language, the feet fometimes denotes all the lower parts of the body, which decency requires to be concealed. In eaftern countries, thefe were generally covered by the long garments which they were accuftomed to wear: hence it may have been thought want of refpect, to appear in public, on folemn occafions, with the feet uncovered. In reference to this opinion, which was probably adopted by our prophet and his countrymen, the feraphims which he beheld, teftified their profound reverence and humility in the divine prefence, by covering their feet. This inculcates upon us the fame important leffon with the former article.And with twain he did fly, to execute with the utmost speed the commands he received from his highest Lord. You reckon that a bullet fhot from a mufket ilies with great velocity; and no doubt it does, for, according to fome calculations, did it continue in the fame rapid motion with which it flies off, it would go one hundred and eighty miles in the hour. Celestial fpirits move with incomparably greater velocity, in performing the fervices affigned them. Of this you may be fenfible, by confidering the immenfe diftance between the throne of God in the highest heavens, and this earth, where they are often employed in minillering to the heirs of falvation. This circumftance ought to animate us to perform every part of the fervice of God with alacrity and difpatch, that, in this as well as other refpects, our obedience may in fome measure refemble the obedience of the angels in heaven. After the example of David, let us make hafte, and not delay to keep all the commandments of God.

3 And one cried unto another, and faid, Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hofts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

Thefe words farther defcribe the employment of the feraphins.We pretend not to explain in what nanner thefe heavenly intelligences communicate

their fentiments to one another. According to our prophet's defcription, they were engaged in celebrating, with loud exclamations, the praifes of Jehovah. In this fublime exercife, they feemed to him to form a found in the air, which reached his ears; or fomewhat refembling it, which affected his imagination. To this delightful work they were fummoned by the infpired royal pfalmift, and called upon to lift up their voices, and fing, together with the whole creation, a hymn of thankfgiving to his honour, who is the praife of all his faints: Praife the Lord from the heavens: "praise him in the heights: praife ye him, all his an

gels: praife ye him, all his hofts. To this call they yield the moft cheerful obedience; an inftance of which is recorded, Luke ii. 13, 14. where we read, That fuddenly there was with the angel (who publifhed the nativity of our Saviour) a multitude of the heavenly hoft, praifing God, and faying, Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men.' In this heavenly employment they are reprefented by the apoftle John, Rev. v. 11, 12. who beheld, and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne-faying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to re'ceive power, and riches, and wifdom, and ftrength,

and honour, and glory, and blefling.' This pleafant work they perform with the greateft unanimity and ardour, as is plainly intimated in the expreflion under confideration; where the fhort hymn mentioned by Ifaiah, is faid to have been fung by the feraphims, divided into two choirs, who alternately performed their parts, the one finging refponfively to the other,

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hefts. The holinefs of God confifts in the fupreme excellence, and perfect rectitude of his divine nature; in confequence of which, he is infinitely removed from all manner of

* Pfal. cxlviii. 1, 2.

impurity,

impurity, and always acts confiftently with his glorious attributes. With refpect to himfelf, all his counfels, difpenfations, and commands, admirably correfpond to his confummate excellencies: in his whole character, and in all his actions, there is not the fmalleft spot, or the leaft impropriety. He cannot do evil through ignorance, because his knowledge is perfect; nor through weakness, for his power is almighty; nor through malice, because his rectitude is complete; neither can he deceive, commit injuftice, or do that which is cruel, because he approves, and loves what is true, upright, and righteous. With regard to his creatures, the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright; he requir eth what is holy, juft, and good; and difcovers the greatest averfion to all fin, and the highest deteftation of it. He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and

cannot look on iniquity*. This holinefs of God is ftrongly expreffed in every precept of his perfect law, which was at firft engraven upon the heart of man; which, with awful folemnity, he publifhed to Ifrael from Mount Sinai; and is briefly comprehended in thefe words, Be ye holy, for I the Lord your Gód am holy +. It is frequently manifefted in the difpenfations of his providence, whereby he condemns all unrighteoufnefs and fin, and punishes the guilty with terrible judgments; among which, none are more to be dreaded, than that spiritual blindness and hardnefs of heart, mentioned in the 9th and 10th verfes of this chapter. In a special manner is the divine purity illuftriously displayed, in the way whereby guilty finners are restored to the enjoyment of the favour of God, and eternal falvation, through the mediation of his own Son; whom he fet forth to be the propitiation for fin, that he might be juft and holy, as well as merciful, in juftifying and faving them that believe in Jefus. In this manner the Lord God demonftrates *Hab. i. 13. † Lev. xix. 2.

