Having therefore already arranged all things in himself together with his Child, up until the former time he permitted us to be carried along, as we wished, by unruly impulses, led away by pleasures and lusts—not at all delighting in our sins, but bearing with them; nor approving of that former season of unrighteousness, but fashioning the present season of righteousness—so that, having in that former time been convicted by our own deeds as unworthy of life, we might now be counted worthy by the kindness of God; and having shown that of ourselves we are unable to enter the kingdom of God, we might be made able by the power of God.
But when our unrighteousness had been filled up, and it had been made fully clear that its wage—punishment and death—was awaited; and the season came which God had appointed at last to manifest his own kindness and power—O the surpassing love and mercy of God!—he did not hate us, nor reject us, nor remember our wrongs against us; but he was longsuffering, he bore with us, he himself in pity took upon himself our sins, he himself gave up his own Son as a ransom for us: the holy one for the lawless, the innocent for the wicked, the righteous for the unrighteous, the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal.
O the sweet exchange! O the inscrutable workmanship! O the unexpected benefits!—that the lawlessness of many should be hidden in one righteous man, and the righteousness of one should justify many lawless ones.
Having therefore in the former time convicted the powerlessness of our nature to attain life, and now having shown the Savior able to save even what was impossible, he willed by both these things that we should believe in his kindness and regard him as nurse, father, teacher, counselor, physician, mind, light, honor, glory, strength, life—and that we should not be anxious about clothing and food.