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In souls, therefore, that have mercy most abundantly and before this and with this, faith, and having works that confirm the faith; into these, as into a lamp full of both oil and wick, the Master casts fire, which the world has not perceived nor has the strength to perceive (I call the world those who are in the world and think worldly things). Just as the lamp is lit, I tell you in sensible terms, when it touches the fire, (239) so understand me to say spiritually that it touches the souls and kindles the divine fire. Before it touches, how will it be lit? And before it is cast, how will it touch? Truly, in no way, not at all! But when the lamp is lit and clearly illumines all, and the oil runs out, will the lamp not be extinguished? Consider also for me something else greater, which frightens me more than anything! My lamp shining brightly with an abundance of oil, and a plentiful wick, a mouse came or some other thing and either overturned the lamp or, lapping it up little by little, drank the oil and ate the wick and extinguished the flame. And what is even more astonishing, is that the whole wick, which is called the fuse, falling into the oil immediately extinguishes the fire, and I have the lamp

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Ἐν ψυχαῖς ἐχούσαις ἄρα ἔλεον δαψιλεστάτως καί πρό τούτου καί σύν τούτῳ πίστιν, ἔργα τε τήν πίστιν βεβαιοῦντα κεκτημέναις ταύταις, ὡσεί λύχνῳ πλήρει καί ἐλαίου καί στυπείου πῦρ ἐμβάλλει ὁ ∆εσπότης, ὅ ὁ κόσμος οὐ κατεῖδεν οὐδέ κατιδεῖν ἰσχύει (Κόσμον λέγω τούς ἐν κόσμῳ καί τά κοσμικά φρονοῦντας). Ὥσπερ ἅπτει δέ ὁ λύχνος, ἐν τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς σοι λέγω, ὅταν τῷ πυρί προσψαύσῃ, (239) οὕτω καί πνευματικῶς μοι νόει λέγειν ταῖς ψυχαῖς προσψαύειν καί ἀνάπτειν πῦρ τό θεῖον. Πρίν προσψαύσῃ, πῶς ἀνάψει; Πρίν βληθῇ δέ, πῶς προσψαύσει; Ὄντως οὐδαμῶς, οὐδ᾿ ὅλως! Ὅταν δέ ὁ λύχνος ἅπτῃ καί τρανῶς φωτίζῃ πάντας, καί τό ἔλαιον ἐκλείψῃ, οὐ σβεσθήσεται ὁ λύχνος; Θέα μοι καί ἄλλο μεῖζον, ὅ φοβεῖ με πλέον πάντων! Φαίνοντά μου λύχνον μέγα ἐν ἐλαίου δαψιλείᾳ, ἀφθονίᾳ τε στυπείου, μῦς ἐλθών ἤ ἕτερόν τι ἤ κατέστρεψε τόν λύχνον ἤ κατά μικρόν ἐκλεῖξαν ἔπιε τό ἔλαιόν τε ἔφαγέ τε τό στυπεῖον καί τήν λαμπάδα ἔσβεσε. Τό δ᾿ ἔτι θαυμαστότερον, ὅτι τό στυπεῖον ὅλον, ὅπερ θρυαλλίς καλεῖται, ἐμπεσόν ἐν τῷ ἐλαίῳ σβέννυται τό πῦρ εὐθέως, καί ὑπάρχει μοι ὁ λύχνος