University of Virginia Library


12

PARABLE VII. The Kingdom of Heaven compared unto a Net cast into the Sea.

Again—the kingdom's like a draught
Of fishes in the ocean caught;
With which of every kind well stor'd,
The net they on the strand explor'd,
When some in vessels they collect,
And some they sever and reject.
So shall it happen in the end,
The Lord th'angelic host shall send
To sever from amongst the just
Those, that attentive to their lust,
Were dead to Jesus preaching truth,
Now doom'd to wail and gnash the tooth.