tissue, so surely is the presence of God the earnest of the destruction of all that is sinful. To find consolation in the great truth of the immanence of God, one must be conscious that his heart has been purified, and that his life consists of a definite purpose to conform to the fundamental laws of righteousness, which are the expression of the nature of God, and are the basis of the uni

verse.

To have God consciously with us to heighten every joy, to share every pain, to heal every wound by the balm of His love, to guide us in the right way, to disclose to us brighter and better ideals, and to help us to attain them,-this is a privilege unspeakably great, but it is the privilege of the Christian.

CHAPTER XLII.

THE PRINCE OF THE FOUR NAMES.

"For unto us a child is born,

Unto us a son is given,

And dominion is on his shoulder:

And his name is called Wonder-Counsellor,
God-of-a-warrior, Father-of-Booty,

Prince of peace."

Isa. ix, 6, according to the Hebrew.

"A fairer paradise is founded now

For Adam and his chosen sons, whom thou
A Savior art come down to re-install

Where they shall dwell secure."

Milton's Paradise Regained.

THE prophecy quoted at the beginning of this chapter has long been regarded by Christians as a prophecy of Christ. It was a prophecy of the Messiah, and as Christ fulfilled the Messianic prophecies better than even the Jews expected them to be fulfilled, it was in that sense a prophecy of Him. We cannot now think of the prophet as looking forward through the centuries and beholding Christ, as we behold Him in looking back. We are compelled to recognize that Isaiah was holding an ideal before the

men of his time, which would be helpful to them, and should first look to see what meaning his words had for the men of his own generation.

This prophecy forms a part of the same series of utterances as the prophecy of Immanuel. Like that prophecy it was spoken when the prophet foresaw that Tiglathpileser would march into the West and begin those wars, which would crush the enemies of Judah. The gaze of Isaiah went beyond that. He looked forward to a time when Israel would have a king greater than Tiglath-pileser. It was a hard age. The inner spiritual nature of the kingdom of God had not been disclosed to even the best of men. Isaiah could think of no more fitting picture of the Messiah who would, he felt sure, come, than that he should be a glorified warrior. Assyria was then the supreme nation in war; her king was the model warrior; but the Messiah would out-do even him. If before his battles Tiglath-pileser planned his struggle, Israel's Messiah would be a Wonder-Counsellor, far surpassing the Assyrian. If the Assyrian monarch fought

strenuously his fights, Israel's king should be a very god of a warrior,1 If Tiglath-pileser spoiled the conntry of his enemies and carried off his prey, Israel's prince would be an abundant possessor of booty. That would be one of his chief characteristics. After his conquests the Assyrian monarch took measures to keep his new territory in peace; so the Messiah would be a very prince of peace. It was, however, to be a peace won by the severest struggle and the most glorious victories.

All this, as the church has long perceived, is really a parable of the work of Christ. The events of the inner struggles and the spiritual victories of the soul have long been pictured in terms of the battlefield. The soul has its enemies. If it does not overcome them, they will accomplish a most disastrous conquest over it. Jesus Himself faced such a battle at the time of His temptation. The attitude which He took toward the struggle was practically unique. The teaching which He gave to others concerning the

The word "god" in Hebrew is more widely applied than in English, being sometimes, as in this passage, used of human beings. I do not mean to say that the church has understood it as here set forth.

struggle of life was of the same quality, and was marvellous indeed. The Sermon on the Mount, if it stood alone, would entitle Him to the name "Wonder-Counsellor."

But Jesus was also the ideal spiritual warrior. Not only in the way in which He repelled temptation,1 but in the way in which by word and deed throughout His ministry He withstood evil at the greatest sacrifice of personal ease, and most of all in the supreme gift of Himself upon the cross. None other is to be compared to Him! How much more appropriate do the prophet's words seem to Him than ever Isaiah could have dreamed," God of a warrior!" Most fittingly does the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews describe Him as the "Captain of our salvation."

He is also the "Father of booty" in that He brings all those passions, appetites, and powers of life, which seem to be hostile to the spiritual life, into subjection to Himself. They are not eradicated, but,-better than that, they are made to contribute material upon which the spiritual life can feed. He

'See above ch. viii.