And I said: Woe is me, because I have held my peace; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath unclean lips, and I have seen with my eyes the King the Lord of hosts.

“Purity of heart and simplicity, Peter, is of great force with almighty God, who is in purity most singular, and of nature most simple. For those servants of his, which do retire themselves from worldly affairs, avoid idle words, labour not to lose their devotion, nor to defile their soul with talking, do especially obtain to be heard of him, to whom, after a certain manner, and as they may, they be like in purity and simplicity of heart. But we that live in the world, and speak oftentimes idle words, and that which is worse, sometime those that be hurtful: our words and prayers are so much the farther off from God, as they be near unto the world: for we are drawn too much down towards the earth, by continual talking of secular business: which thing the prophet Esaye did very well reprehend in himself, after he had beheld the King and Lord of armies, and was penitent, crying out: Woe be to me for being silent, because I am a man that have defiled lips: and he sheweth straight after the reason why his lips were defiled, when he saith: I dwell in the midst of a people that hath defiled lips. For sorry he was that his lips were defiled, yet concealeth not from whence he had them, when he saith, that he dwelt in the midst of a people that had defiled lips. For very hard it is that the tongues of secular men should not defile their souls, with whom they talk; for when we do sometime condescend to speak with them of certain things, by little and little we get such a custom, that we hear that spoken with pleasure which is not meet to be heard at all, so that afterward we are loath to give that over, to which at the first, to gratify others, we were brought against our wills. And by this means we fall from idle words to hurtful speeches, and from talk of small moment to words of great importance: and so it cometh to pass that our tongue is so much the less respected of God when we pray, by how much we are more defiled with foolish speech, because, as it is written: He that turneth away his ear that he hear not the law, his prayer shall be execrable. What marvel, then, is it, if, when we pray, God doth slowly hear us, when as we hear God's commandments, either slowly or not at all?”

“for I am lost I will die, for I was not worthy of seeing the Countenance of the Shechinah. We find a similar statement made by Manoah (Judges 13:22): “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” I am lost Heb. נִדְמֵיתִי, comp. (Zephaniah 1:11): “The entire people of Canaan is broken (נִדְמֶה).” people of unclean lips that are defiled with sins [from Jonathan].”

“נדמיתי I am undone. I am cut off from the company of the holy ones; comp. ודמיתי And I will destroy (Hos. 4:5). Some compare it with דׂמִּי Be silent (Ps. 62:6). This view also may be correct. A man of unclean lips. The prophet was a man of unclean lips, I think, because he grew up with the Israelities, that were unclean in deeds and words, and he learnt their way of speaking; comp. And he warned me not to go the way of this people (8:11); therefore he says, And in the midst of a people of unclean lips I am dwelling. For mine eyes have seen the king, who is holy, and whom I was afraid to anctify because of the uncleanness of my lips. Although he says, Mine eyes have seen, etc., it is but in a prophetical vision that he saw Him.”

“In the year that the king died. After he reproved the fault in the two tribes, adding the corrective punishment, here he threatens the punishment that finally condemns, namely the punishment of hardening; and therefore this punishment is foretold in the manner of a sentence, and with the solemnity of judgment. This chapter is therefore divided into three parts. In the first, the author of the sentence is described, namely the judge; in the second, the herald of the sentence, the minister of the judge, at the place, "And I said: Woe is me"; in the third, the sentence itself is set down, at the place, "Hear, you that hear." Concerning the first, two things are set down. First, the time of the vision; second, the vision itself, at the place, "I saw the Lord sitting." As to the first, he says: in the year that Ozias died, who in 4 Kings 15 is called Azarias, struck with leprosy by the Lord because he wished to usurp the priestly office, as is said in 2 Paralipomenon 26. But after he was struck, his son Joatham governed the king's house and the kingdom until his death; yet he is not said to have reigned then, but rather to have carried on his father's role; but he first reigned when his father died. Hence this vision was shown while Joatham was reigning, and the preceding matters while Ozias was reigning. I saw the Lord sitting. Here the vision is set down: and first he describes the throne of the judge; second, the ministry of those attending, at the place "Seraphim." Now this vision is said by some to have been imaginary, by others intellectual. And a figure is taken up by the prophet himself from something similar, as Dionysius says in the epistle to Titus, that to the prophets, to the things which they see plainly without figures, figures are put