Letter 792

To Peter the Monk. One must never be idle, nor even cease from the study of the Scriptures, from prayers and spiritual songs, and from the resplendent practice of righteousness; so that, having neglected ourselves, we may not lose the warmth of grace through the slackness of our manner of life. For this reason the divine Apostle [Paul] enjoins, crying out: "Quench not the Spirit" [1 Thessalonians 5:19]. But you have also often heard the ancient legislation declaring: "Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar" [Leviticus 6:12-13] -- that is to say, the fire in the ruling part of the soul -- and it shall by no means be extinguished.

Οὐδέποτε δεῖ ἀργεῖν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀποπαύεσθαι τῆς τῶν Γραφῶν μελέτης, εὐχῶν τε καὶ πνευματικῶν ἀσμάτων, καὶ τῆς κατὰ δικαιοσύνην ἐκλάμπρου ἐρ- γασίας· ὅπως μὴ ἀμελήσαντες ἑαυτῶν ἀπολέσωμεν τὴν θέρμην τῆς χάριτος, διὰ τὴν τοῦ τρόπου χαυνό- τητα. Διόπερ παρεγγυᾷ κράζων ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος· « Τὸ πνεῦμα μὴ σβέννυτε. » ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς πολλάκις νομοθεσίας διαγορευούσης ἀκήκοας· « Πῦρ καυθήσεται ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, » τὸ ἐν τῷ ἡγεμονικῷ τῆς ψυχῆς δηλονότι, καὶ οὐδὲ ὅλως σβεσθήσεται.