But these things were also illustrated to the prophet by the worship and services, which the Seraphim presented before the Lord of hosts. The holy angels "excel in strength," and are glorious beyond the conception of mortal men: so that the most eminent saints have been dismayed even at their benign appearance, or tempted to render them divine honours. Yet these exalted spirits appeared in vision, as engaged in adoration of the great JEHOVAH; uniting deep humility with the most exalted praises; and manifesting the fullest conviction, that their spotless services were inexpressibly beneath the excellency and greatness of that God whom they worshipped. This view seems to have greatly conduced to throw the prophet's mind into that perturbation which he discovered on the occasion.

Men in general keep each other in countenance, while they rest satisfied with a form of godliness. They go to a place of worship, and to the Lord's table, read or repeat a prayer and a thanksgiving; and please themselves with the idea that they have done their duty: nay, they have scarcely an idea of a more spiritual worship! But when their attention is directed to the devout aspirations of David, Daniel, and other holy men of God; especially when they contemplate the adorations of the heavenly hosts, as described in the sacred Scriptures; they become sensible by the comparison, that they have been, heedlessly or presumptuously, presenting to the glorious JEHOVAH a formal, defiled, and hypocritical service, " drawing "near to him with their lips, while their hearts were "far from him." But this very properly leads us,

II. To consider the peculiar nature and tendency of that inward perturbation, which caused this eminent servant of God to exclaim, "Woe is me, for I am "undone."

Isaiah was called when young to the prophetical office; and we may thence conclude that he had been preserved by divine grace from every evil way, and had dedicated his earliest days to the service of God. He discharged the sacred trust confided to him for about sixty years; yet we do not find, during this long period, that he ever acted inconsistently with his sacred ministry. In his private deportment and publick work, he seems to have sustained a most unexceptionable character; nor have we any proofs of his sinfulness but those found in his own confessions. Yet, on this occasion, he was so overwhelmed with the sense of his own guilt and pollution, that he was almost ready to lie down in despair! Some indeed render his words thus: "Woe is me, I am struck dumb," He 'was struck dumb,' says bishop Lowth, because he was a man of polluted lips, and dwelt among a people of polluted lips; and was unworthy either to join 'the Seraphim in singing God's praises, or to be the messenger of God to his people.' And indeed, every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God." It is however, evident that he was so alarmed and humbled, because "his eyes had seen the King the Lord of hosts," that "his "mouth was stopped, he became guilty before God," and he feared lest his religious services and prophetical labours should increase his condemnation. Yet this did not arise from the recollection of immoralities VOL. I.

44

Ꮓ

or impieties, or from conscious hypocrisy or unfaithfulness in his ministry: but from the conviction of his mind, that his best duties were exceedingly polluted; whether he considered the holy majesty of the Lord to whom they were presented, or compared them with the exalted worship of the heavenly hosts. He would no doubt reflect, with shame and sorrow, on his want of reverence and humility in his religious performances; on the wandering imaginations which distracted his attention; and on his want of zeal, love, and admiring gratitude, even in his most fervent praises and thanksgivings. He might also, perhaps be conscious of a corrupt self-complacency and regard to the opinion of men, mingling even with his endeavours to glorify God; and that he had felt but little delight in those employments, which angels deem their highest privilege, and in which they enjoy unalloyed felicity.

As the prophet of the Lord, he had likewise delivered many awful messages to the rebellious Jews: but this vision made him afraid, lest he too should fall under condemnation, for executing so important an office from corrupt motives, with a divided heart, and in an improper manner.

He was at the same time convinced, that he "dwelt "among a people of polluted lips." The Israelites were distinguished from other nations, as the worshippers of JEHOVAH; and when the prophet compared himself with them, he supposed that his services were pure and spiritual. But he now perceived that he ought not to be thus satisfied; for when their religious duties and professions were brought forth

to the light, and viewed in connexion with the adoration of the Seraphim, it was manifest that God might justly reject them with abhorrence. It was therefore more proper for him to imitate the leper, who covered his lip, and cried, "Unclean! unclean!"

These observations illustrate the apostle's declaration that "there is no difference; for all have sin "ned, and come short of the glory of God." Great diversity is indeed found in the moral conduct of men; and the Judge of the world will proportion the punishment of the wicked to the number and aggravation of their crimes: but in this respect there is no difference, "for all have sinned." The most virtuous and religious, even they who have served the Lord from their earliest days in genuine piety, must fall down before him in deep humility; and not only confess that they have been guilty of numerous omissions, and deviations from the rule of duty, in thought, word, and deed; but that their very services have often been the fruit of polluted lips. Nor could they ever have been satisfied with them, had they not dwelt among sinners like themselves, and had not their views of that glorious God whom they professed to worship been faint and confused.

Let any man carefully and impartially examine his own devotions, in the closet, in the house of God, or at the Lord's table: let him close every duty, or every Sabbath, with endeavours to ascertain the degree of spiritual worship, and of a corrupt mixture, which the all-seeing eye of a holy God must have witnessed in his performances; and I dare confidently to foretel, that he will ere long cry out with the prophet, "We are all as an unclean thing, and

"all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags:" or in the language of the judicious Hooker, The best things 'that we do have something in them to be pardoned: 'how then can we do any thing meritorious or worthy to be rewarded? Our continual suit to the Lord 'is and must be, to bear with our infirmities, and par'don our offences.' Thus "the Scripture concludes "all under sin; that the promise which is by Christ "Jesus might be given to them that believe*!" For these are discoveries of sinfulness, from which no man can escape, when he weighs himself in the balance of the sanctuary: so that every one is left to his choice, either to condemn the spirituality of the law and the holiness of the Lawgiver; or to submit to the righteousness of God, and to cry for mercy, saying, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."

This humiliation cannot be too deep; we cannot be too sensible of our guilt and pollution, or too entirely delivered from self-confidence. But we may easily be too much discouraged, and through despondency neglect the means of grace, and the duties of our station. Many persons, having discovered with great alarm their guilt and danger, and being convinced, by painful experience, of their inability to resist temptation, or to keep their resolutions, have rushed impetuously into wickedness, impiety, or infidelity, to obtain deliverance from the reproaches of their own consciences: and probably but few are duly humbled, without passing through a measure of discouraging terrors. Even the prophet was on this oc

* Col. iii, 22.