around for the leading-by-hand of the hearers, who through sensible figures can more easily grasp them. However this may be, two things must be seen here. First, the imagining of the figure, whether seen by the prophet, or composed by him; and second, the signification of that figure itself: for in order to signify something spiritually, sensible figures of spiritual things are introduced in sacred Scripture, as Dionysius says: and that will be the literal sense; just as also in metaphorical speech it is not that which is signified by the words, but what the speaker through the words wishes to signify. Concerning the first, then, it must be known that the temple built by Solomon had a height of a hundred and twenty cubits, as is said in 2 Paralipomenon 3, and its height was divided into three houses; of which the highest had sixty cubits, and each of the two lower ones thirty. And of these it is said in 3 Kings 6: by a winding stair they went up into the middle chamber, and from the middle into the third. He saw, then, the throne of the Lord in the highest chamber; on account of which it is said, "high," that is, lofty, as also "lifted up," above all the chambers: and from the brightness of his countenance the middle chamber shone: on account of which it is said: "the house was full of majesty," that is, of his glory; and the things that were under him, that is, the ornaments of his throne, or even the splendor of his garments, or the ranks of his subjects, filled the lowest chamber, into which the priests entered: on account of which he says, "temple." Others say otherwise, that he saw the lofty throne in the middle chamber, which is called the house, which was full of the middle members and arms of the Lord; below, which is called the temple, of the feet and shins; but the head and neck stood forth into the third story. 3 Kings, last chapter: I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left. Proverbs 20: the king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil round about him. Concerning the second, it must be known that the signification of this vision is assigned in three ways by different people. For some say that by the sitting on the throne is signified the future oppression of captivity: by the filling of the house with majesty is signified that the enemies who were under his disposition would fill the temple: and the histories touch on this. Jerome, however, expounds otherwise, and better, that by the seat is signified the majesty of the Son of God, on account of which it is said in John 12: these things said Isaias, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. By the throne are signified the Angels, in whom God sits. Psalm 79: who sittest upon the Cherubim. By the house, the Church triumphant, which is full of his glory. By the temple, the Church militant, which is full of miracles, or of the ranks of Angels, as if guardians. Dionysius expounds otherwise in the 13th chapter of the Celestial Hierarchy, and better, as it seems. By the throne is signified the eminence of the divine nature, and it is called "lofty" on account of its nobility, "lifted up" as if raised above other things, inasmuch as it exceeds all things infinitely; in which he is said to sit on account of immobility. Hence he says in the 9th chapter On the Divine Names: what indeed is to be said of the divine standing, except that it remains fixed singularly in itself in immovable identity? And the whole creature is called the house, which is full of majesty, inasmuch as it is filled with a participation of his goodness according to its capacity. And by the temple he seems to understand the higher creatures themselves, which are filled with the things that are under him, inasmuch as the goodnesses received in them fall short of the goodness of God, which nevertheless they seem to approach. But against this it is objected. Exodus 33: for man shall not see me, and live, that is, living in this mortal flesh. 1 John 4: no man hath seen God at any time. Therefore neither did Isaias. To which it must be said that neither interior nor exterior sight can see unless it be moved by the visible thing; and according as it is more perfectly changed by the visible thing, the better it sees. And then it sees most perfectly when it receives the action of the visible thing according to its whole power. And hence it is that the same thing is seen in different ways by different people, both interiorly and exteriorly; by some better, and by some worse. This visible object, therefore, which is God, nothing comprehends perfectly except that which grasps the whole of him, and therefore he alone sees himself in this way. Hence the heavenly secret (says Chrysostom) is seen by some in its own essence without a medium for this, according to the perfection which those attaining to it have from the divine light received, as by the blessed in their homeland, and by those who are lifted up by rapture to that manner of vision. But by those having a less perfect sight, it is seen according to certain likenesses of his goodness, whether in sensible things, or in images, or in intelligible species. And of this kind is the vision by which the prophets saw through the light of prophecy, and by which we see through faith, and by