In this divinely-led movement of ' this worM ' towards ' the world that is to come,' in whii b every element of the world's life has part, tha central place is naturally taken by the spiritua." preparation, or, in other words, by the develop
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ment of the Kingdom of God which reaches its coiiftuniination in the 'regeneration.' This King- dom, our Lord explains, is the heritage of tliose Messed ones for whom it has been prepared from tlie foundations of the worUl (Mt 2o", ef. 20-='). It is built up on earth througli a 'call' (Mt 9'^ Mk 2", Lk 5^-), which, however, as mere invitation IS inoperative (Mt 22-'", Lk 14'*'^), and is made eH'ective only by the exertion of a ctrtain ' con- straint ' on God's part (Lk 14^), — so that a dis- tinction emerges between the merely 'called 'and the really ' chosen ' (Mt 22"). The author of this 'choice' is God (>Ik 1.3-"), wlio has chosen His elect (Lk 18', Mt 24--- ^-3', Mk IS""---) before the world, in accordance with His own pleasure, dis- tributing as He will of what is His own (Mt lu'*- '») ; so that the eli'ect of the call is already predetermined (Mt 13), all providence is ordered for the benetit of tlie elect (Mt 24-'-), and they are guarded from f.alling away (Mt 24-^), and, at the last day, are separated to their inheiitance prepared for them from all eternity (Mt 25*'). That, in all this process, the initiative is at every point taken by God, and no question can be enter- tained of precedent merit on the part of the recipients of the blei<sings, results not less from the whole underlying conception of God in His relation to the course of providence than from the details of the teaching itself. Every means is utilized, however, to enliance the sense of the free sovereignty of God in the bestowment of His Kingdom; it is 'the lost' whom Jesus comes to seek (Lk 19'"), and 'sinners' whom He came to call (Mk 2"); His truth is revealed only to 'babes' (Mt 11^, Lk 10^'), and He gives' His teaching a special form just that it may be veiled from them to whom it is not directed (Mk 4"), distributing His benefits, independently of merit (Mt 20'""), to those who had been chosen bj' God therefor (Mk 13-").
In the discourses recorded by St. John the same essential spirit rules. Although, in accordance with the deeper theological apprehension of their reporter, the more metaphysical elements of Jesus' doctrine of God come here to fuller expression, it is nevertheless fundamentally the same doctrine of God that is displayed. Despite the even stronger emphasis thrown here on His Fatherhood, there is not the slightest obscuration of His inlinite ex- altation : Jesus lifts His eyes up whin He would seek Him (II'" 17'); it is in heaven that His house is to be found (14^); and thence proceeds all that comes from Him (P- 3'= gai. k. 33. m. 41. «. so 6") ; 80 that God and heaven come to be almost equivalent terms. Is'or is there any obscuration of His ceaseless activity in governing the world (5"), although the stress is naturally thrown, in accordance with the whole character of this Gospel, on the moral and spiritual siiluof this government. But the very essence of the message of the .lohan- nine Jesus is that the will {OiX-n/xa) of the Katlier (43. 530 ^M.K>.40-;n <j;.i_ ^.f. 3" 5-' IT'" 21---^) is the principle of all things ; and more especially, of course, of the introduction of eternal life into this world of darkness and death. The conception of the world as lying in the evil one and therefore judged already (3"), so that upon those who are not removed from the evil of the worhl the wrath of God is not so much to be poured out as sinijily al.iiles (S-'o, cf. I .In 3'''), is liindiimental to this whole presentation. It is therefore, on the one hand, that Jesus represents Himself as having come not to condemn the world, Imt to save the world (3" 8'" 9° 12", cf. 4"), and all that Me <U>fH as having for its end the introduction of life into the world (ti-°-"); the already condemned world neetle<l no further eoiulemuatinn, it needed saving. Acd it is for the same reason, on the other hand,