Well and Fount

Πῖνε ὕδατα ἀπὸ σῶν ἀγγείων καὶ ἀπὸ σῶν φρεάτων πηγῆς.  Ἡ γνῶσις καὶ φρέαρ ἐστὶ καὶ πηγὴ· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ προσελθοῦσι ταῖς ἀρεταῖς, βαθὺ φρέαρ εἶναι δοκεῖ· τοῖς δὲ ἀπαθέσι καὶ καθαροῖς, πηγή· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐκαθέζετο ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ, ὥρα ἥν ὠσεὶ ἔκτη· πηγὴν δὲ νόει τὴν θείαν γνῶσιν, καὶ οὐ τὸ φρέαρ τοῠ ὕδατος· ὥσπερ δὲ ἡ πηγὴ πρόκειται ἀκόπως, τουέστι τὸ τρέχον ὕδωρ τοῖς διψῶσιν, οὕτω τὸ φρέαρ ἐν κόπῳ τοῖς θὲλουσιν ἀντλεῖν· καὶ ὥσπερ ἡ πηγὴ ἂπαυστός ἐστι τοῦ ῥεῖν, οὕτως ἡ αἰσθητικὴ γραφὴ ἀένναον ἔχει τὸν δρόμον, καὶ εὔκολον τοῖς διψῶσι τὸν Θεὸν γεραίρειν· καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ φρέαρ κόπον παρέχει τοῖς ἀντλοῦσιν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ θεωρητικὴ γνῶσις τοῖς θέλουσι δι' αὑτῆς τὰς ἀρετὰς κατορθῶσαι, ψυχῦς τε καὶ σώματος, τά τε θεῖα ἐννοεῖν, καὶ τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀντιποιηθῆναι. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας

Drink the waters from your own well and from your own fount. 1 Knowledge is both a well and a fount, for to those who are yet approaching the virtues, a deep well it seems, but to those rid of the passions and purified it is a fount. So even the Saviour sat near the well at the sixth hour of the day. 2 Understand the fount as Divine knowledge, but not the waters of the well. And as a fount gives forth without labour, so the water comes forth for the thirsty, but for the well labour is required for those wishing to drink. And as the fount remains incessant, so Scripture has it as an endless flow, and to those who thirst God gives with ease. But like a well requiring labour in order that one may drink, so is contemplative knowledge to those who wish rightly to improve the body and soul in virtue and to understand the Divine and obtain the kingdom of heaven. Origen, On Proverbs, Fragments 1 Prov 5.15  2 Jn 4.6