which he is seen through the light of reason, even by philosophers, who also knew God, as is said in Romans 1. But then there remains the question, whether the prophets received such a vision immediately from God, or through the mediation of Angels. And it seems that it was immediate, from the very manner of speaking: because he says, I saw the Lord, and not, I saw an Angel. Likewise concerning Moses, Exodus 33: the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend. Likewise they saw in the mirror of eternity, as is commonly said: therefore some saw God. To which it must be said, according to Dionysius, 4th chapter On the Celestial Hierarchy, that no mere man, neither among the fathers of the New nor of the Old Testament, received any revelation from God except through the mediation of Angels. And he says that this is an inviolable law, that through the first mediating things they are led back into the divine; and he proves this by an argument from the greater, because even Moses received the law through the mediation of Angels, who nevertheless saw most excellently; which is proved by that which is found in Galatians 3: what then is the law? It was set because of transgression, until the seed should come to whom God had promised, ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator. Acts 7: who have received the law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it. To the first, then, it must be said that this reasoning can hold both on the part of the end of the vision, and on the part of the principle. On the part of the end, because the Angel revealing intends to lead man into the knowledge of God, and not into the knowledge of himself; and therefore he forms the vision about God, so that from those things which are seen figuratively, something about God may be known. But on the part of the principle, because the whole power of the angelic light for manifesting anything is from God the author, who is the fount of light; just as in demonstrative matters the whole power of the light or manifestation is from the first principles. Hence Gregory says in the Gloss on the third chapter of Exodus: the Angel who is described as having appeared to Moses is announced now as the Lord, now as an Angel. An Angel, because he serves by speaking outwardly; the Lord, because presiding inwardly he grants the efficacy of speaking. For since the one speaking is ruled from within, he is called both Angel through his service, and Lord through his inspiration. To the second it must be said that this is said on account of the most eminent manner of clear vision, by which Moses saw beyond the other prophets, as is said in Numbers 12. To the third it must be said that the mirror of eternity is not said to be God himself, but the very species which are in the soul of the prophet; and they are called a mirror inasmuch as the disposition of eternal wisdom is reflected in them. Seraphim stood. Here he sets down the office of the ministers: and first he describes the order of the ministers; second, their praise, at "And they cried: Holy." Concerning the first he sets down three things. First he sets down the rank of the ministers, saying: the Seraphim stood beneath it, namely the temple, because this order is supreme among all, as Dionysius says in the Gloss here. Also note, that "Seraphim" written with an m is of the plural number and masculine gender, and signifies several of that order; but written with an n it is of the plural number and neuter gender, and signifies the whole host of that order; but "Seraphin" is of the singular number and masculine gender, and signifies only one of that order. Below, 62: upon thy walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen: all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. And he says, "stood," upright through contemplation, as if attending. Second he sets down the adornment of the ministers in the sixfold number of wings. Six wings. Third, the use of the wings: with two they covered his face. In the Hebrew it is said ambiguously; and it can be expounded that they covered the face of God; and thus Jerome takes it: or that they covered their own face; and thus Dionysius takes it, according to whom the sense is that the head was covered, and the feet, and the middle of the body. With two they flew, namely the middle ones. Ezechiel 1: each one with two others covered its body. And below in the same place: and I heard the sound of the wings, like the sound of many waters. The signification of this vision is taken in three ways. The Hebrew says that by the twelve wings are understood the twelve kings who ruled over the people from Ozias, under whom the vision began, and thereafter; of whom only four were just, namely Ozias, Joatham, Ezechias, and Josias: and therefore they flew with four wings. But the others were ashamed before the sight of God, and therefore covered their face: of whom four possessed the kingdom freely, namely Achaz, Manasses, Amon, and Joathan, who were made kings by the people; and these are signified by the wings that were at the head. But the other four possessed the kingdom under the servitude of others. Hence they were made kings by others, and not by the people, as Joachim by Pharaoh, Jechonias and Sedecias and Godolias: of