XXXVIII.  Let us cleanse every member, Brethren, let us purify every sense; let nothing in us be imperfect or of our first birth; let us leave nothing unilluminated.  Let us enlighten our eyes,145    Prov. iv. 25. that we may look straight on, and not bear in ourselves any harlot idol through curious and busy sight; for even though we might not worship lust, yet our soul would be defiled.  If there be beam or mote,146    Matt. vii. 2. let us purge it away, that we may be able to see those of others also.  Let us be enlightened in our ears; let us be enlightened in our tongue, that we may hearken what the Lord God will speak,147    Ps. lxxxv. 8. and that He may cause148    Ib. cxliii. 8. us to hear His lovingkindness in the morning, and that we may be made to hear of joy and gladness,149    Ib. li. 8. spoken into godly ears, that we may not be a sharp sword, nor a whetted razor,150    Ib. lvii. 4; lii. 2. nor turn under our tongue labour and toil,151    Ib. x. 7. but that we may speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden Wisdom,152    1 Cor. ii. 7. reverencing the fiery tongues.153    Acts ii. 3.  Let us be healed also in the smell, that we be not effeminate; and be sprinkled with dust instead of sweet perfumes,154    Isa. iii. 34. but may smell the Ointment that was poured out for us,155    Cant. i. 3. spiritually receiving it; and so formed and transformed by it, that from us too a sweet odour may be smelled.  Let us cleanse our touch, our taste, our throat, not touching them over gently, nor delighting in smooth things, but handling them as is worthy of Him, the Word That was made flesh for us; and so far following the example of Thomas,156    John xx. 28. not pampering them with dainties and sauces, those brethren of a more baleful pampering,157    Quia gula est parens immunditiæ et luxuriæ. but tasting and learning that the Lord is good,158    Ps. xxxiv. 8. with the better and abiding taste; and not for a short while refreshing that baneful and thankless dust, which lets pass and does not hold that which is given to it; but delighting it with the words which are sweeter than honey.159    Ps. cxix. 103.

ΛΗʹ. Πᾶν μέλος καθαρισθῶμεν, ἀδελφοὶ, πᾶσαν ἁγνίσωμεν αἴσθησιν: μηδὲν ἀτελὲς ἡμῖν ἔστω, μηδὲ τῆς πρώτης γενέσεως, μηδὲν ἀφώτιστον καταλείπωμεν. Φωτισθῶμεν τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν, ἵν' ὀρθὰ βλέπωμεν, καὶ μηδὲν εἴδωλον πορνικὸν ἐν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς φέρωμεν ἐκ φιλοπόνου θέας καὶ περιέργου. Κἂν γὰρ τῷ πάθει μὴ προσκυνήσωμεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐμολύνθημεν. Εἴ τις δοκὸς ἐν ἡμῖν, εἰ τι κάρφος, ἀνακαθαίρωμεν: ἵνα καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ὁρᾷν δυνώμεθα. Φωτισθῶμεν ἀκοὴν, φωτισθῶμεν γλῶσσαν: ἵνα ἀκούσωμεν, τί λαλήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀκουστὸν ἡμῖν γένηται τὸ πρωινὸν ἔλεος, καὶ ἀκουτισθῶμεν ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην, ἀκοαῖς θείαις ἐνηχουμένην: ἵνα μὴ ὦμεν μάχαιρα ὀξεῖα, μηδὲ ξυρὸν ἠκονημένον, μηδὲ ὑπὸ τὴν γλῶσσαν στρέφωμεν κόπον καὶ πόνον, ἀλλὰ λαλῶμεν Θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ, τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην, τὰς πυρίνας γλώσσας αἰδούμενοι. Ἰαθῶμεν ὄσφρησιν, ἵνα μὴ θηλυνώμεθα, μηδὲ ἀντὶ ὀσμῆς ἡδείας κονιορτώμεθα: ἀλλ' ὀσφραινώμεθα, τοῦ ἐκκενωθέντος δι' ἡμᾶς μύρου πνευματικῶς ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐξ αὐτοῦ ποιούμενοι καὶ μεταποιούμενοι, ὥστε καὶ αὐτῶν ἡμῶν ὀσφραίνεσθαι ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας. Καθαρθῶμεν ἁφὴν, γεῦσιν, λάρυγγα, μὴ μαλακῶς ἐπαφώμενοι, καὶ λειότησι χαίροντες, ἀλλὰ τὸν σαρκωθέντα δι' ἡμᾶς Λόγον ψηλαφῶντες, ὡς ἄξιον, καὶ Θωμᾶν κατὰ τοῦτο μιμούμενοι: μὴ χυμοῖς καὶ ὄψοις γαργαλιζόμενοι, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς τῶν πικροτέρων γαργαλισμῶν, ἀλλὰ γευόμενοι καὶ γινώσκοντες, ὅτι χρηστὸς ὁ Κύριος τὴν κρείττω γεῦσιν καὶ μένουσαν: μηδὲ μικρὰ τὸν πικρὸν καὶ ἀχάριστον ἀγωγὸν ἀναψύχοντες, τὸν παραπέμποντα, καὶ οὐ κατέχοντα τὸ διδόμενον, ἀλλὰ τοῖς γλυκυτέροις μέλιτος λόγοις τοῦτον εὐφραίνοντες.