3. However, it is not only you who are the culprit of sin, there is someone else who is the most evil instigator to it, the devil. He incites everyone, yet he does not overcome those who do not obey him. That is why Ecclesiastes says: "If the spirit of him that possesseth ascendeth upon thee, thou shalt not leave thy place" (Ecclesiastes 10:4). Shut up your door, remove him from you, and he will not harm you. But if you coolly allow the thought of lust, then it will turn into your heart, take root in you, bind your mind, and drag you into the abyss of evil. But perhaps you will say: I am faithful, and lust will not prevail over me, even though it is often aroused in my thoughts. Do you not know that a root is implanted in a stone because of a long stay on it? Do not accept seed, otherwise it will suppress faith. Uproot evil before it blossoms, so that you, having neglected it in the beginning, will have no need of axe and fire afterwards. When an eye disease begins, you should treat yourself in advance, so that you do not have to look for a doctor when you are already blind.

4. The first author of sin and the father of evil (John 8:44) is the devil. It was the Lord who said this, and not I. For the devil sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). No one had sinned before him. He did not sin because he received from nature the necessary inclination to sin (otherwise the cause of sin would fall on the one who created it); He, being created good, became the devil by his own will, and received this name from his actions. For, being an archangel, afterwards, because of his slander, he was called the devil, and being a good servant of God, he received for himself the proper name of Satan, since Satan means an adversary. This is not my teaching, but that of the spirit-bearing prophet Ezekiel. He, weeping over him, thus says: "Thou art the seal of likeness and the crown of goodness, in the paradise of God thou wast ecu" (Ezekiel 28:12-13).— And a little later: "Thou wast blameless in thy days, from which day thou wast created, until iniquity was found in thee" (Ezekiel 28:15); It is very well said: I was found in you, because evil did not come into you from without, but you yourself gave birth to it. Afterwards he also said the reason for this: Thy heart is lifted up in thy goodness multitude, for the sake of thy sins; and for thy sins thou art wounded, and thou hast been cast down to the ground (Ezekiel 28:17). In accordance with this, the Lord says in the Gospel: "I saw Satan as lightning fell from heaven" (Luke 10:18). You see the similarity of the Old Testament with the New. He, having fallen, carried away many with him; he stirs up lusts in those who obey him. From it comes adultery, fornication, and all other evil. Through him our forefather Adam was expelled, and instead of paradise, which bore wondrous fruit without cultivation, he received a land that brought forth thorns.

5. What, then, someone will say, are we lost deceived, and is there no salvation after that? We have fallen—is it really impossible to rise? We have become blind — is it really not possible to see again? We have become lame—can't we walk upright? In short, we have died, and is there really no way to be resurrected? To Him Who raised up Lazarus four days old, already stinking, is it not more convenient for you, man, to raise up the living? He who shed His precious blood for us will set us free from sin. Let us not despair, brethren, let us not plunge ourselves into a hopeless state. For it is terrible not to have faith and hope for repentance. Whoever does not hope to be saved increases his sins without fear, and whoever hopes to receive healing finally avoids them without difficulty. A thief, if he does not expect mercy, comes to hardness, and if he hopes to receive forgiveness, he often comes to repentance. Likewise, the serpent lays aside his scales, shall we not put away sin? And the land that grows thorns, when well cultivated, turns into fruitful, and for us is not salvation returned? Thus, our nature can accept salvation, only our will is required.

6. God is a lover of mankind, and a lover of mankind without limit. Do not say: I have committed fornication, I have committed adultery, I have committed terrible sins, and moreover, not once, but many times. Will He forgive? Will he consign them to oblivion? Listen to what the Psalmist says: "How great is the abundance of Thy goodness, O Lord" (Psalm 30:20)! All your sins taken together do not overcome the greatness of Divine mercy. Thy wounds do not exceed the experience of thy physician. Only commit yourself to Him with faith, tell the Physician your sickness, say to you and David: Rekh, let us bring out my iniquity on me to the Lord, and the following words will be fulfilled in you: And you have forsaken the wickedness of my heart (Psalm 31:5).

7. Do you want to see God's love for mankind, you, who have only recently begun to listen to the catechetical teaching? Do you want to see God's love for mankind and great longsuffering? Listen to what happened to Adam. — Adam the first-created disobeyed the commandment of God; could not God have put him to death at the same time? Look at what the most loving Lord is doing! Righteousness drives him out of paradise (since because of his sin he has become unworthy of this abode); however, he settles him directly in paradise, so that seeing whence he fell, from what and into what state he was cast, he could later be saved through repentance. The first-born man Cain became a fratricide, the inventor of wickedness, the culprit and leader of murders, and the first envier. But after he has killed his brother, to what is he condemned? Groaning and trembling you will be on the ground. "The sin is great, the punishment is light.

