A strain that God delights, not only to hearken to, but to write down and register for their good. mit brod od semood -[And I dwell amidst a people of unclean lips. We infect each other when we meet. There is little converse that a man returns the better by, yea, by the most he is the worse: he brings back often more pollution, more folly and vanity by most companies and discourses. But we see here, that impurity humbly acknowledged, is graciously removed. gal

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ebbe mdt bas jeans Ver. 6–18jun sup 1,5ino deuit 11 to sigoog ato teber sn 311 Fasb I Ver. 6. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a live coal in

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his hand, which he had taken with tongs off the altar. LAW J-0011 SALE 1 NITW enga 1947 a tud IMPURITY Well discovered to a man, is half cured. When soever God graciously shews a man his own unsanctifiedness, there He goes on to cleanse and sanctify him: the light that discovers, is followed by a burning coal that purges away, Del

The Holy Spirit is that purifying fire: a touch of it cleanseth the hearts, and lips, and all, and kindles that affection in the soul which cannot die out, which not many, which no waters can quench again. It doth this to all that are sanctified, but eminently it doth it (or, at least, they desire it may) to those who are to be the instruments of enlightening, purifying, and kindling others. So in the resemblance of fiery tongues came down this Spirit on the Apostles; and thence they themselves were as burning coals scattered through the nations, blessed incendiaries of the world, setting it on fire with the love of Christ: tanquam ligna ardentia dispersa, says Augustine.

Ver. 7. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged.

Thine iniquity is taken away,-how impure soever before. This free grace is wonderful, to make some who have been

VOL. II.

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notoriously unclean, by the change wrought by this fire, the touch of a coal, to become eminently gracious, and messengers of grace to others, carrying this and spreading it. They, though originally of dark clay, are by this fire made transparent glass, through which the light of the Gospel shines into the Church.

This coal taken from the altar, may denote the deriving of the Spirit from Jesus Christ, our Priest, Altar, Sacrifice, and all, by which we are purified and made fit for His service. He is the fountain of light, and life, and purity, and all grace to His messengers, and all His followers. His grace is indeed a live coal, where heavenly heat is mixed with earth, the fulness of the Godhead with our nature in human flesh. Thereby we draw near; and especially they who bear His name to men, under a sense of their own impurity, entreat His touch, as devout Bernard, who, in a holy hyperbole, exclaims, "Had the Prophet need of a coal! Oh then, grant for me a whole globe of fire, to purge away my filthiness, and make me a fit messenger to this people!"

Thy sin is purged.] The children of God are a wonder to themselves, when that Spirit comes in, who conquers and purges so suddenly and easily what they before groan under and wrestle with, very long to little or no purpose. It is a change of the right hand of the Most High, as the Vulgate reads that word in Psal. lxxvii. 10. I said, This is my infirmity, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High-mutatio dextræ Excelsi. A touch of that will cleanse and heal; the all-purifying virtue of His Spirit, whereof this baptism of the Prophet's lips was a symbol, takes away the dross which by other means than that fire cannot be purged. So in metals, much pains may be taken, and strength of hand used with little effect; that at most does but scratch the superficies, makes the outside a little bright and shining, but severs not the dross from within: that cannot be done without fire. Have we not found how vainly we attempt while God withholds His hand? Yea, while a man fancies self-pureness, he is

the more impure, as Job says, ch. ix. ver. 30, 31. If I wash myself with snow-water, and make myself ever so clean, yet shalt Thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. Therefore, Prayer is the great resource of a soul under a sense of uncleanness, begging a new creation, for such it is indeed: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me ;-following God with this suit, and resolving to follow Him till he grant it; for we well know He is able, and may say, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.

This fire hath two effects; it works purity and activity; it takes away sin, and puts in spirit and life for obedience. And here, Thy sin is purged, and then says he, ver. 8, Here am I: send me. And the former is effectual towards the latter: the more the soul is cleansed, the more alive and able it is made for service. The purging out of those sickly humours makes it more vigorous and able; whereas they abounding, clog the spirits, and make the vital operations heavy and weak. A soul well cleansed from the love of sin, and the world, and self, is in a healthful temper, and goes nimbly to any work. Outward discouragements and difficulties are then nothing. A feverish distemper within hinders and makes one lazy and unwieldy, unwilling and unable to labour: but that well purged and cured, he cares less for the hot weather without; strength of nature endures that more easily. Oh, how sweet to be thus actuated by love, a pure intention and desire of doing God service, and of bringing Him in glory! Other motives, or the mixtures of them, are base; and though God may make use sometimes of such, yet he sees within, and knows what spring makes the wheels go, and he gives them their reward here,― somewhat possibly of that they seek, success, and credit, and a name; but the after-reward of faithful servants they need not look for in that work: for they receive their reward, and can they expect more? Many a Here am I, comes from other incentives than an altar coal; and so they may burn and shine a while, but they soon consume and die out in a snuff: the

