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does it purify? Or is it perhaps related to that about which it was said, that 'He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire'? Since the coal is fire, remaining in the already thicker and more earthy matter (for after the bloom of the flame has passed, the association of fire with the thick matter is called coals), perhaps, then, it signifies the Lord's sojourn in the flesh. For it says: The Word became flesh; and the flesh, having received the illumination from the divinity, was perceptible according to the body, but according to its union with God, transparent and radiant. And that flesh took away the sins of the world and cleansed our iniquities; which the prophecy presented to us through a riddle. For Nadab and Abihu were consumed, having used a strange fire; but the Seraphim took the coal from the holy fire of the intelligible altar of true whole burnt offerings, not by itself, but with the tongs. And to show that the heavenly fire does not burn, but purifies, having received it in his hand, he thus brings it to the lips. Related to this fire was also that on the bush, which Moses saw resting on the plant, but not consuming the bush. Perhaps the tongs are the aptitude existing in each person for the reception of the good things given from God, according to the proportion of the affinity for the good existing in each person. 6.185 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send? And who will go? He does not ask Moses, but as having him ready (he says) 'And now come; I will send you to Pharaoh, king of Egypt.' To Isaiah, however, he says: Whom shall I send? And who will go? What then is the reason? Because there Moses was sent for the good and benefit of the people, but here a ministry of grim matters is proposed. For this reason, to that one it was a command, but to this one the service was left to his authority, because we humans are naturally inclined to accept whatever we choose willingly, even if it is laborious. For this reason the Lord wishes him to accept the mission willingly. And that there was a need for the mission, he showed; but he wishes the person suitable for the ministry to be revealed from his own eagerness. For this reason Moses, being called to a conspicuous life and the leadership of so great a people, declines: Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and lead the people out of the land of Egypt? And again: I beseech you, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before yesterday, nor the day before, nor since you began to speak to your servant. And again: I beseech you, Lord, appoint another who is able, whom you will send. But Isaiah, having heard nothing of the sort, but having been taught only the need of the mission, willingly gave himself up and entered into the midst of dangers with an excess of love, having considered none of the things that were to be brought upon him by the people. But observe the precise and considerate nature of the Prophet. For to two words, he makes one response: Whom shall I send? And who will go? Behold, it is I; send me. He no longer added: and I will go. For to accept the mission is up to us; but to be empowered for the journey, [comes] from the one who gives grace, from the strengthening God. So, what was of his own choice, he said: Behold, it is I; send me; but what was of grace, he left to the Lord. For he did not promise to go, because he was conscious of his own weakness. And one hears the voice of the Lord even who has not been struck in his bodily hearing, the governing part being impressed by God, to whomsoever God wishes to reveal his will. For by some ineffable power envisioning in their mind, those who have it undistracted and pure, have the word of God as if resounding in themselves, even if the air does not receive the impressions, nor transmit them to the hearing. For as if in some book, God inscribes his will on the soul of the Prophet; and he who has received the divine thoughts in his soul is said to hear. For this reason, when the Prophet said, 'Behold, it is I, send me,' he fell silent about what followed. For he did not say 'I will go,' because

