God,—as the Judge of the living and the dead. And it does not become us to think lightly of our salvation; for if we think little of Him, we shall also hope but to obtain little [from Him]. And those of us who hear carelessly of these things, as if they were of small importance, commit sin, not knowing whence we have been called, and by whom, and to what place, and how much Jesus Christ submitted to suffer for our sakes. What return, then, shall we make to Him, or what fruit that shall be worthy of that which He has given to us? For, indeed, how great are the benefits ^[4329] which we owe to Him! He has graciously given us light; as a Father, He has called us sons; He has saved us when we were ready to perish. What praise, then, shall we give to Him, or what return shall we make for the things which we have received? ^[4330] We were deficient ^[4331] in understanding, worshipping stones and wood, and gold, and silver, and brass, the works of men's hands; ^[4332] and our whole life was nothing else than death. Involved in blindness, and with such darkness ^[4333] before our eyes, we have received sight, and through His will have laid aside that cloud by which we were enveloped. For He had compassion on us, and mercifully saved us, observing the many errors in which we were entangled, as well as the destruction to which we were exposed, ^[4334] and that we had no hope of salvation except it came to us from Him. For He called us when we were not, ^[4335] and willed that out of nothing we should attain a real existence. ^[4336]