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There is many a hot, furious march under the semblance name lover to unseen put on and name of zeal for God, that loves to be seen; as Jehu, Kings x. 16: Come with me, and in urbe flatter themselves into that conceit in the but me and see my zeal for the Lord. Such persons may 40 28 15 toon09 901027 « Forros end to g heat of action, to think it is for God, while he sees through it, 8. vtiary od to yugieur 911 to пom and judges it as it is, zeal for self and their own interest; and He gives them, accordingly, some hireling journeyman's is it on a one man's wages, and then turns them off. But, oh, where the heart is purely actuated by a desire of His glory, and seeks nothing else, for Such remains that blessed word, Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into thy Master's joy.

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servants in public affairs, yea, by all that offer any service to God, a readiness from love. Something of this there is in all who are truly His, though held down in are though held down in many, and almost smothered with rubbish; and in these there is some mixture in these there is some mixture of flesh drawing back. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak, and a load to it, hindering its working; and this strife is often found as a horse to brider, at once pricked DUNUL ade to an unskilful

dbo. Finoje bei teat, dedi ordine pou with the spur and checked with the bridle. But where this bloods, 2977-49001, 16 spirit of love is, it doth prevail, and wastes that opposition

daily, and groweth in strength, becomes more quick an and ready, more freed from self, and more actuated by the will of God; attaining somewhat further in that conformity with Heaven, where shall be no will striving, but His alone; where those bus glorious bright spirits stand ready for all commands, who Jeans barbodo me excel in strength, and employ it all to do His commandments. Psal. ciii. 20. And the more like them we be here, the more lively hope have we to be shortly with them, and to be wholly 100 7 00 21 să vou a 2 of his

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H of art basi que nos 9-18tle vad Ver. 8. Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, 990 dandawho will go for use Then said I, Here am I send me. T mol 26 74.992 od of esvol jedƒ boð not loss to my bas THIS inquiry imports not a doubtful deliberation in God, but „brol si tot loss um 232 bud om naar su a purpose to send. He is represented as a king, advising with

himself or his council. And this is by some conceived as an Ji veront cons of Mdw bootol 21 J Anim of geH38 10 1890 imitation of the mystery of the Trinity, as Gen. i. 26, And bus 192 161 19 26 gebi bug God said, Let us make man in our own image—Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? But were there not ready, To mont 190 1945 millions of these winged messengers 10,911-908 1909 ? What need, then, of such a word? True; angels were ready, but a man was sought, God, vouchsafing to send an embassy to men, will send one that might speak their language to them, and might stay and treat with them in a familiar, friendly endly way, 13 an ambassador in ordinary, to lie still and treat with them. And in this condeIs mer 1900, d. 19 memo .970] [mo¶I 2290IDB TBD01)

scension much wisdom and love appear. He will take men, Jequila bas more subject to the like infirmities and pollutions with the people, as the Prophet here acknowledges, but one purged from these pollutions, made holy; though not perfectly, yet eminently holy. This is very suitable, were not men invincibly obstinate, more suitable than that God should send by angels, that 28.91982 308 25 Donges, one of themselves should come and deal with men for God, and Homesogo CBD 2007 DIB

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bear witness of His graciousness and readiness to forgive, so

as to give himself for an instance of it, and say, "I have found Him so." And they being changed and sanctified, shew really that the thing may be done; that it is feasible to sanctify a sinner; and so, sinful men appear to be fitter for this service than embodied angels. i vogur bus dequo te m A di I said, Here am I: send me.] What a blessed change was wrought on Paul when cast to the ground! His own will varlaod of ons mens vi 2005 1989 will was broken all to pieces, and now he is only for His service, whose

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name he so hated, and whose servants he persecuted. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (Acts ix. 6.) These are the very words and characters of a true convert. And thus, the soul turned to Christ may in some cases doubt what is His will, but that once resolved, there is no deliberation whether