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καθαίρει; Ἢ μήποτε συγγενὲς ἐκείνῳ, περὶ οὗ εἴρηται, ὅτι Αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύ ματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ ἄνθραξ πῦρ ἐστι, τῇ παχυτέρᾳ ἤδη καὶ γεωδεστέρᾳ ὕλῃ ἐναπομεῖναν (μετὰ γὰρ τὸ παραδραμεῖν τὸ ἀνθηρὸν τῆς φλογὸς, ἡ περὶ τὴν παχεῖαν ὕλην τοῦ πυρὸς ὁμιλία ἄνθρακες ὀνομάζονται) τάχα οὖν σημαίνει τὴν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιδημίαν. Φησὶ γάρ· Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο· καὶ ἡ σὰρξ τὸν ἐκ τῆς θεότητος φωτισμὸν ὑποδεξαμένη, κατὰ μὲν τὸ σωματικὸν αἰσθητή, κατὰ δὲ τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἕνωσιν, διαυγὴς καὶ ἐκλάμπουσα. Ἐκείνη δὲ ἡ σὰρξ ἦρε τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν περιεκάθηρεν· ἣν δι' αἰνίγματος ἡμῖν ἡ προ φητεία παρέστησε. Ναδὰβ μὲν γὰρ καὶ Ἀβιοὺδ κατεκάη σαν, ἀλλοτρίῳ πυρὶ χρησάμενοι· τὸ δὲ Σεραφεὶμ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πυρὸς τοῦ ἐν τῷ νοητῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ τῶν ἀληθινῶν ὁλοκαρπωμάτων, τὸν ἄνθρακα ἔλαβεν, οὐχ ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ τῇ λαβίδι. Ἵνα δὲ δείξῃ, ὅτι τὸ πῦρ τὸ οὐράνιον οὐχὶ καίει, ἀλλὰ καθαίρει, τῇ χειρὶ ὑποδεξάμενον, οὕτω προσάγει τοῖς χείλεσι. Συγγενὲς ἦν τούτῳ τῷ πυρὶ καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὃ εἶδεν Μωϋσῆς ἐπικείμενον μὲν τῷ φυτῷ, μὴ κατακαῖον δὲ τὴν βάτον. Τάχα δὲ ἡ λαβίς ἐστιν ἡ ἐν ἑκάστῳ ἐνυ πάρχουσα ἐπιτηδειότης πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ δεδομένων ἀγαθῶν ὑποδοχὴν, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς ἐν ἑκάστῳ ὑπαρ χούσης πρὸς τὸ καλὸν οἰκειώσεως. 6.185 Καὶ ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου λέγοντος· Τίνα ἀποστείλω; Καὶ τίς πορεύσεται; Μωϋσέα μὲν οὐκ ἐρωτᾷ, ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχων ἕτοιμον (φησὶ) Καὶ νῦν δεῦρο· ἀποστελῶ σε πρὸς Φαραὼ, βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου. Πρὸς μέντοι τὸν Ἡσαΐαν φησί· Τίνα ἀποστείλω; Καὶ τίς πορεύσεται; Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία; Ὅτι ἐκεῖ μὲν ἐπὶ ἀγαθῷ καὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ τοῦ λαοῦ ἀπεστέλλετο Μωϋσῆς, ἐνταῦθα δὲ σκυθ ρωπῶν πραγμάτων διακονία πρόκειται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐκείνῳ μὲν πρόσταγμα, τούτῳ δὲ ἐπ' ἐξουσίας ἀφείθη ἡ ὑπουργία, διότι πεφύκαμεν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἅπερ ἂν ἑκόντες ἑλώμεθα, κἂν ἐπίπονα ᾖ, καταδέχεσθαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν βούλεται ἑκόντα καταδέξασθαι τὴν ἀποστολὴν ὁ Κύριος. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν χρεία τῆς ἀποστολῆς, ἔδειξε· τὸ δὲ εὔθετον εἰς διακονίαν πρόσω πον ἐξ αὐτῆς βούλεται τῆς προθυμίας ἀναφανῆναι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο Μωϋσῆς μὲν ἐπὶ περιφάνειαν βίου καὶ λαοῦ τοσούτου προστασίαν καλούμενος, παραιτεῖται· Τίς εἰμι, ὅτι πορεύσομαι πρὸς Φαραὼ, βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐξάξω τὸν λαὸν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου; Καὶ πάλιν· ∆έομαι, Κύριε, οὐχ ἱκανός εἰμι πρὸ τῆς χθὲς, οὐδὲ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης ἡμέρας, οὐδὲ ἀφ' οὗ ἤρξω λαλεῖν τῷ θεράποντί σου. Καὶ πάλιν· ∆έομαι, Κύριε, προχείρισαι ἄλλον δυνάμενον, ὃν ἀποστελεῖς. Ἡσαΐας δὲ, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἀκούσας, ἀλλὰ μόνην τὴν χρείαν διδαχθεὶς τῆς ἀποστολῆς, ἑκὼν ἑαυτὸν ἐπέδωκε καὶ μέσοις ἐνέβη τοῖς δεινοῖς τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῆς ἀγάπης, μηδὲν τῶν μελλόντων ἐπάγεσθαι αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ λογισάμενος. Παρατήρει δὲ τὸ ἀκριβὲς καὶ περιεσκεμμένον τοῦ Προφή του. Πρὸς γὰρ δύο λόγους, μίαν ποιεῖται τὴν ἀπόκρισιν· Τίνα ἀποστείλω; Καὶ τίς πορεύσεται; Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι· ἀπόσ τειλόν με. Οὐκέτι προσέθηκεν· καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ δέξασθαι τὴν ἀποστολὴν, ἐφ' ἡμῖν· τὸ δὲ δυναμωθῆναι πρὸς τὴν πορείαν, τοῦ διδόντος τὴν χάριν ἐκ τοῦ ἐνισχύοντος, Θεοῦ. Ὥστε, ὃ μὲν τῆς προαιρέσεως ἦν, εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι·ἀπόστειλόν με· ὃ δὲ τῆς χάριτος ἦν, τῷ Κυρίῳ κατέλιπεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπηγγείλατο πορευθήσεσθαι, διὰ τὸ ἐπαισθάνεσθαι τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀσθενείας. Ἀκούει δὲ φωνῆς Κυρίου καὶ ὁ μὴ πληγεὶς τὴν σωματικὴν ἀκοὴν, τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ τυπουμέ νου ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, οἷς ἂν ἐθέλῃ τὸ βούλημα φανεροῦν ὁ Θεός. Ἀφάτῳ γάρ τινι δυνάμει φαντασιούμενοι τὸν νοῦν, οἱ ἀπ ερίσπαστον αὐτὸν καὶ καθαρὸν ἔχοντες, οἱονεὶ ἐνηχοῦντα ἑαυτοῖς, ἔχουσι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, κἂν ὁ ἀὴρ μὴ δέξηται τοὺς τύπους, μηδὲ τῇ ἀκοῇ παραπέμπῃ. Οἱονεὶ γὰρ βιβλίῳ τινὶ, τὸ ἑαυτοῦ θέλημα ἐγγράφει ὁ Θεὸς τῇ ψυχῇ τοῦ Προ φήτου· καὶ ἀκούειν λέγεται ὁ τὰ θεῖα νοήματα ὑποδεξά μενος τῇ ψυχῇ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο δὲ τὸ Ἰδού εἰμι ἐγὼ, ἀπόστει λόν με, ὁ Προφήτης εἰπὼν, τὸ ἐφεξῆς ἀπεσιώπησεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν «ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι», διότι