131

30.

To one of the disciples, that the divine fire of the Spirit, having touched the souls purified through tears and repentance, seizes them and purifies them more, illuminating the parts of them darkened by sin and healing the wounds brings them to a complete closing, so that they might shine exceedingly with divine beauty. (237)

There is truly a divine fire, which the Lord said that He came to cast upon what earth, tell me? Upon men certainly, those who think of earthly things, which He wished and wishes to be kindled in all. Hear and know, my child, the depth of the divine mysteries! This divine fire, therefore, what sort do you reckon it to be? Do you suppose it is visible or created or comprehensible? By no means, for you are in initiation of such a thing and you know for certain that it is incomprehensible, (238) uncreated, invisible indeed, without beginning and immaterial, unchangeable in everything, likewise uncircumscribable, unquenchable, immortal, wholly incomprehensible, outside of all created things, both material and immaterial, visible and invisible, incorporeal and incarnate, earthly, heavenly; of all these things it is outside by nature, by essence, yes indeed, and by authority. Into what matter, therefore, will this be cast, tell me? Into souls, then, that have mercy most abundantly and before this and with this, faith, and having works that confirm this faith, as in a full lamp

131

Λ'.

Πρός ἕνα τῶν μαθητῶν, ὅτι ταῖς καθαρθείσαις ψυχαῖς διά δακρύων καί μετανοίας προσψαῦσαν τό θεῖον τοῦ Πνεύματος πῦρ δράσσεται αὐτῶν καί πλεον καθαίρει, φωτίζον τά ὑπό τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐσκοτισμένα μέρη αὐτῶν καί τά τραύματα ἐξιώμενον εἰς τελεῖαν φέρει συνούλωσιν, ὡς τῷ θείῳ κάλλει ὑπεραστράπτειν αὐτάς. (237)

Ἔστι πῦρ τό θεῖον ὄντως, ὅπερ εἶπεν ὁ ∆εσπότης, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἵνα βάλῃ ἐπί ποίαν γῆν, εἰπέ μοι˙ ἐπί τούς ἀνθρώπους πάντως, τούς τά γήϊνα φρονοῦντας, ὅπερ ἤθελε καί θέλει τοῦ ἀνάπτεσθαι ἐν πᾶσιν. Ἄκουσον καί γνῶθι, τέκνον, θείων μυστηρίων θάθος! Τό οὖν πῦρ τοῦτο τό θεῖον ποταπόν εἶναι λογίζῃ; Ἆρα ὁρατόν ἤ κτιστόν ἤ ληπτόν ὑπολαμβάνεις; Οὐμενοῦν καί γάρ ὑπάρχεις ἐν μυήσει τοῦ τοιούτου καί ἐπίστασαι βεβαίως ἄληπτον αὐτό ὑπάρχειν, (238) ἄκτιστον, ἀόρατόν γε, ἄναρχόν τε καί ἄϋλον, ἀναλλοίωτον εἰς ἅπαν, ἀπερίγραπτον ὡσαύτως, ἄσβεστον, ἀθάνατον, ἀπερίληπτον πάντῃ, ἔξω πάντων τῶν κτισμάτων, τῶν ἐνύλων καί ἀΰλων, ὁρατῶν καί ἀοράτων, ἀσωμάτων καί ἐνσάρκων, ἐπιγείων, οὐρανίων˙ τούτων πάντων ἔστιν ἔξω κατά φύσιν, κατ᾿ οὐσίαν, ναί δή, καί κατ᾿ ἐξουσίαν. Τοῦτο οὖν ἐν ποίᾳ ὕλῃ ἐμβληθήσεται, εἰπέ μοι; Ἐν ψυχαῖς ἐχούσαις ἄρα ἔλεον δαψιλεστάτως καί πρό τούτου καί σύν τούτῳ πίστιν, ἔργα τε τήν πίστιν βεβαιοῦντα κεκτημέναις ταύταις, ὡσεί λύχνῳ πλήρει