Natural religion further views it as the necessary condition of approach, by sinful beings, to the Divine; and looks for its fuller explanation to a future existence 119-122 Christianity carries on the view of natural religion, and sees in pain and suffering:-- (_a_) The antidote to sin 122-124 (_b_) The means of individual and social progress 124-125 (_c_) The source of sympathy with man 125 (_d_) The secret of union with God 125-126 IV. PREPARATION IN HISTORY FOR CHRIST. General considerations on the study of the historical preparation, as part of the study of the Incarnation 129-133 Special value of such study in the present age of historical and scientific method which may be able to gauge finally the value of naturalist theories of the origin of Christianity 133-134 may find its own congenial 'signs' in the beauty of manifold preparing process; in the wonder of an apparently unique convergence of lines of preparation 134-137 I. General preparation--in the world at large: (1) In the shaping of its external order 138-142 (2) Through its inward experiences of Failure 142-146 Progress 146-150 II. Special preparation--in Israel: (1) The singularity of Israel's external position at the critical moment of the Christian Era 150-156 (2) The paradox of its inward character 156-159 (3) The peculiar influences which had made it what it was: 159-160 _a._ Prophecy 160-167 _b._ The Law 167-169 _c._ The Course of its History 170-175 III. The independence of the two preparations; the paradox of their fulfilment in one Christ 175-178 V. THE INCARNATION AND DEVELOPMENT. I. The theory of evolution has recalled our minds to the 'cosmical significance' of the Incarnation, which was a prominent thought in (1) the early (2) mediaeval church 181-187 II. Theology and Science move in different but parallel planes: one gives the meaning, the other the method of creation 187-188 Thus the doctrine of 'the Eternal Word' is compatible with all the verified results of scientific teaching on (1) energy 188 (2) teleology 188-193 (3) origin and antiquity of man 193-195