four faces, and every one had four wings; and their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot, and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides, and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another: they turned not when they went; they went every one straightforward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces : and their wings were stretched upwards two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered

:

their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the Spirit was to go they went; and they turned not when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." prophet at this and similar sights fall upon his face, so awful is the presence of GOD, so dreadful His Cherubim.

Well might the

And above these are the Seraphim, the highest of all the angelic Hosts, called so from the burning love of GOD with which they are inflamed,

1 Ezek. i.4-14.

and which they communicate to the Spirits beneath them. Spirits of fire they are, ever blazing upward, ever giving warmth, ever emitting light. Once only have these mysterious and radiant beings been seen by mortal man, and then with such a sight, as made the seer expect immediate death. "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the Seraphim: each one had six wings with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, Holy, holy, holy is the LORD GOD of Hosts: The whole earth is full of Thy glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the

house was filled with smoke." Even then they could engage in a mission of mercy and benevolence. "Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King the LORD of Hosts. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar, and he laid it in my mouth and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged."

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY: LORD GOD OF SABAOTH.

Such is the song of the blessed angels of GOD, which we poor sinners at their feet have caught from them,

1 Isa. vi. 1-7.

and sing when in the Holy Mysteries the low things join to the high things, the seen to the unseen, earth to heaven, and all blend together in the praise of GOD.1 The holy Fathers say that the angels repeat these words, thence to signify the Sacred Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity in Unity. They do it to signify that God is the abyss of holiness, from whence men and angels derive theirs, as the rays draw their light from the Sun. Hence the Chaldaic paraphrast renders this passage, "Holy is GOD in the highest heavens, in the dwelling place of His Majesty: holy is GOD upon earth, the work of His power; Holy is GOD for ever and ever, the LORD GOD of Sabaoth." Dial. c. 56. S. Chrys.

1 S. Greg. lib. iv.

de Sacerdotio lib. vi.