s.

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 work 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 seeing 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.

CHAPTER II.

1 That God had before prophesied by Isaiah,
that the Gentiles should be saved;
8 And that this ought to engage, such especially
to live well; without which they will still miscarry.

REJOICE, 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.

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

3 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.

4 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.

5 And another Scripture saith,
a 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:

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

7 Even so did it seem good to
Christ to save what