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is shown in a mirror, not in an unsubstantial phantom as that is, (320) but shown hypostatically and essentially in light, seen invisibly in a formless form and in a figureless idea, and comprehended incomprehensibly.

Thus, then, the incomprehensibility of our faith is comprehended, O brethren. Thus among whom the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit may come and truly make their abode, they are seen and understood without a doubt, unchangeably, known in one light, as we have said. But just as one who pursues a fugitive, even if he thinks he is near him and at his heels and already seems to touch and approach him with his fingertips, is not able to get hold of him, being, as they say, within a hair's breadth, so too, if we have some small reasoning or combination—I mean of unbelief or double-mindedness or cowardice—or any passion whatsoever in carelessness and sloth, or if we should lay claim at all to any small and insignificant thing, we shall not become partakers of the divinity, we shall not be raised up to the height of this glory. For as the "within a hair's breadth" is there, so also this "small thing" is in spiritual matters. And if we do not completely despise both our soul and body, as if called to martyrdom, and give ourselves and our souls over entirely to every punishment and every death, not remembering anything that pertains to the life and constitution of this corruptible body, let alone being anxious, we will not become friends and brothers, we will not become partakers and fellow-heirs, nor of the aforementioned mysteries of God in contemplation and knowledge and experience.

For this reason, let him who has not been deemed worthy to attain these things and to come into possession of such good things condemn himself alone and not say, making excuses for his sins, that the thing is impossible, or that (321) it happens, but unknowingly; but let him know, being fully assured from the divine Scriptures, that the thing is possible and true, occurring in deed and being active in a knowable way, but by inactivity and the lack of the commandments, each such person deprives himself of good things in proportion; may it be that we all attain these things, having tasted from here and known that the Lord is good, and from there seeing him whole and rejoicing with him for the unending ages of ages. Amen.

DISCOURSE 11. (322)

On the life-giving mortification of Jesus and God which is ever taking place perceptibly in the perfect. And that the acquisition of the virtues is bought with blood; and what are the lodgings of the virtues, and that he who does not ascend in order through the first step into the kingdom of heaven will by no means enter into it. That in the perfect there is joy and exultation, and not tears, and the streams of theology gush forth. And towards the end, that one must not leap into positions of authority without the grace that fills our hearts, which calls one to shepherd the people of God; and what is the work of those in charge, and what is the care for the rational sheep, and how they ought to be shepherded by the shepherds.

The things of the life-giving mortification of Jesus and God and of its wondrous activity

which is ever taking place in those who are perfect in virtue and in knowledge not everyone who hears will also understand, even if one thinks so, but only those who have clearly recognized and comprehended the most holy saying of the Apostle that speaks thus: "For the form of this world is passing away, so that even those who have wives should be as though not

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κατόπτρῳ δείκνυται, οὐκ ἐν φαντάσματι ἀνυποστάτῳ καθάπερ ἐκεῖνό ἐστιν, (320) ἀλλ᾿ ἐν φωτί ἐνυποστάτως καί οὐσιωδῶς δεικνύμενον, ἐν μορφῇ ἀμόρφῳ καί ἐν ἀνιδέῳ ἰδέᾳ ἀοράτως ὁρώμενον και ἀκατανοήτως κατανοούμενον.

Οὕτως οὖν ἡ ἀκαταληψία καταλαμβάνεται τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν, ὦ ἀδελφοί. Οὕτω παρ᾿ οἷς ἄν ὁ Πατήρ καί ὁ Υἱός ἐν Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι παραγένωνται καί μονήν ἐπ᾿ ἀληθείας ποιήσωσι, καθορῶνται καί κατανοοῦνται ἀναμφιβόλως, ἀπαραλλάκτως, ἐν ἑνί φωτί, καθώς εἴπομεν, γινωσκόμενοι. Πλήν ὥσπερ ὁ καταδιώκων τινά φεύγοντα, κἄν ἐγγύς αὐτοῦ καί κατά πόδας εἶναι νομίζῃ καί ἤδη δοκῇ ἅπτεσθαι καί ἄκροις δακτύλοις προσεγγίζειν αὐτῷ, οὐ δύναται ἐγκρατής γενέσθαι αὐτοῦ, παρά τρίχα τό δή λεγόμενον ὤν, οὕτως οὐδέ, ἐάν λογισμόν τινα μικρόν ἤ συνδυασμόν, ἀπιστίας λέγω ἤ διψυχίας ἤ δειλίας, ἤ τό οἱονοῦν πάθος ἐν ἀμελείᾳ καί ῥᾳθυμίᾳ ἕξομεν, ἤ καί πράγματός τινος μικροῦ καί ἐλαχίστου εἰ ὅλως ἀντιποιησόμεθα, οὐκ ἄν θεότητος κοινωνοί γενησόμεθα, οὐκ ἄν εἰς τό ὕψος τῆς δόξης ταύτης ἀναχθησόμεθα. Ὡς γάρ τό παρά τρίχα ἐκεῖ, οὕτω καί τό μικρόν τοῦτο ἐπί τῶν πνευματικῶν γίνεται. Καί εἰ μή τελέως καί αὐτῆς τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν καί τοῦ σώματος, ὡς ἐπί μαρτύριον κληθέντες, καταφρονήσωμεν καί πρός πᾶσαν τιμωρίαν καί πάντα θάνατον ὅλους ἑαυτούς καί τάς ψυχάς ἡμῶν ἐκδώσομεν, μηδέ μιμνησκόμενοί τινος τῶν πρός ζωήν καί σύστασιν τοῦ φθαρτοῦ τούτου σώματος, μή τί γε μεριμνῶντες, οὐκ ἄν φίλοι καί ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἄν συμμέτοχοι καί συγκληρονόμοι, οὐδέ τῶν εἰρημένων μυστηρίων Θεοῦ ἐν θεωρίᾳ καί γνώσει καί πείρᾳ γενώμεθα.