whom it is said in Jeremiah 41, that Ismael and ten men who were with him killed Godolias, whom the king of Babylon had set over the land. For the aforesaid last three were appointed by Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon. Jerome says that they are called winged, either because they dwell above, or on account of the swiftness of their ministry: and he understands by the twelve wings the ministry of perfection, which is commended in the number twelve, as the twelve gems in the diadem of the priest, and so of the others. And with two they fly, et cetera. Because the things that were before the world or after the world, they conceal from us, and they show what happens in the six ages of the world: or because past and future things are unknown to us, but present things we know; so that this is referred to the act of ministry; and that which he said, "stood," to this, that they attend upon God. Dionysius expounds otherwise, in the 13th chapter of the Celestial Hierarchy and the 4th chapter of the Ecclesiastical; and he says that they are called winged, because after the likeness of one flying, they have a lofty and free contemplation. Now a threefold pair of wings is described; because the Seraphim see the things that pertain to themselves, who are of the first hierarchy, and the things that pertain to the other two more eminently than those; so that by one wing is understood the capacity of nature, and by the other the light participated from God, because by these two they are raised up. But the things that pertain to the hierarchies are from God as from a principle, and are ordered to God as to an end; and in both ways they cannot be perfectly understood by the Angels; which the covering signifies. And there are also, in the Angels themselves, as it were middle things between the beginning and the end; and thus they have perfect and free knowledge of these, and therefore with the two middle wings they flew, and cried. Here he sets down their praise: and concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the manner of praising as to devotion, because they cried out from greatness of affection; as to concord, because "each" cried; and as to order, because "to the other." For one receives from the other, as Dionysius holds. Job 38: where wast thou when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody? Second he sets down the song of praise, at "holy, holy, holy." And they praise three things. The Trinity of Persons: "holy, holy, holy." The majesty of the Unity: "the Lord God of hosts," who is over all. Apocalypse 4: holy, holy, holy, the Lord God almighty, who is, and who was, and who is to come. The liberality of providence: "all the earth is full of his glory": because even to the last creatures, which are understood by "the earth," he extends the diffusion of his goodness. Jeremiah 23: do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? And this according to Dionysius, 7th chapter of the Celestial Hierarchy. Jerome: "all the earth is full," through the knowledge of faith. Ecclesiasticus 42: his work is full of the glory of the Lord. Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works, which the Lord almighty hath confirmed to be established for his glory? Third, at "and the lintels were moved," he sets down the effect of the praise, namely the punishment of sinners. Below, 65: behold my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry; behold my servants shall drink, and you shall be thirsty; behold my servants shall praise for joyfulness of heart, and you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for grief of spirit. And the destruction of the temple is signified. The lintels of the hinges were moved. Amos 9: strike the hinge, and let the lintels be moved. And its burning is signified. And the house was filled with smoke, of the burning by the Romans after the faith of Christ was known. Or by the smoke, the unbelief of the Jews; by the moving of the hinges, the removal of the legal observances, or ceremonies, which were as it were shadows closing off the approach to the truth. And I said. Here the herald of the sentence is set down: and first his humility is shown; second his purity, at "and he flew"; third, authority, at "and I heard." Humility, in the confession of sin. Now he confesses a threefold sin. The first, in speech, of omission: "woe," because "I held my peace," by not reproving King Ozias; and thus he laments the fault; "I held my peace" from the praise of God, and thus he laments the loss. Below, 56: his watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant, dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams. Ecclesiasticus 15: praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. Of commission: because I am a man of polluted lips. Ecclesiasticus 23: let not thy mouth be accustomed to undisciplined speech, for therein is the word of sin. Second, of the company of evil people: "and in the midst of a people." 