the

the infinite holinefs of his nature: he makes known to men what he loves, and what he hates; what he allows, and what he difapproves; what is well-pleafing to him, and what is offenfive. In few words, the holinefs of Jehovah is manifeft in heaven, in earth, and hell; in the exercite of his juftice, in the distribution of his grace, and the communication of his glory; in the difpenfations of his providence, in the precepts of his law, and the doctrines of his gofpel, which contain the brighteft manifeftation of divine purity and righteoufnels that the world ever beheld.

This holinefs is thrice afcribed, by the feraphims, to the Lord of hofts. This repetition may intimate, that the purity of Jehovah is infinite and ineffable, and of everlafting perpetuity; that he is holy in his nature, in his word, and in his works; that in himfelf he is perfectly holy; that all holinefs is derived from him; and that he ought to be ferved in the beauties of holine's. It may alfo exprefs the high admiration in which the holinefs here celebrated, was held by the adoring feraphims; and the ardour of their affection, when employed in this fublime exercife. Or rather, this rehearfal, as fome have fuppofed, may allude to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one Jehovah, whofe fupreme excellence, and confummate rectitude, are here afferted by celeftial worshippers. This laft remark accords with the voice of the Lord, which faith in the 8th verfe, Whom fhall I fend, and 'who will go for us,' where no more than one divine perfon is introduced making this inquiry.—Be ye imitators of God, then, as dear children. Diligently ftudy a growing conformity to the holinefs of his nature, and the purity of his law and gofpel. Be ye merciful, juft, faithful, patient, and perfect as your Father in heaven, that as the invifible things of God, even his eternal power and Godhead, are clearly feen in things which are made, fo the other invisible things of God, even his everlafting holinefs and purity, may be feen in your good conduct, and holy behaviour,

on

on account of which others may be induced to glorify him in your behalf.

The whole earth is full of his glory. The Hebrew words may be rendered, the fulness of the carth is his glory; and in their literal, and molt obvious fenfe, are certainly true. Ever fince the earth was formed, it hath been full of the glory of its great Creator; whofe wifdem, power, and goodnels, are therein nobly dif played; with whofe mercy and loving kindness it is richly replenifhed; and whofe praises, therefore, ought to be continually celebrated. In this hymn of praite, however, the feraphims feem to refer to fome peculiar manifeftation of the divine glory afforded to the kingdom of the Son of God, of which Ifaiah was now favoured with a prophetic vifion. When God gave his law, which was glorious, from Mount Sinai, it was delivered only to one favourite people, the pofterity of Ifrael. He fhewed his word unto Jacob, his ftatutes and his judgments unto Ifrael. The glo

ry of the Lord thereby difplayed, was confined within the narrow limits of the land of Canaan. The Moft High referved the more grand and extenfive manifeftation of his glory, to beautify and enrich the kingdom of his Son Jefus Chrift, after he had rejected the Jews on account of their rejecting him. To the pardon which he granted the Ifraelites, at the entreaty of his fervant Mofes, he fubjoined this folemn declaration; As truly as I live, all the earth fhall be filled

with the glory of the Lord t.' In the words before. us, the celeftial worfhippers announce the fulfilment of this divine prediction; and on that account celebrate the praises of Jehovah, anticipating, in their adorations, this certain and moft joyful event. By the whole earth, then, may be meant all the nations and kingdoms of this world, the inhabitants of all the various tracts of this earth, and the feveral quarters into which it is divided, wherein the kingdom of the

* Pfal, cxlvii. 19.

+ Numb. xiv. 21.

Son