no int.ercourse with men of other n&tions, &cted upon by the n&rrowing and stiffening influences which were prevalent and powerful in his land and time, should teach as he taught shout (1) the fatherhood of God; (2) the spirituality of Divine worship and eaored Fernce; (3) the openness of the outcast and the abandoned to return to the favour and likeness of God; ( 4) the spiritual and universal character of the kingdom of God; (5) the needfulness of the child-spirit and of humility for entrance into the kingdom of truth and righteousness; (6) the attainment of life through death, etc. ;-all this is not only surprising, marvellous; it is positively unaccountable on any other theory than that God dwelt in him and he in God. IL THE WONDER OF HIS POWER. 1. This also excited the astonishment of hie contemporaries (see Matt. vii. 27; Mark i. 27; vii. 37; Lnke v. 26, etc.). 2, It calls forth our reverent admiration still. We wonder and adore as we realize that (1) he compelled the earnest attention of his countrymen; (2) he has commanded the atten- tion of all the ages and of most of the peoples ever since; (3) he has been, and is regarded as the Saviour, the Lord, the Friend of millions of individual souls, and has brightened, comforted, transformed innumerable human lives; (4) he has produced a manifest change-often amounting to a revolution-in the sentiment, the principles, and the institutions of mankind. III. HIS KNOWLEDGE-PASSING LOVE. (See Eph. iii. 19.) 1. On one occasion, at least, the people were powerfully impressed with the fervour of his love (John xi. 36; see also John xiii. 1). 2. The love of Christ is far more astonishing to us who can better recognize its greatness. Now that the facts of the Incarnation and the purpose of his sufferings and his death have been illumined by the teaching of t.he Divine Spirit, we know how surpassingly great, how wonderful, were (1) his sacrificial love to our race--not sparing himself, but delivering himself up for us all, and pursuing that path of sacrifice even to the very end; (2) his distinguishing love to the individual soul. So that, with Paul, every one may say," He loved me;" may, indeed, say, "He foVflS me "-is seeking my salvation, has borne with my sin and shortcoming, extends to me his pardoning love, is dealing patiently and tenderly with me, is leading me by the right and wise way to the heavenly city.-C. • , Ver. 6.-Chief counsels of Christ. "His name shall be called Counsellor." If we approach Jesus Christ as a Divine Counseller, i.e. as One that has unerring wisdom to impart to us respecting the chief good of human life, the secret of true success, the way to reach the goal and securtl the prize, we shall find from him these principal counsel.&-- L THAT IF WE WOULD FIND THE TBUTH WE SEEK WE MUST OOME AS A CHILD TO ITS sot:RCE. Into the" kingdom of God," which is the kingdom of truth and joy,:he tells us emphatically and repeatedly we must enter as a little child, that has everything to learn, and is willing to be taugbt by its heavenly l!'ather, by its one great 'l'eacher (see Matt. xviii. 34; Mark x. 15; Luke xviii. 14; cf. 1 Cor. iii. 18). lL THAT NOT HUIIUN HONOUR AND WORLDLY WEAl/fH, BUT THE LIKENESS .AND THE u VOUB OF GOD ARE THE TBUE OBJECTS OF l'UBBUlT. (See Matt. v. 45; vi. 19, 20, Luke:x:ii.15; iv.4; Johnv.44; xiv.23.) Ill. THAT NOT BY SELF-ASSEBTION, BUT BY BELF-RENUNOIATION ARE OUR BEAL INTEBESTS SECURED. (t,ee Matt. L 37-39; John xii. 25.) IV. THAT JN CLOSE AND LIVING UNION WITH HU4SELF WE ATTAIN OUB HIGHEST HEBITAGE. The chief counsel of Christ was that, with our sins, our sorrows, our struggles, our aspirations, we should come into intimate union with himself, the s~viour, the Friend, the Master, the Leader, of mankind. In clearest, strongest, tenderest tones he :;ays ever to us all, "Come unto me; abide in me; follow me; and ye shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."-C. Ver. 6.-ChriBt in relation to ti1M. "The Everlasting Father." If we take the words in their literal rendering, "the Father of Eternity," we gain a meaning which is more consonant with the scriptural teaching re11pecting the Messiah, the Son of man. Ile is One who ha8 much to do with eternity; he is an (or the) Etemal One. Thie attribution to Jesus Christ suggests to us- L THE BB!U ill'ACE OF TIU WBlCH JU8 1'11E OOOUl'lEil A.8 4 IIA'l'TEB OF BlBTORl, OD, IL 1-21.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 177
Only "a little while" had they the Light of the world with them. Parts of three years, a space of time to be counted by months,-tbis was all the intervRl between his coming and his going; it was a lightning-flash between the long spa.cos of darkness. II. ITS LONG BACKWARD LOOK, It looks back (1) through all human history: for all the lines of national life (Hebrew, Roman, Grecian, etc.) converged and met at his birth; all that had existed had been leading up to, had been preparing for, his advent; (2) to the remotest ages, even to the beginning. " Before Abraham was, I am ; " '' He was before all things; " "In the beginning was the Word." III. ITe LONG FORWARD LOOK. The scribes and Pharisees thought, when they saw him die on the cross, that hie would be but an ephemeral career; that his influence would quickly die, and his name be soon forgotten. But we know that (1) he has commanded the attention of the world for eighteen centuries; (2) he has been by far the greatest Power therein; (3) he is now recognized and honoured by his Church as its living, reigning Lord; (4) he will appear as its Judge; (5) he will be for ever the Object of our heavenly worship and service. He is the" Father of eternity." Therefore: 1. Let us reverence him while we trust and love him. Our Friend with whom we have such happy fellowship is One in very closest connection with the Divine ; he is the "Father of eternity," though manifested in time, and with us for so brief a day. 2. Let us trust him while we work for him. We may be disappointed at the smallness of results, at the apparent distance of the goal; we may be impatient in spirit, aud we may be hurried or even unchristian in the methods we adopt, in the weapons we employ. Let us be steadied, calmed, righted, as we remember that he whom we serve is not one who is shut up to a few years or decades, or even a few centuries, in which to work out his mission of love; he is the "Father of Eternity;" he is Lord of all future time; he will cauHe his Word to be fulfilled; we may patiently wait, while we earnestly and faithfully work.--0.