SERMON XXIII.

ISAIAH'S VISION.

Isaiah, vi., 1–8.—In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sung upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Above it stood the seraphims: 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, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Then said I, Wo is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people 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 ho had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

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

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

"No man hath seen God at any time; he is the King eternal, immortal, and invisible;" yet he has made manifestations of his being and attributes to our senses and understandings. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth his handiwork." They declare his daily Providence in governing the world: "Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge."

But from the Scriptures we know that in the upper world there are manifestations far more glorious-a visible and sensible presence of the glory of God in heaven! The light inaccessible in which he dwells, &c.-this was in part the glory which Jesus had, and of which he emptied himself, and into which he entered again. That glory is the fountain of light! the place of heavenly rest. Saints and angels are there about it they ever dwell, and so "are ever with the Lord!" and engaged in the services attributed to the seraphim in the words of the text.

The tabernacle and the temple were types or patterns of the heavenly world. They "serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of

God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." But why that strange fact that God should dwell with man upon the earth? visible in an earthly house? The reason was, that heaven set up its pattern on earth to teach what the God of heaven is, how God is to be approached, and what man should be in his presence.

Hence, when Isaiah was appointed anew to his office, scenes of majesty and glory were placed before him!-The scene of the text is not laid in the temple, though a temple scene. A place larger and more spacious was painted on his imagination. The throne in this is high and lifted up; the train fills every part; the cherubim here start into life; they are no more silently gazing on the great revelation of God-all life, all ardour, all love!

At the discovery of this, and specially at the declaration of God's holiness, Isaiah cries, "Wo is me"-he is abased! -but a seraph touches his lips, and he is purified; human lips are then allowed to join with angelic, and the purified prophet is put among the servants of God!

But what does this subject teach us? To join the seraphim in our worship; to consider the character of Him to whom we draw near; not to come and gaze upon a creature of our imagination, but to approach with reverence and Godly fear. (See the text.) "Draw near and see this great sight Put off thy shoes, for the place is holy."

I. The first view of the Divine glory in the text is that of rule and dominion: "A throne, high and lifted up"-the Lord is King-this is the first character under which to approach whenever we engage in worship..

Mark the fact and the circumstances.

First. The fact. Sits on his throne, not like heathen gods, shut up as though he saw not-he always rules in the universe he has made. Natural things under natural law,

moral under moral.

In the material world upholdeth all things by the word of his power, and ruleth even over his enemies; calleth the stars by name, regulates the seasons, feeds all, shuts up the sea, worketh all and in all.

Moral beings under moral law-made and governs usdirects what to do and shun-holds accountable for obedience or disobedience-his object is to bless, but, if disobedient, as a sovereign he must punish; and not only individuals, but nations also, raising one and putting down another. Remember, then, everything is under law: he must be obeyed; the happiness of the universe consists in subjection to his will.

Secondly. The circumstances of this fact-not only on a throne, but,

1. Sitting maintaining his attitude of majesty, while every being bows in lowly reverence or falls prostrate. It also represents security and repose. He is the same, though all things change; his kingdom endureth forever. Like a rock in the ocean, ripples of individuals or billows of nations move not him. It marks the perfect security of his government amid all opposition: "The Lord reigneth❞—“ Why do the heathen rage ?"-vain is it to take counsel together against him.

2. It is high and lifted up, exalted above all power and authority in earth or heaven-all bow-principalities and powers.

3. The place of this throne. Not amid the withered scenes of Paradise, blasted by the curse; not on the rock of Oreb, amid lightnings and thunderings; not on the sinless ruins of à smoking world, when resurrection, &c.-but it is seen in his temple, in the house of grace and mercy, in connexion with an altar of sacrifice and sprinkled blood-'tis so now here-let us draw near this throne of grace, &c.

II. The second view of the majesty and glory of God is, that in his nature and perfection he is incomprehensible. This is shown in a striking manner, and intended to repress the pride of man. "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" His train filled the temple. But is there nothing in this temple but glory? Read on-it is also with smoke: he mingled these in the pillar, &c.-in the Temple of Solomon. What means this? that -we cannot by searching find out God mystery and darkness is enveloped in all! "Verily, thou

art a God that hidest thyself." Witness Moses's petition: "Show me thy glory;" did he behold it all? "No man can see me, and live." He saw the last evening ray-the tempered ray of glory, but not his face! Ask the prophets in succession, and you find them searching and inquiring still what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Ask Paul, that wondrous man! "Now we see through a glass darkly." After an immense reach into the Divine design he stops short: "Oh! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Go to the seraphim; even they, long as they have continued searching!-in vain! if so, why gaze they still? Why veil their faces? There is a majesty overpowering them!

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What learn we from this? What the lesson? Be humble and be wise! no other way to know him!-do not try at the bar of human speculation. Know God only as he has revealed himself; receive his testimony:

"Dark with excessive bright his skirts appear;

So that exalted seraphims approach not, till,

With outstretched wings, they cover both their eyes."

III. The third view of the Divine Majesty is holiness! "Above the throne the seraphim."-The holiness of God is a perfection most eminent; it is specially celebrated by an gels, and full of instruction to mortals.

How conceive we of the Divine Holiness?

1. Represented under his expressive name, "Holy One of Israel;" thrice holy-the triune God-all equally holy. No imagination-for read on-" Whom shall I send," &c., was heard out of the throne.-We are informed, " He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity."

2. By his acts as well as titles. Look at creation; everything holy is Godlike. When he made us, he fitted us for holiness. Look at his law: "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Gospel its author "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." The Gospel stamps its character of holiness

Look at the

clear as the law by writing, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Look at the judgments of God as manifestations of his holiness. His anger against sin burns to the lowest hell. *** Look, again, at the delight he has in the holy man; so as to confer eternal life on all such. Still a resplendent glory beyond all this! a depth beyond fathom; a brightness on which we cannot gaze. He charges his angels with folly: how much more those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth! O! recollect that God is holy above all our views; hates its opposite-even the heavens are not pure.

IV. The fourth view is that of a penitent, abased man sinking before this overpowering manifestation. "One cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts

of the door moved at the voice of him that cried." Everything on earth at least should tremble.-" Wo is me!" I am dumb! "I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." I am dumb as a criminal-like the man without the wedding garment-speechless.

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Behold, then, the sentiments which become us: we are unclean! Need I remind you of the circumstances which prove this? the sins of your thoughts, imaginations, tempers!-pride, anger, malice, uncharitableness! living in utter neglect of God; insensible of the love of Christ your Saviour; resisting the Holy Ghost! religious services barren, trifling, formal; and, among the greatest, the sins of the sanctuary through life an innumerable multitude! We are capable of sinning or doing good every moment; every thought has the assent of the will-the sins of a day cannot be numbered-more than the hairs!-We can only remember a few prominent ones when we confess-but God registers them all! What a load of guilt, then, on every man! We would fain make his law less holy!—this is the case of all.

What then? need I tell you? "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book