1 Corinthians 15: for evil communications corrupt good manners. Third, the sin of presumption: "and the king, the Lord of hosts"; as if he were to say: he who is impure cannot enter his temple, how much less can he see him himself; Judges 13: we shall die the death, because we have seen the Lord. And this was out of reverence. But Jacob said, Genesis 32: I have seen the Lord face to face, and my soul has been saved. And this is out of confidence. Jerome: happy the conscience which sinned only in speech, having polluted lips not by its own fault, but that of the people. And he flew to me. Here purity is shown from the purgation of sins: and concerning this three things are set down. The minister of the purgation: "he flew to me"; the instrument of the purgation: "and in his hand a coal from the altar of holocausts." The altar within was of earth, as is said in Exodus 20: you shall make me an altar of earth. But all around it was of stones, where the fires of sacrifice were gathered; and from these he took the coal with tongs, an instrument having two arms, by which the receptive power can be signified; and by the altar, the divine light or goodness itself; and by the coal, the gift received for the office of purgation. Or by the fire, tribulation; by the Seraph, Christ; by the tongs, the two testaments; by the coal, charity, which is in the hand, that is, in his operation. Third, the manner of purging: "and he touched my mouth, and said"; just as in the sacraments there is an action and a form of words; behold, "he touched," expresses the act; and "iniquity shall be taken away," toward men, "sin," toward God. And he does not say, "I will take away," because it belongs to God alone to remit sin. Below, 43: I am, I am he that blot out thy iniquities for my own sake, and I will not remember thy sins. Concerning all these, Daniel 9: behold the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly, touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice, and he instructed me, and spoke to me. But against this it is objected that Dionysius says that those of the higher orders are not sent into ministry; but it is established that the Seraphim are the highest: therefore it does not seem true that they come for the purgation of the prophet. To which it must be said that Gregory touches on this question in a certain homily on the hundred sheep, and leaves it in doubt. But Dionysius expressly holds that only the lower orders are sent to us: and he says that this is by the order of the divine law, that lower things are led back through intermediaries. But as to what is said here, he resolves it in two ways. In one way, that this Angel who purges is called "Seraphim" equivocally, not from the order, but from the act which he then exercised, because he purged with fire, and "Seraphin" means a burning. In the other way, he resolves it by saying that it is properly said of him who is of that order; and he is said to purge, not because he himself immediately purges, but because by his authority, or by an illumination received from him, a lower Angel purged. And he gives an example. Just as a bishop is said to absolve when another absolves by his authority. And therefore, out of reverence, the lower Angel, who formed the vision, refers it back to God first, and to the Seraph second; as if he were to say: I purge you through the light received from God, by the mediation of the Seraph. The Septuagint have "carbuncles," on account of the likeness to fire. For it has a flaming color.”

“Our curiosity would lead us to enquire further concerning the seraphim, their songs and their services; but here we leave them, and must attend to what passed between God and his prophet. Secret things belong not to us, the secret things of the world of angels, but things revealed to and by the prophets, which concern the administration of God's kingdom among men. Now here we have, I. The consternation that the prophet was put into by the vision which he saw of the glory of God (Isa 6:5): Then said I, Woe is me! I should have said, "Blessed art thou, who hast been thus highly favoured, highly honoured, and dignified, for a time, with the privilege of those glorious beings that always behold the face of our Father. Blessed were those eyes which saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and those ears which heard the angels' praises." And, one would think, he should have said, "Happy am I, for ever happy; nothing now shall trouble me, nothing make me blush or tremble;" but, on the contrary, he cries out, "Woe is me! for I am undone. Alas for me! I am a gone man; I shall surely die (Jdg 13:22; Jdg 6:22); I am silenced; I am struck dumb, struck dead." Thus Daniel, when he heard the words of the angel, became dumb, and there was no strength, no breath, left in him, Dan 10:15, Dan 10:17. Observe, 1. What the prophet reflected upon in himself which terrified him: "I am undone if God deal with me in strict justice, for I have made myself obnoxious to his displeasure, because I am a man of unclean lips." Some think he refers particularly to some rash word he had spoken, or to his sinful silence in not reproving sin with the boldness and freedom that were necessary - a sin which God's ministers have too much cause to charge themselves with, and to blush at the remembrance of. But it may be taken more generally; I am a sinner; particularly, I have offended in word; and who is there that hath not? Jam 3:2. We all have reason to bewail it before the Lord, (1.) That we are of unclean lips ourselves; our lips are not consecrated