September 30

Everlasting Father.—Isaiah 9:6.

THE title here given to Jesus does not confound the distinctions in the deity, so as to render the Son the same person with the Father. Father often signifies founder, or source, and the true rendering of the text has been generally supposed to be, "Father of eternity," or "Father of the world to come." In the one case the passage refers to the proper eternity of Jesus: hence it is written, "He was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." Micah also says, "His going forth hath been of old, from everlasting:" hence, too, he said, "Before Abraham was,

I am," and he is represented as being "before all things." But he is not only from everlasting, but he is the Father, or Source of all things. Now, it is clear, from Scripture testimony, that "by him all things were created!"—that, "without him was not any thing made that was made." Then he is especially the Father of all his spiritual posterity. By his word and spirit he quickens and raises up a seed to serve and bless him. And we may thus perceive how he may be properly styled the Father of the world to come, applying that term either to the establishment of the gospel kingdom, or to the consummate blessedness of glory. He hath founded a spiritual empire which shall exist to the end of time, and then shall be perpetuated in its perfected state through all eternity. He is the Father of this everlasting kingdom—this glorious world to come: his reign is an everlasting reign, and of his dominion there shall be no end. Jehovah, addressing him, says, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Then, a good prospect of a happy eternity is only to be obtained as an act of his mercy and grace. He alone can bestow the title to the blessed mansions in the skies: he alone can confer the meetness for eternal blessedness: he alone will open the gates of the celestial Paradise, and place the unfading crown upon the faithful victor's head. Happy they who have believingly said, "This God shall be our God for ever and ever, and our guide even unto death."