e accepted version,
and adds the marginal reading, "Father of Eternity." The sense of the
passage is the same. The name "Everlasting Father" was the name of the
coming Son. He would be Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, not for a
short time, but eternally, forever and ever--"the same yesterday,
to-day, and forever." His care of his people would never cease.

The distinctions between the persons of the trinity were not made in the
Old Testament, as in the New. Jehovah was God, the Lord was God, and was
known as Jehovah God, the Everlasting Father. The incarnation of the
second person in the trinity gave emphasis to his sonship, in order to
put him in brotherly relation to us. "Wherefore he is not ashamed to
call them brethren."

This prophecy of Isaiah, however, condescends to accommodate our
weakness, and necessity, and gives to the promised child the name by
which he is recognized in the New Testament, for

6. "_His name shall be called ... The Prince of Peace_."

At the birth of the Child the angel choir sang "Glory to God in the
highest, and _on earth peace_, good will toward men." (Luke ii. 14.)
"Him hath God exalted with his right hand _to be a Prince_ and a Savior,
to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." (Acts v. 31.)

Isaiah spoke as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. He gave to Israel this
assuring promise for their comfort, that the Seed of the woman, the
Messiah, was coming not as a fallible, impotent ruler, but as a Prince
and Savior. Israel failed to comprehend the glorious things predicted,
and even yet they are not fully unfolded. But the Messiah did not fail
to come, and, as predicted, he came at Bethlehem. Every phase of his
life, and the mighty work of redemption, all that was predicted of his
earthly career, has been accomplished. And now, at the right hand of the
Father, he is moving to the final consummation of his purposes of
redeeming grace.

He will not be moved from his purposes by the uncritical attempts of
rationalism to destroy the confidence of God's people in his revealed
truth. We can move forward confidently in our work, knowing that nothing
shall pass from his Word until all is fulfilled.

In this very brief study, in which God has spoken through the testimony
of his word, we have only touched a few points in which the truth of
Scripture has been assailed. But the testimony of the Book settles all
questions. We can well rest on the assurance, "Forever O Lord, thy w