8. Thus the love of God for mankind is truly revealed here, but it is not yet so great, as we shall see later. Imagine what happened in Noah's day. The Nephilim sinned, wickedness then spread powerfully over the earth, for its sake the flood had to follow. And in the five hundredth year (of Noah's life) God reveals His threat; however, in the six hundredth he had already brought a flood to the earth. Do you see the greatness of God's love for mankind, which extends for another hundred years? Could He not have done immediately what He did after a century? But He purposely prolonged the time to give an opportunity for repentance. Do you see the goodness of God? Even if they had repented even then, they would not have lost God's love for mankind.

9. Let us also look at others who have been saved through repentance. And perhaps one of the women will say: I have committed fornication, I have committed adultery, I have defiled my body with all kinds of intemperance — can I be saved? Woman, look to Rahab and hope for salvation. For if she, being an open and public harlot, was saved through repentance, then will not a woman, who once fornicated before receiving grace, be saved by repentance and fasting? Consider how Rahab was saved. She only said, "Your God is in heaven and on earth." God is yours. (Joshua 2:11). She did not dare to call Him her own, being aware of her own impurity. "And if you want to have a testimony from the Scriptures that she was saved, you will find it in the Psalms: "I will remember Rahab, and Babylon that leads me" (Psalm 86:4). Great is God's love for mankind! He even mentions prostitutes in the Scriptures! And moreover, he does not simply say, "I will remember Rahab and Babylon," but adds: "I lead me." Thus, salvation, which is acquired by repentance, is equally possible for the male and female sex.

10. And even though a whole nation has sinned, God's love for mankind is not conquered. The people of Israel cast calves, but God did not forsake His love for mankind. People have denied God, but God has not denied Himself. These are thy gods, O Israel (Exodus 32:4), they said. But the God of Israel, as is characteristic of Him, again became their Savior. Moreover, it was not only the people who sinned, but also Aaron the High Priest. Moses testifies to this: "And the Lord was angry with Aaron, and prayed for him," he continues, "and God forgave him" (Deuteronomy 9:20; 9:26). "If then Moses propitiated the Lord by his intercession for the sinning High Priest, then will not Jesus, the Only-begotten Son of God, propitiate God by intercession for us? And if God did not forbid the sinful Aaron to enter into the high priestly dignity, then will He bar the entrance of you, who have come from among the Gentiles? Repent in the same way, O man, and grace is not withheld from you. In the time to come, show your way of life unashamed. For truly God loves mankind, and no one can worthily express His love for mankind. And even if all human peoples were united into one, even then they would not even partially be able to reveal God's love for mankind. For we proclaim from the Scriptures only a certain part about God's mercy to people, but we do not yet know how much condescension He showed to the Angels themselves. Thus He condescends to them, since only Jesus is sinless, Who cleanses our sins. But enough about them.

11. But if you want others to be presented by me, then look to the blessed David, and take him as a model of repentance. This great man fell then, as he awoke from his afternoon sleep and walked on the roof of his house. He looked carelessly and was subjected to human weakness. The sin was committed, but this did not destroy the good disposition to confess one's fall. Immediately the prophet Nathan comes to rebuke and heal the wound. The Lord is angry, he says, because he has sinned (2 Samuel 12). Thus spoke a private man to the king, but the porphyry-bearing king was not upset with him. For he did not look at him who spoke, but at him from whom he was sent. He was not blinded by the host of warriors surrounding him. For he pictured in his mind the host of the Lord's angels, and he feared the Invisible One, as if he had seen Him; Wherefore He saith in answer unto him that came, and more so in his person unto him that sent, Those who have sinned against the Lord (2 Samuel 12:13). Do you see the tsar's humility, do you see his confession? He was not caught by anyone; Few people knew about his act. The deed was done quickly, immediately. The prophet appeared for rebuke, and the fallen confessed his crime. And since his consciousness was sincere, he very soon received healing. For the same prophet Nathan, who threatened him, immediately says: "And the Lord will take away your transgression" (2 Samuel 12:13). Thou seest how quickly the man-loving God changes His judgment. Meanwhile the prophet says, "By encouraging the enemies of the Lord, he sharpened the enemy." You have had many enemies because of your righteousness, but your chastity has protected you. But when you have lost this strong weapon, then your enemies are ready to attack you. Thus spoke the prophet to him.

