Vere. 2-4.-.A sermon from the seraphim. Taking the seraphim of this prophetic vision as symbols of the" highest creaturely intelligences," we gather from the text- I. THAT THE LOWLIEST BEVEBEN0E BECOMES THE HIGHEST CREATED BEINGS, "With . twain [of his wings] he covered his face, and with twa.in he covered his feet.n Of the 1 11iI wings each seraph possessed,/our were used to indicate their sense of unworthiness ; in the near presence of God ; two only were in readiness for active service. May we not i fairly infer• that, as we go upward in the order of intelligence, we become more irn pressed I with the majesty and greatness of the Divine, and consequently with our own little- ' ness? Elevation in rank does not mean diminution, but increase in reverence of spirit ! and in homage of worship. The higher the intelligence, the deeper the sense of low- ! liness, and the fuller the devotion of power in the attitude and act of adoration. I II. THAT THE HEAVENLY LIFE IB LARGELY SPENT IN AOTIVE SERVICE. "With . twain he did fly." The seraphim are represented as so equipped as to be ready for the : most prompt and speedy service. The heavenly life may be one of sacred song and peaceful rest; but it certainly is also one of joyous, holy activity. It will be the very crown of our blessedness that, unclothed of all that hampers and impedes, and clothed upon with those celestial orgnns which fit for fleetest and strongest service, we shall do the King's behests with untiring wing, with unflagging energy, with unfading love and joy, Ill. THAT THE CELESTIAL INTELLIGENCES HAVE A KEEN Al'PBECIATION OF THE DIVINE HOLINESS, "Holy, holy, holy," etc. It is significant enough that, in this ascriptive utterance, only one of the attributes of God finds a place. The repetition of the epithet marks the fulness and clearness of the thought, as also the intensity of the feeling. In Jesus Christ we rightly magnify the grace and mercy, the gentleness and considerateness, or the heavenly Father to whom we are reconciled through him ; but we must see to it that we do not so dwell on the more gracious aspects of the Divine character as to lose sight of, or even dwarf his other nnd opposite attributes. As we draw near to the heavenly world we must take the celestial view, which is one of a deep and strong conviction of his perfect purity, of his stainloss holiness, of his utter and eternal hostility to every shade and taint of sin. IV, THAT THE IDGHEST INTELLIGENCES BEE ALL THINGS IN THEIR RELATION TO GoD, 11 The whole earth is full of _his glory," 'l'ho5e who will r~eive no more helpful 118 THE BOOR OF THE PilOPRET .ISAIAH. [ OU. VI, 1-13.
and <lecisiv~ teaching than t~at of 1cience and philosophy mll ehort of thie; they come to the irreverent conclusion that the heavens and the earth declare the glory,,of those only who have studied their secrets and discovered theirJaws. But the highee.l't the heavenly intelligences find God everywhere -and .h~s glory in everything: _;The psalm of the seraphim declares that" the whole earLh is full othis glory." And:we ae we ascend in mental power and spiritual worth, shall let all ear~b,ly thlqgs ~peak. to us of God. The multitude of all created things and of all living CJ.:eatui:ea. _will speak of his power; the intricacy and delicacy and adaptation of all things: will tdl of J1ii, wisdom; the vast and mensnreless al)loUnt of happiness scatt_ered. over all the ea.r~h'II surface and even in its depths will sing of his ben~/foenc11 ; the sorrow and the death which are beneath its ski~s will _chant the righteoust16$S of his bQly rule; the upward struggle and the better life, which grow clearer and stronger age by age, wiH bear witness to his rege:nerating goodness. .All things will speak of God, .the whole ·e~rth will be full of his glory.-C.