to God; he had not had the first-fruits of our lips (Heb 13:15), and therefore they are counted common and unclean, uncircumcised lips, Exo 6:30. Nay, they have been polluted with sin. We have spoken the language of an unclean heart, that evil communication which corrupts good manners, and whereby many have been defiled. We are unworthy and unmeet to take God's name into our lips. With what a pure lip did the angels praise God! "But," says the prophet, "I cannot praise him so, for I am a man of unclean lips." The best men in the world have reason to be ashamed of themselves, and the best of their services, when they come into comparison with the holy angels. The angels had celebrated the purity and holiness of God; and therefore the prophet, when he reflects upon sin, calls it uncleanness; for the sinfulness of sin is its contrariety to the holy nature of God, and upon that account especially it should appear both hateful and frightful to us. The impurity of our lips ought to be the grief of our souls, for by our words we shall be justified or condemned. (2.) That we dwell among those who are so too. We have reason to lament not only that we ourselves are polluted, but that the nature and race of mankind are so; the disease is hereditary and epidemic, which is so far from lessening our guilt that it should rather increase our grief, especially considering that we have not done what we might have done for the cleansing of the pollution of other people's lips; nay, we have rather learned their way and spoken their language, as Joseph in Egypt learned the courtier's oath, Gen 42:16. "I dwell in the midst of a people who by their impudent sinnings are pulling down desolating judgments upon the land, which I, who am a sinner too, may justly expect to be involved in." 2. What gave occasion for these sad reflections at this time: My eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. He saw God's sovereignty to be incontestable - he is the King; and his power irresistible - he is the Lord of hosts. These are comfortable truths to God's people, and yet they ought to strike an awe upon us. Note, A believing sight of God's glorious majesty should affect us all with reverence and godly fear. We have reason to be abased in the sense of that infinite distance that there is between us and God, and our own sinfulness and vileness before him, and to be afraid of his displeasure. We are undone if there be not a Mediator between us and this holy God, Sa1 6:20. Isaiah was thus humbled, to prepare him for the honour he was now to be called to as a prophet. Note, Those are fittest to be employed for God who are low in their own eyes and are made deeply sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness. II. The silencing of the prophet's fears by the good words, and comfortable words, with which the angel answered him, Isa 6:6, Isa 6:7. One of the seraphim immediately flew to him, to purify him, and so to pacify him. Note, God has strong consolations ready for holy mourners. Those that humble themselves in penitential shame and fear shall soon be encouraged and exalted; those that are struck down with the visions of God's glory shall soon be raised up again with the visits of his grace; he that tears will heal. Note, further, Angels are ministering spirits for the good of the saints, for their spiritual good. Here was one of the seraphim dismissed, for a time, from attending on the throne of God's glory, to be a messenger of his grace to a good man; and so well pleased was he with the office that he came flying to him. To our Lord Jesus himself, in his agony, there appeared an angel from heaven, strengthening him, Luk 22:43. Here is, 1. A comfortable sign given to the prophet of the purging away of his sin. The seraph brought a live coal from the altar, and touched his lips with it, not to hurt them, but to heal them - not to cauterize, but to cleanse them; for there were purifications by fire, as well as by water, and the filth of Jerusalem was purged by the spirit of burning, Isa 4:4. The blessed Spirit works as fire, Mat 3:11. The seraph, being himself kindled with a divine fire, put life into the prophet, to make him also zealously affected; for the way to purge the lips from the uncleanness of sin is to fire the soul with the love of God. This live coal was taken from off the altar, either the altar of incense or that of burnt-offerings, for they had both of them fire burning on them continually. Nothing is powerful to cleanse and comfort the soul but what is taken from Christ's satisfaction and the intercession he ever lives to make in the virtue of that satisfaction. It must be a coal from his altar that must put life into us and be our peace; it will not be done with strange fire. 2. An explication of this sign: "Lo, this has touched thy lips, to assure thee of this, that thy iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged. The guilt of thy sin is removed by pardoning mercy, the guilt of thy tongue-sins. Thy corrupt disposition to sin is removed by renewing grace; and therefore nothing can hinder thee from being accepted with God as a worshipper, in concert with the holy angels, or from being employed for God as a messenger to the children of men." Those only who are thus purged from