XII.  You see how streams confined in lead pipes, through being much compressed and carried to one point, often so far depart from the nature of water that that which is pushed from behind will often flow constantly upwards.  So if thou confine thy desire, and be wholly joined to God, thou wilt not fall downward; thou wilt not be dissipated; thou wilt remain entirely Christ’s, until thou see Christ thy Bridegroom.  Keep thyself unapproachable, both in word and work and life, and thought and action.  From all sides the Evil One interferes with thee; he spies thee everywhere, where he may strike, where wound thee; let him not find anything bared and ready to his stroke.  The purer he sees thee, the more he strives to stain thee, for the stains on a shining garment are more conspicuous.  Let not eye draw eye, nor laughter, nor familiarity night, lest night bring destruction.  For that which is gradually drawn away and stolen, works a mischief which is unperceived at the time, but yet attains to the consummation of wickedness.

ΙΒʹ. Ὁρᾶτε τὰ ἐμπεριλαμβανόμενα τοῖς μολιβδίνοις ὀχετοῖς ῥεύματα, ὅτι τῷ λίαν στενοχωρεῖσθαι, καὶ πρὸς ἓν φέρεσθαι, τοσοῦτον ἐκβαίνει τὴν ὕδατος πολλάκις φύσιν, ὥστε καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἄνω χωρεῖν ἀεὶ τὸ κατόπιν ὠθούμενον. Οὕτως ἐὰν σφίγξῃς τὸν πόθον, καὶ ὅλη Θεῷ συναφθῇς, ἄνω χωρίσῃς, οὐ μὴ κάτω πέσῃς, οὐ μὴ διαχυθῇς, ὅλη Χριστοῦ μενεῖς, μέχρις ἃν καὶ Χριστὸν ἴδῃς τὸν σὸν νυμφίον. Ἀπρόσιτον ἑαυτὴν φύλαττε, καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ ἕργῳ, καὶ βίῳ, καὶ διανοήματι, καὶ κινήματι. Πανταχόθεν ὁ Πονηρὸς περιεργάζεταί σε, πάντα κατασκοπεῖ, ποῦ βάλῃ, ποῦ τρώσει, μή τι παραγυμνούμενον εὕρῃ καὶ πρὸς πληγὴν ἕτοιμον. Ὅσῳ καθαρωτέραν ὁρᾷ, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον σπιλῶσαι φιλονεικεῖ: καὶ γὰρ ἐσθῆτος λαμπρᾶς οἱ σπίλοι περιφανέστεροι. Μὴ ὀφθαλμὸς ὀφθαλμὸν ἑλκέτω, μὴ γέλως γέλωτα, μὴ συνήθεια νύκτα, μὴ νὺξ ἀπώλειαν. Τὸ γὰρ κατὰ μέρος ὑφελκόμενον καὶ κλεπτόμενον, ἀνεπαίσθητον μὲν τὴν πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἔχει βλάβην, εἰς τὸ κεφάλαιον δὲ τῆς κακίας ἀπαντᾷ.