106 



REV. J. B. WHITING, M.A., ON 



For example, let us turn to the prophet Isaiah. As we read 

 the wonderful words, we feel that they rest on the four points 

 of our proposition. In liii, " the pleasure of the Lord," i.e., the 

 Eternal Purpose, is carried out by "the servant of the Lord"; of 

 whom we read in ch. xlix, that He concurred in the Purpose and 

 the Plan. In ch. xl, we have notes of Preparation. Nor is this 

 less evident in the earlier chapters of the Book. Turn to 

 ch. iv, 2 : "In that day" — a fixed day — "shall the sprout of 

 Jehovah be for ornament and glory, and the fruit of the earth 

 for majesty and beauty." He who was to be the sprout of 

 Jehovah," was also to be the " fruit of the earth." On this Dr. 

 Kay quotes Delitzsch : "He was the grain of wheat, which 

 redeeming love sowed in the earth on Good Friday ; which 

 began to break through the earth and grow towards heaven on 

 Easter Sunday, whose golden blade ascended heavenward on 

 Ascension Day, whose myriad-fold ear bent down to the earth 

 on the day of Pentecost, and poured out the grains, from which 

 the Holy Church was not only born, but still continues to be 

 born." Here are Purpose, Plan and fixed Times. We have not 

 the space to refer to the numerous instances given by Isaiah in 

 which Purpose, Plan, Preparation, and fixed Epochs are evident, 

 controlling what by some is called secular history. But it is 

 important to notice that Isaiah speaks of this great truth, not 

 as revealed first to him, or in his times, but as long known in 

 all previous ages. For God sends a message to Sennacherib — 

 a heathen in a heathen land — " Hast thou not heard long ago 

 that I have done it ? hast thou not heard from ancient times 

 that I have formed it ? Now have I brought it to pass." 



Turning to the New Testament, our Lord's great prayer of 

 intercession (St. John xvii) establishes the fact that Purpose, 

 Plan, Preparation, and fixed Epochs characterise the growth of 

 the Kingdom of God. " Before the foundation of the world " 

 a " glory " was " given " to the Son, to which the ' : glory " of 

 which he was a partaker with the Father was antecedent. 

 This given glory involved " power over all flesh, that He should 

 give eternal life to as many as the Father had given Him." 

 This glory He now gives to the Apostles, and He prays that 

 " they may be one, as we are one." This is not the oneness of 

 which He spoke when He said, " I and My Father are one." 

 That was an essential oneness in which His disciples could have 

 no share. This is the oneness of purpose, aim, intention, 

 in which they could share. He received this glorious com- 

 mission. He was God's " elect," " to do all His pleasure." He 

 now entrusts that glorious commission to chosen Apostles, in 