∆ιά τοι τοῦτο ὁ μή πρός ταῦτα φθάσαι καταξιωθείς καί τῶν τοιούτων ἐν κατασχέσει γενέσθαι καλῶν ἑαυτοῦ καταγινωσκέτω μόνου καί μή λεγέτω, προφασιζόμενος προφάσεις ἐν ἁμαρτίαις, ὅτι ἀδύνατον τό πρᾶγμα, ἤ ὅτι (321) γίνεται μέν, ἀγνώστως δέ· ἀλλά γινωσκέτω πληροφορούμενος ἀπό τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, ὅτι τό μέν πρᾶγμα δυνατόν καί ἀληθές ἐστιν, ἔργῳ γινόμενον καί γνωστῶς ἐνεργούμενον, τῇ δέ ἀργίᾳ καί ἐλλείψει τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτός ἑαυτόν ἕκαστος τῶν τοιούτων κατά ἀναλογίαν ἀποστερεῖ ἀγαθῶν· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, ἐντεῦθεν μέν γευσαμένους καί γνόντας ὅτι χρηστός ὁ Κύριος, ἐκεῖθεν δέ ὅλον ὀψομένους αὐτόν καί εἰς ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων συνευφραινομένους αὐτῷ· ἀμήν.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΙΑ '. (322)

Περί τῆς ζωοποιοῦ νεκρώσεως τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καί Θεοῦ τῆς ἀεί γινομένης εὐαισθήτως ἐν τοῖς τελείοις. Καί ὅτι ἡ κτῆσις τῶν ἀρετῶν αἵματι ἀγοράζεται· καί τίνα τῶν ἀρετῶν τά καταγώγια καί ὅτι ὁ μή διά τῆς πρώτης βαθμίδος κατά τάξιν εἰς τήν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνερχόμενος οὐδαμῶς εἰσελεύσεται εἰς αὐτήν. Ὅτι ἐν τοῖς τελείοις χαρά καί ἀγαλλίασίς ἐστι, καί οὐ δάκρυον, καί βρύουσι τῆς θεολογίας τά ῥεῖθρα. Καί πρός τό τέλος, ὅτι δεῖ ἐπιπηδᾶν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἄνευ τῆς πληροφούσης τάς καρδίας ἡμῶν χάριτος, τῆς ἐπί τό ποιμαίνειν καλούσης τόν λαόν τοῦ Θεοῦ· καί τί τό ἔργον τῶν προϊσταμένων, τίς δέ ἡ περί τά λογικά πρόβατα φροντίς, καί πῶς ὀφείλουσι ταῦτα παρά τῶν ποιμένων ποιμαίνεσθαι.

Τά τῆς ζωοποιοῦ νεκρώσεως τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καί Θεοῦ καί τῆς θαυμαστῆς ἐνεργείας

αὐτῆς τῆς γινομένης ἀεί ἐν τοῖς τελείοις τήν ἀρετήν καί τήν γνῶσιν οὐ πᾶς τις ὁ ἀκούων καί διαγνώσεται, εἰ καί τοῦτό τις οἴεται, ἀλλ᾿ ἐκεῖνοι μόνοι οἱ ἐπιγνωκότες καί κατειληφότες ἐναργῶς τό οὕτω λέγον τοῦ Ἀποστόλου ἱερώτατον λόγιον· «Παράγει γάρ τό σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, ἵνα καί οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μή