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the seventh will know him, having become little by little like the one who was taught, and remaining then for a whole year, for the most part being wounded rather than wounding, until the one succeeding him arrives; if for a time, as in the case of Job, we fall under them, and our houses are plundered by the lawless. 68. Impure thoughts often accept material for their increase, and extend themselves to many things. For indeed they cross great seas in the mind, and do not shrink from traveling long roads, because of the great heat of the passion. But those who have been purified in some way are more restricted than these, being unable to extend themselves to many things because of the weakness of the passion; whence they are moved more contrary to nature and, according to the wise Solomon, for a time they wander outside, and gather stubble for the lawless brick-making, no longer receiving straw. It is necessary, therefore, to guard the heart with all vigilance, so that it may be saved like a gazelle from snares, and like a bird from a trap. For it is easier to purify an impure soul than to recall to health one that has been purified and then wounded again, since the demon of sadness does not permit it, but is always leaping before the pupils of the eyes and, at the time of prayer, bringing forward the idol of the sin. 69. Christ raises a rational nature that has been put to death by wickedness through the contemplation of all the ages; 40.1244 but his Father raises the soul that has died the death of Christ through the knowledge of himself. And this is what is said by the Apostle, namely, “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” 70. When the mind, having put off the old man, puts on the one from grace, then at the time of prayer it will also see its own state, resembling sapphire or the color of heaven, which Scripture also calls the place of God, seen by the elders on Mount Sinai. 71. The mind would not see the place of God in itself, unless it has become higher than all things that exist; and it will not become higher unless it has put off the passions that bind it through its thoughts to sensible things. And it will put away the passions through the virtues, and the bare thoughts through spiritual contemplation; and this in turn, when that light has appeared to it which at the time of prayer gives form to the place of God.

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τὴν ἑβδόμην γνώσεται αὐτὸν ὅμοιον κατ' ὀλίγον τῷ διδαχθέντι γενόμενον, καὶ παραμένοντα λοιπὸν ἐν ὅλῳ ἐνιαυτῷ, τὰ πολλὰ τιτρωσκόμενον μᾶλλον ἤπερ τιτρώσκοντα, μέχρις ἂν καὶ ὁ τοῦτον διαδεχόμενος παραγένηται· εἴγε χρόνον, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰὼβ, πίπτομεν ὑπ' αὐτοὺς, καὶ οἱ οἶκοι ἡμῶν ἐκπορθοῦνται ὑπὸ ἀνόμων. ΞΗʹ. Ἀκάθαρτοι λογισμοὶ, πολλάκις εἰς αὔξησιν ὕλας προσδέχονται, καὶ πολλοῖς συμπαρεκτείνονται πράγμασι. Καὶ γὰρ πελάγη κατὰ διάνοιαν περῶσι μεγάλα, καὶ μακρὰς ὁδοὺς ὁδεύειν οὐ παραιτοῦνται, διὰ πολλὴν τοῦ πάθους θερμότητα. Οἱ δὲ ὁπωσοῦν κεκαθαρμένοι, στενώτεροι τούτων μᾶλλόν εἰσι, πολλοῖς συμπαρεκτείνεσθαι πράγμασι μὴ δυνάμενοι, διὰ τὴν τοῦ πάθους ἀσθένειαν· ὅθεν καὶ παρὰ φύσιν μᾶλλον κινοῦνται, καὶ κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Σολομῶντα, χρόνον τινὰ ἔξω ῥέμβονται, καὶ καλάμην συνάγουσιν εἰς τὴν παράνομον πλινθουργίαν, μηκέτι λαμβάνοντες ἄχυρα. ∆εῖ οὖν πάσῃ φυλακῇ τηρεῖν τὴν καρδίαν, ἵνα σώζηται ὥσπερ δορκὰς ἐκ βρόχων, καὶ ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐκ παγίδος. Ῥᾷον γὰρ ἀκάθαρτον καθᾶραι ψυχὴν, ἢ καθαρθεῖσαν καὶ πάλιν τραυματισθεῖσαν, εἰς ὑγίειαν αὖθις ἀνακαλέσασθαι, τοῦ δαίμονος τῆς λύπης μὴ συγχωροῦντος, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ταῖς κόραις τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμπηδῶντος, καὶ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς, τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας προφέροντος εἴδωλον. ΞΘʹ. Φύσιν μὲν λογικὴν ὑπὸ κακίας θανατωθεῖσαν ἐγείρει Χριστὸς διὰ τῆς θεωρίας πάντων τῶν αἰώνων· 40.1244 ὁ δὲ τούτου Πατὴρ τὴν ἀποθανοῦσαν ψυχὴν τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐγείρει διὰ τῆς γνώσεως τῆς ἑαυτοῦ. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λεγόμενον, τὸ, «Εἰ συναπεθάνομεν τῷ Χριστῷ, πιστεύομεν, ὅτι καὶ συζήσομεν αὐτῷ.» Οʹ. Ὅταν ὁ νοῦς τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποδυσάμενος, τὸν ἐκ χάριτος ἐπενδύσηται, τότε καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κατάστασιν ὄψεται κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς, σαπφείρῳ ἢ οὐρανίῳ χρώματι παρεμφερῆ, ἥντινα καὶ τόπον Θεοῦ ἡ Γραφὴ ὀνομάζει ὑπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ὀφθέντα ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους Σινᾶ. ΟΑʹ. Οὐκ ἂν ἴδῃ ὁ νοῦς τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τόπον ἐν ἑαυτῷ, μὴ πάντων τῶν ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν ὑψηλότερος γεγονώς· οὐ γενήσεται δὲ ὑψηλότερος, μὴ τὰ πάθη ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰ συνδεσμοῦντα αὐτὸν διὰ τῶν νοημάτων τοῖς πράγμασι τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς· καὶ τὰ μὲν πάθη ἀποθήσεται διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν, τοὺς δὲ ψιλοὺς λογισμοὺς διὰ τῆς πνευματικῆς θεωρίας· καὶ ταύτην πάλιν, ἐπιφανέντος αὐτῷ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου τοῦ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς ἐκτυποῦντος τὸν τόπον τοῦ Θεοῦ.