CHAPTER III: THE DOCTRINE OF ST. JOHN.

ST. JOHN, THE APOSTLE AND PROPHET.

§ I. Life of St. John--Tardiness of the Influence of St. John explained by the Nature of his Gifts and Mission--Conversion and Growth of John--He Ripens in Obscurity--John at Ephesus --He writes the Revelation before the Gospel--Fourth Gospel and the Epistles of John--Last Years of the Apostle 415

§ II. John, the Prophet of the new Covenant--The Revelation--The same Doctrine in the Gospel and Revelation--General Point of View of the Book of Revelation--Future represented through the medium of Contemporary History--Plan of the Book--Arrangement of the Apocalypse--It proceeds on the same Plan as the Prophecy of Jesus Christ, Matt. xxiv --Prediction of the Fall of Rome--Conflict of the Church with Heresy--Fall of Rome typifies the End of the World--Nero the Symbol of Antichrist--Final Triumph of the Church--The End--Prophecy advances with History 430

THE DOCTRINE OF ST. JOHN.

§ I. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--God is Love--The Son, the Eternal object of the Divine Love--Subordination of the Son to the Father--The Holy Spirit 443

§ II. The Word and the World--Part taken by the Word in Creation--Relation between Man and the Word--The Fall--Sin, the Violation of Law--The Fall is not Absolute 447

§ III. The Word and Redemption--Preparatory Work of the Word--The Attraction of the Father--The Incarnation--Redemption--The Invisible Christ 450

§ IV. The Word in the Christian and in the Church until the end of time--Appropriation of Salvation--Grace--Faith: justifying and sanctifying--The Future of the Church 458