an evil conscience are prepared to serve the living God, Heb 9:14. The taking away of sin is necessary to our speaking with confidence and comfort either to God in prayer or from God in preaching; nor are any so fit to display to others the riches and power of gospel-grace as those who have themselves tasted the sweetness and felt the influence of that grace; and those shall have their sin taken away who complain of it as a burden and see themselves in danger of being undone by it. III. The renewing of the prophet's mission, Isa 6:8. Here is a communication between God and Isaiah about this matter. Those that would assist others in their correspondence with God must not themselves be strangers to it; for how can we expect that God should speak by us if we never heard him speaking to us, or that we should be accepted as the mouth of others to God if we never spoke to him heartily for ourselves? Observe here, 1. The counsel of God concerning Isaiah's mission. God is here brought in, after the manner of men, deliberating and advising with himself: Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? God needs not either to be counselled by others or to consult with himself; he knows what he will do, but thus he would show us that there is a counsel in his whole will, and teach us to consider our ways, and particularly that the sending forth of ministers is a work not to be done but upon mature deliberation. Observe, (1.) Who it is that is consulting. It is the Lord God in his glory, whom he saw upon the throne high and lifted up. It puts an honour upon the ministry that, when God would send a prophet to speak in his name, he appeared in all the glories of the upper world. Ministers are the ambassadors of the King of kings; how mean soever they are, he who sends them is great; it is God in three persons (Who will go for us? as Gen 1:26, Let us make man), Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. They all concur, as in the creating, so in the redeeming and governing of man. Ministers are ordained in the same name into which all Christians are baptized. (2.) What the consultation is: Whom shall I send? And who will go? Some think this refers to the particular message of wrath against Israel, Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10. "Who will be willing to go on such a melancholy errand, on which they will go in the bitterness of their souls?" Eze 3:14. But I rather take it more largely for all those messages which the prophet was entrusted to deliver, in God's name, to that people, in which that hardening work was by no means the primary intention, but a secondary effect of them, Co2 2:16. Whom shall I send? intimating that the business was such as required a choice and well-accomplished messenger, Jer 49:19. God now appeared, attended with holy angels, and yet asks, Whom shall I send? For he would send them a prophet from among their brethren, Heb 2:17. Note, [1.] It is the unspeakable favour of God to us that he is pleased to send us his mind by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid, and who are themselves concerned in the messages they bring. Those who are workers together with God are sinners and sufferers together with us. [2.] It is a rare thing to find one who is fit to go for God, and carry his messages to the children of men: Whom shall I send? Who is sufficient? Such a degree of courage for God and concern for the souls of men as is necessary to make a man faithful, and withal such an insight into the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as is necessary to make a man skilful, are seldom to be met with. Such an interpreter of the mind of God is one of a thousand, Job 33:23. [3.] None are allowed to go for God but those who are sent by him; he will own none but those whom he appoints, Rom 10:15. It is Christ's work to put men into the ministry, Ti1 1:12. 2. The consent of Isaiah to it: Then said I, Here am I; send me. He was to go on a melancholy errand; the office seemed to go a begging, and every body declined it, and yet Isaiah offered himself to the service. It is an honour to be singular in appearing for God, Jdg 5:7. We must not say, "I would go if I thought I should have success;" but, "I will go, and leave the success to God. Here am I; send me." Isaiah had been himself in a melancholy frame (Isa 6:5), full of doubts and fears; but now that he had the assurance of the pardon of his sin the clouds were blown over, and he was fit for service and forward to it. What he says denotes, (1.) His readiness: "Here am I, a volunteer, not pressed into the service." Behold me; so the word is. God says to us, Behold me (Isa 65:1), and, Here I am (Isa 58:9), even before we call; let us say so to him when he does call. (2.) His resolution; "Here I am, ready to encounter the greatest difficulties. I have set my face as a flint." Compare this with Isa 50:4-7. (3.) His referring himself to God: "Send me whither thou wilt; make what use thou pleasest of me. Send me, that is, Lord, give me commission and full instruction; send me, and then, no doubt, thou wilt stand by me." It is a great comfort to those whom God sends that they go for God, and may therefore speak in his name, as having authority, and be assured that he will bear them out.”

