The net cast into the sea

Parable of Tares explained. Hidden Treasure. Pearl. Net.

(The Gospel History, Section 52)

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The net cast into the sea

(The Saviour of the World, Vol III Book II Poem XXIV)

Again the Kingdom is like net
Cast into the deep sea to get
What fish it meshes, without choice
Of bad or good; fishers rejoice
A heavy net to draw to beach;
Opened, alack, disclosed to each,
Are fishes of good sort and large,
But many fish must they discharge
In waste place of the world, for these
Too small, too vile in kind t’appease
The hunger of the meanest soul;
The good, in vessels place they whole,
The bad they cast away; for tried,
And wanting found, these must abide
Destruction, they must perish all,
E’en though caught in the net’s great haul!

The Fishers four pricked up their ear—
They knew that net of which they hear
Now, for the second time: but, hark,
The Lord repeats not saying dark
Just as at first; new word hath wrought
Great thoughts within them, terror fraught!
What if the net they draw to land
Should furnish nothing for His hand?

Forthwith the Lord explains: ye say,
The Church hath sinners bad as they
That never in the net were ta’en;
Nay, worse are they, for they have lain
Safe in the net, as they were Mine!
Ye say, that holy souls must shine,
Convince you by their righteous ways,—
Then will ye come, nor make delays!
But, see you, other is the part
That net, My Church, plays in the mart,
The field, the city, that wide sea
Wherein men cast that net for Me.
The bad and good are drawn within
And dwell together,—grace and sin!
Who knows but on some early day
The bad shall turn them round and pray?
But, pray they not, worse is their case
That wilful, they resisted grace!

Thus shall it be; the world shall end,
And that day I Mine angels send
To sever all those wicked souls
From them My righteous law controls;
They shall be cast to furnace flame,
Shall weep and gnash their teeth for shame!

Lord, if they weep, shall they do well?
Thy fire purgeth, prophets tell!

St. Matthew xiii. 47-50.