172

let us also imitate; for thus we will be able both to be well-pleasing before God, and to be brought down to the fair havens with much merchandise. Let us therefore stretch our mind toward heaven, let us be possessed by that desire, let us surround ourselves with the spiritual fire, let us gird ourselves with the flame. No one carrying a flame fears those who meet him; whether it be a beast, or a man, or ten thousand snares, as long as he is on fire, all things stand aside, all things give way. The flame is insupportable, the fire is unbearable, it consumes all things. Let us surround ourselves with this fire, and let us send up glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

172

μιμησώμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς· οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα καὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐαρεστῆσαι, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς λιμένας καταχθῆναι τοὺς εὐδιεινοὺς μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐμπορίας. Τείνωμεν τοίνυν τὴν διάνοιαν ἡμῶν πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, τῷ πόθῳ κατασχεθῶμεν ἐκείνῳ, τῷ πυρὶ περιβάλωμεν ἑαυτοὺς τῷ πνευματικῷ, τῇ φλογὶ διαζώσωμεν ἑαυτούς. Οὐδεὶς φλόγα ἐπιφερόμενος δέδοικε τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας· κἂν θηρίον ᾖ, κἂν ἄνθρωπος, κἂν μυρίαι παγίδες, ἕως πεπυρωμένος ᾖ, πάντα ὑπεξίσταται, πάντα παραχωρεῖ. Ἀνύποιστος ἡ φλὸξ, ἀφόρητος ἡ πυρὰ, πάντα καταναλίσκει. Τοῦτο τὸ πῦρ περιβάλωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ δόξαν ἀναπέμψωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.