“Then said I, woe is me,.... There's no woe to a good man, all woes are to the wicked; but a good man may think himself wretched and miserable, partly on account of his own corruptions, the body of sin and death he carries about with him; and partly on account of wicked men, among whom he dwells, Rom 7:24, for I am undone; a good man cannot be undone, or be lost and perish; he is lost in Adam with the rest; in effectual calling he is made sensible of his lost and undone state; and under the power of unbelief may write bitter things against himself; but be can never perish, or be lost and undone for ever. The Targum is, "for I have sinned;'' and his particular sin is after mentioned: some (o) render it, "for I have been silent"; as if he had not performed the duty of his office, in reproving for sin, or declaring the will of God: others (p), "for I am reduced to silence", I am forced to be silent; he could not join with the "seraphim", being conscious to himself of his vileness, and of his unworthiness to take the holy name of God into his polluted lips, as follows: because I am a man of unclean lips; he says nothing of the uncleanness of his heart, nor of his actions; not that he was free from such impurity; but only of his lips, because it was the sin of his office that lay upon his mind, and gave him present uneasiness; there is no man but offends in words, and of all men persons in public office should be careful of what they say; godly ministers are conscious of many failings in their ministry. The Targum is, "because I am a sinful man to reprove;'' and so unfit for it. And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; such were the Jews, not only in Isaiah's time, but in the times of Christ and his apostles, who traduced him, as if he was a wicked person, calumniated his miracles, said he was a Samaritan, and had a devil; they taught for doctrines the commandments of men, and opposed and blasphemed the truths of the Gospel; and to live among men of a filthy speech and conversation is a concern to a good man; he is vexed and distressed hereby; he is in danger of learning their words, and of suffering with them in a common calamity. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts; the same divine and glorious Person described in Isa 6:1 who is no other than the Lord Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords, King of saints, and Lord of the armies, in heaven and in earth; and a lovely sight it is to see him by faith, in the glory and beauty of his person, and in the fulness of his grace; such a sight is spiritual, saving, assimilating, appropriating, very endearing, and very glorious and delightful: wherefore it may seem strange that a sight of Christ should fill the prophet with dread; one would think he should rather have said, happy man that I am, because I have seen this glorious Person, whom to see and know is life eternal; but the reason of it is, because in this view of Christ he saw the impurity of himself, and was out of conceit with himself, and therefore cries out in the manner he does; just as in a sunbeam a man beholds those innumerable motes and atoms, which before were invisible to him. It was not because of his sight of Christ he reckoned himself undone; but because of the impurity of himself, and those among whom he dwelt, which he had a view of through his sight of Christ: his sight of Christ is given as a reason of his view of his impurity, and his impurity as the reason of his being undone in his apprehension of things. The prophet, in these his circumstances, represents a sensible sinner, under a sight and sense of his sinfulness and vileness; as the seraph in the following verses represents a Gospel minister bringing the good news of pardon, by the blood and sacrifice of Christ. (o) "quia tacui", V. L.; so R. Joseph Kimchi. (p) "Ad silentium redactus sum", Tigurine version.”

“undone-- (Exo 33:20). The same effect was produced on others by the presence of God (Jdg 6:22; Jdg 13:22; Job 42:5-6; Luk 5:8; Rev 1:17). lips--appropriate to the context which describes the praises of the lips, sung in alternate responses (Exo 15:20-21; Isa 6:3) by the seraphim: also appropriate to the office of speaking as the prophet of God, about to be committed to Isaiah (Isa 6:9). seen--not strictly Jehovah Himself (Joh 1:18; Ti1 6:16), but the symbol of His presence. Lord--Hebrew, "JEHOVAH."”

“The seer, who was at first overwhelmed and intoxicated by the majestic sight, now recovers his self-consciousness."Then said I, Woe to me! for I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I am dwelling among a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts." That a man cannot see God without dying is true in itself, and was an Old Testament conviction throughout (Exo 33:20, etc.). He must die, because the holiness of God is to the sinner a consuming fire (Isa 33:14); and the infinite distance between the creature and the Creator is sufficient of itself to produce a prostrating effect, which even the seraphim could not resist without veiling their faces. Isaiah therefore regarded himself as lost (nidmēthi, like ὄλωλα, perii, a preterite denoting the fact which, although not outwardly completed, is yet effected so far as a man's own consciousness is concerned), and all the more because he himself was of unclean lips, and he was also a member of a nation of unclean lips. The unholiness of his own person was doubled, in consequence of the closeness of the natural connection, by the unholiness of the nation to which he belonged. He designates this unholiness as uncleanness of lips, because he found himself transported into the midst of choirs of beings who were praising the Lord with pure lips; and he calls the King Jehovah, because, although he had not seen Jehovah face to face, he had seen the throne, and the all-filling robe, and the seraphim who surrounded and did homage to Him that sat upon the throne; and therefore, as he had seen the heavenly King in His revealed majesty, he describes the scene according to the impression that he had received. But to stand here in front of Jehovah of hosts, the exalted King, to whom everything does homage, and to be obliged to remain mute in the consciousness of deep uncleanness, excited within him the annihilating anguish of self-condemnation. And this is expressed in the confession made by the contrite seer.”