love. It is in that view alone that " the earth " can be said to be " full of his glory." In the whole creation indeed there is a marvellous display of wisdom and power ; but in redemp- tion alone are seen the mercy, and truth, and faithfulness of our God. And though the seraphims are not interested in that work as we are, yet, as exhibiting the full radiance of all the divine perfections in united splendour, they admire it, they sing of it, they glorify the Lord Jesus on account of it*".
At the sound of their voices the doors of the temple were shaken, and the house was filled with smoke. It is possible that this was designed to express the approbation of the Deity, and his delight in that work which was the subject of their praise^. But we rather suppose, that it was intended to inti- mate the future abolition of the temple worship, when the time should have arrived for the complete estabhshment of the Christian dispensation^.]
2. The fear excited —
[In all the manifestations of God to men, the sight of his majesty has excited alarm and terror^. A measure of this feeling we behold in the prophet on this occasion. But to- gether with this, there was also a deep sense of humiliation and contrition. As Job, on a similar occasion, was led to ex- claim, " I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashesV' so the prophet, viewing himself, and all around him, in the light of God's holiness, accounted himself a leper in the midst of a leprous world. Whatever he might have judged of himself before, he now was dumb ; as indeed every human being must be in the presence of a holy God ^ ; since " we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags^" From the apprehension and terror we are freed by the Gospel : but the humiliation and self-abasement should rather increase in proportion to the more exalted privileges we enjoy™.]
3. The consolation administered —
[Instantly did one of the seraphim fly to him, to declare, that his iniquities were all blotted out as a morning cloud, through the atoning blood of Christ. This was emblemati- cally represented to him by a coal taken from off" the altar of burnt-offering, and applied to his lips. Doubtless the per- formance of this office was a delightful service to the Serapli, who would willingly forego for a season the more immediate vision of the Deity himself, for the honour of executing his will as a messenger of mercy to sinful man.]
e Compare Ps. Ixxii. 17 — 19. where the same person is spoken of, and the same subject pursued.
f 2 Chron. v. 13, 14. and vi. 1. s Amos ix. 1. with Heb. xii, 27. h Judg. xiii. 22. Dan. x. G— 8. Rev. i. 17. ' Job xlii. G. ^ Rom. iii. 19. ' Isai. Ixiv. 6. ^ Ezek. xvi. 63.
860.] Isaiah's vision of christ. 507
But we hasten from this more restricted view of the subject, to consider it,
II. As an instructive lesson to us —
Whilst we acknowledge that such visions are not to be expected by us, we may contemplate this with great advantage to our souls. We may learn from it,
1. That a sight of Christ is the highest privilege we can enjoy —
[What is it that constitutes the felicity of heaven ? What is it that is the great source of happiness to the seraphim around the throne ? It is a sight of Christ enthroned in his glory. Yet was that sight afforded to the prophet in a vision ; and afterwards to St. Paul, by an iinmediate admission to it in heaven. And is there no such vision to be enjoyed by us? To our bodily eyes indeed there is not ; nor to our imagina- tions will any such view of him be presented : but to the eye of faith the Lord Jesus is clearly visible : and the eyes of every believer may even now " behold the King in his beauty"." In the Gospel he is fully revealed to us: there he appears as "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person :" and we may " behold his gloi-y, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." We need not envy tlie prophet himself; for we may have even brighter views of Jesus than he ever enjoyed. We are told that John was greater than all the prophets ; and yet that " the least in the kingdom of heaven," that is, under the Gospel dispensation, " is greater than he°." How did he excel all others? Others prophesied of Christ ; but lie pointed him out ; " Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world ! " And wherein do we excel him ? He beheld Jesus when he came to accomplish our redemption : and ive behold him after its accom- plishment, seated on his throne of glory, and actually applying to millions of his people the full benefits of that redemption. Let those who embrace the Gospel know their high privilege. Let the poor especially rejoice and be glad. It is not to human learning or to strength of intellect that this discovery of Christ is made, but to faith : and if we search the sacred records with a believing eye, then will " God shine into our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."]