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.

17. What thoughts do you have about Nebuchadnezzar? Have you not heard from the Scriptures that he is a bloodthirsty, ferocious man, of bestial character? Have you not heard that he cast out the bones of the king's tombs? Have you not heard that he has taken a whole people into captivity? Did he not hear that he blinded the king after he saw his children being killed? Have you not heard that he crushed the cherubim? I am not talking about spiritual cherubim, no, do not understand so, man! But the cherubim, the statues, the purgatory, from among which God spoke by ear. He trampled on the veil of the holy thing, took the censer and carried it to the pagan temple, seized all the offering, and burned the temple to the ground. What punishment was he worthy of for the murder of kings, for the burning of holy things, for the captivity of the people, for the dedication of sacred vessels to idols? Was he not worthy of a thousand deaths?

18. You have seen the greatness of evil, now look at God's love for mankind. He was turned into a beast, he spent his life in the wilderness, he was beaten so that he could be saved. He had claws like a lion, for he was a predator of the holy. And he had the hair of a lion, for he was a lion, stealing and roaring. He ate the grass like an ox; for he was a beast that did not know Him who gave him the kingdom. His body was wet with dew, because when he saw the fire extinguished by the dew, he did not believe. And what happens? Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his eyes to heaven, he says, and blessed the Most High, and He who lives forever to praise and glorify (Dan. 4:31). And so, when he came to know the Most High, and lifted up a voice of thanksgiving to God, when he repented of his sin and knew his weakness, then God restored to him royal honor.

19. What is it? To Nebuchadnezzar, who had done so much evil, and then repented, God granted forgiveness and the kingdom, but to you, the penitent, will He not grant remission of sins and the Kingdom of Heaven, if you live as you should? The Lord, loving mankind, quickly forgives, but hesitates to punish. Therefore, let no one lose hope of his salvation. Peter, the chief and foremost of the Apostles, denied the Lord three times before the handmaiden, but repenting, weeping bitterly (Matt. 26:75). And weeping expresses heartfelt repentance. And therefore he not only received forgiveness in his renunciation, but also retained the apostolic dignity inalienably. Therefore, brethren, seeing the many examples of those who have sinned, and repented, and those who have been saved, hasten to repent yourselves before the Lord, that you may receive forgiveness for the sins you have committed, and that you may be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, and that you may inherit the heavenly gift together with all the Saints in Christ Jesus. Glory to Him forever and ever. Amen.

Catechetical Instruction Third

To those who are preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, what was said without preparation, about baptism, in response to the words from the Epistle to the Romans: "Or do you not understand, that we were baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized into His death; for we were buried with Him by baptism, and so on. (Romans 6:3-4).

1. Rejoice, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, for those who desire to be sprinkled with hyssop, to cleanse themselves with spiritual hyssop, and with the power of Him Who, in the time of His suffering, was drunk with hyssop and reed. Let the powers of heaven rejoice, and let the souls that are to be united with the spiritual Bridegroom be prepared for this. For the voice cries out already in the wilderness: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord" (Isaiah 40:3). This is not an unimportant matter; not an ordinary and foolish combination of bodies, but the election by faith of the all-searching Spirit. Worldly marriages and marriages are not properly examined, but where there is wealth or beauty, there the bridegroom soon agrees. And here it is not bodily beauty, but the irreproachable conscience of the soul, not the reprehensible wealth, but the wealth of spiritual piety that is respected. Therefore, children of justification, heed John, who exhorts and says: "Straighten out the way of the Lord" (John 1:23), strive to destroy every obstacle and temptation, so that you may go straight to eternal life. By unfeigned faith, prepare clean vessels of the soul to receive the Holy Spirit. Begin to wash your garments with repentance, so that when you are called to the bridal chamber, you will appear clean. For though the Bridegroom calls all without exception, because grace is bountiful, and the loud voice of the heralds gathers all; however, He Himself distinguishes those who have entered the mysterious wedding feast. Let it not happen to any of those whose names are on the list to hear then: Friend! How did Thou enter into this, not having the bridal garment (Matt. 22:12)? But let each one of you hear: Good, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a little, I will set thee over many: enter into the joy of thy Lord (Matt. 25:21), for hitherto thou hast stood outside the gates. Oh, if only every one of you could say: Bring me the king into his couch. Let my soul rejoice in the Lord: for Thou hast clothed me with the robe of salvation, and clothed me with a garment of gladness; As on the bridegroom, put a crown on me, and as a bride, adorn me with beauty (Song of Songs 1:3; Isaiah 61:10). Let the soul of every one of you be revealed, having no defilement, or blemish, or any of these (Ephesians 5:27). I do not say that this was before the reception of grace: for why should I call you to the remission of sins? But so that when grace is granted, conscience may agree with grace, having been found to be irreproachable.

2. This is truly a great matter, brethren, and therefore approach it with meditation. Each one of you must stand before God before a myriad host of angels. The Holy Spirit will seal your souls. You will be chosen into the army of the great King. Therefore, dispose and prepare yourselves, putting on not precious garments, but the piety of the soul, which is revealed in a good conscience. Approach baptism not as to simple water, but as to spiritual grace given with water. For just as that which is sacrificed, which is simple in nature, is defiled by the invocation of idols, so on the contrary, simple water, having received power from the invocation of the Holy Spirit and Christ and the Father, is made holy. Since man consists of two parts, the soul and the body, the purification is twofold: the incorporeal for the incorporeal, and the corporeal for the body. Water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul, so that we may approach God with a heart sprinkled and a body washed with pure water. Therefore, when you descend into the water, do not imagine ordinary water, but expect salvation from the action of the Holy Spirit. For without both it is impossible for you to attain perfection. It is not I who say this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has authority in this matter. He says: "Except a man be born again," and adds the words, "By water and by the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God" (John 3:3; 3:5). Neither he who is baptized with water, but is not worthy of the Spirit, has perfect grace; nor he who is good in works, but has not been sealed with water, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The word is bold, but not mine, for Jesus so determined. And here is the proof in the Divine Scriptures. Cornelius was a righteous man, who was vouchsafed a vision of the Angels, and his prayers and alms represented a beautiful pillar in heaven before God. Peter came, and the Spirit was poured out upon the believers, and they began to speak in other tongues and prophesy. Further, the Scriptures say that even after this spiritual grace, Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that, after the regeneration of the soul by faith, they would receive grace and body by means of water. But if anyone wishes to know why he gives grace through water, and not through another element, he will find the solution of this in the Divine Scriptures. Water is something special and the best of the four visible elements of the world. Heaven is the abode of angels, but the heavens are made of water. The earth is the abode of men, but the earth is made of water. And first of all, during the six-day dispensation of creatures, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. The beginning of the world is water, and the beginning of the Gospel is the Jordan. The deliverance of Israel from Pharaoh was accomplished by means of the sea, and the deliverance of the world from sins is accomplished through the washing of water by the action of the Word of God. Where God enters into a covenant with someone, there is water. A covenant was made with Noah after the flood; the covenant was made with Israel at Mount Sinai, but it was also made by means of water, and scarlet waves, and hyssop. Elijah ascends, but even here it is not without water. For first he passes through the Jordan, then he is raptured into heaven. The high priest first washes, then lights incense. Aaron was first washed, then he was made high priest. For how would he begin to pray for others if he himself had not yet been cleansed by water? And the sign of baptism was the laver that was in the Tabernacle.