12. But the blessed David, although he truly heard the words, "The Lord has taken away your sin from you," did not cease repentance, but instead of purple he put on sackcloth, and instead of a gilded throne, the king sat on ashes and on the ground; and not only did he sit on the ashes, but he also used the ashes for food, as he himself said: ashes are like bread (Psalm 101:10). With tears he dried up his lustful eye; "I will wash," he says, "every night I will wash my bed, with my tears I will wet my bed" (Psalm 6:7). When the courtiers advised him to partake of bread, he did not listen to them, but continued the fast for seven whole days. If the king has thus repented, are you, a private man, not obliged to repent? And during the time of Absalom's indignation, while many were opening up ways for him to escape, he wanted to flee through the Mount of Olives, as if turning his thoughts to the Redeemer, Who was to ascend from it to heaven. And when Shimei cursed him maliciously, he said, "Let him go" (2 Samuel 16:10). For he knew that he who let go would be released.

13. You see that repentance is a good deed. You see that the penitents are saved. And Solomon fell, but what can he say? Follow me to repent (Proverbs 24:32). And Ahaab, king of Samaria, was a most lawless idolater, a lawless man, a murderer of the prophets, a stranger to godliness, covetous of other people's fields and vineyards (3 Kings 21:27). But after Naboth was killed by Jezebel, when the prophet Elijah came and had just uttered threats, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. What then shall the man-loving God say to Elijah? Did you see how Ahaab was moved before me? (3 Kings 21:29) It is as if he convinces the prophet inflamed with anger to condescend to the penitent. I will bring no evil, he says, in his days. And although after forgiveness he will not forsake wickedness, nevertheless the Lord completely forgives him; not because he does not know the future, but because he grants forgiveness in accordance with the present time of repentance. For a just judge judges every deed as it happened.

14. In the same way, Jeroboam offered sacrifice to idols on the altar (3 Kings 13:4). His hand became dry when he ordered to seize the prophet who was denouncing him. But having experienced the power of this man, he said to him: "Pray before the Lord thy God" (3 Kings 13:6). And because of these words his hand was healed again. If the prophet healed Jeroboam, can't Christ heal and free you from sin? Manasseh was also a most transgressor of the law, he sawed Isaiah, defiled himself with all kinds of idolatry, filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. But being taken captive to Babylon, he turned the misfortune he endured into healing repentance. "For the Scripture says that Manasseh humbled himself before the Lord, and pray, and the Lord heard, and restore him to his kingdom" (2 Chronicles 33:13). If he who sawed the prophet was saved by repentance, will you not be saved, who have done nothing of the kind?

15. See that you do not reject the act of repentance without reason. Do you want to know how powerful repentance is? Do you wish to know the mighty weapon of salvation, and to understand how powerful confession is? One hundred and eighty-five thousand (4 Kings 19:35) enemies were put to flight by confession. This matter is indeed great, but it is still insignificant in relation to what will be said. By repentance, he stopped the pronounced Divine decree. During his illness, Isaiah said to him: "Command thy house, for thou shalt die, and thou shalt not live" (2 Kings 20:1; Isaiah 38:1) Can one expect after this, can one hope for healing, when the prophet says: "Thou art dying"? However, Hezekiah did not abandon repentance, but, remembering the words of the Scriptures: "When thou returnest breathless, then shalt thou be saved" (Isaiah 30:15), he turned to the wall, and from the bed stretching out his thoughts to heaven (for the impenetrability of the walls does not stop prayers sent up with piety), he said: "Lord, remember me" (2 Kings 20:3). For in order that I may be healed, it is sufficient for Thee to remember me. You are not subject to time, but You Yourself are the lawgiver of life. Our life does not depend on the nature of the arrangement of the stars, as some idle talk, but You Yourself dispose of whom and when to live. And to him, who, according to the Prophet's saying, had no hope of living any longer, fifteen more years of life were added, as a sign of which the sun took a reverse course. Then for Hezekiah the sun turned back, and for Christ the sun was darkened. It did not return, but was darkened, and through this it showed the difference between the two, that is, between Hezekiah and Jesus. And he was able to turn away the Divine decree, but does not Jesus grant remission of sins? Turn and weep for yourself, close the door, and pray that He will let you go, and that He will deliver you from the burning flame. For confession is strong to extinguish fire, and it is strong to tame lions.

16. But if you do not believe, then imagine what happened to Ananias and those who were with him, and what springs they poured out. What measures of water could extinguish a flame that rose forty-nine cubits? But where the flame was excessively high, there faith poured out like a river, there they opposed evil with this voice: Righteous is the ecu. O Lord, for all, whom He hath created for us; for they have sinned and are lawless (Dan. 3:27-29). And repentance extinguished the flames. If you do not believe that repentance can extinguish the fire of Gehenna, then learn this from what happened to Ananias. But some of the attentive listeners will say: God then preserved them for their righteousness, because they did not want to worship the idol, God gave them this power. If so, I will present another example of repentance.