And when he frightened them, he followed it up with encouragement in a context indicating that if they did not hasten to repentance, punishment would hasten upon them. He said, adding to this prohibition that had preceded: "And seek forgiveness from your Lord," meaning seek the concealment of the One who is gracious to you. He pointed out the extent of repentance with a term indicating delay, saying: "Then turn to Him in repentance." Then he justified this, encouraging them to turn to Him, by saying: "Indeed, my Lord"—meaning the One who is exclusively mine in what you see of kindness, in religion and in this world—"is Merciful and Affectionate," meaning He is abundant in honoring those who return to Him by preserving them in what He is pleased with, and He is abundant in His love for them. He did not begin with appealing to them as was his custom by saying: O my people, indicating that there was no time left for him to be secure in the occurrence of punishment until he occupied himself with appealing to them. Perhaps the matter is more urgent than that, so seek His forgiveness by making it your goal, then reach it through repentance. The word "then" is in its proper place in the order, and as for the delay, it is considering the greatness of the extent of repentance and the high rank of it. This is because forgiveness does not occur by mere request unless it is accompanied by it. This is the case with every major sin, that it is not expiated except by repentance. This is because the obedience performed afterward is like it a major sin in the category of acts of obedience, just as that is a major sin in the category of disobedience. Therefore, obedience cannot erase it, and the repetition of acts of obedience is met with the repetition of disobedience through persistence, which is like the repetition of sin in every case.