CAST THE BAD AWAY.

"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 full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world, the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from the just; and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."-MATTHEW Xiii. 47-50.

This parable is found in connection with a series of parables in which Jesus represents the nature of his heavenly kingdom, the preciousness of his system of religion, the different classes of individuals who listened to his divine instructions, and the legitimate consequences which would follow a reception and rejection of his truth. Although the different illustrations which the Savior employed, are so varied as to be adapted to the comprehension of the people addressed, yet they all have a general application and similar meaning. The people were dull of apprehension, and, therefore, a variety of similitudes is introduced.

The kingdom of heaven, which is here spoken of, and which is frequently alluded to in the context, has reference to the economy of grace, or dispensation of truth, or system of religion, which

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Christ came to establish in the earth. By this kingdom being compared to a net, cast into the sea, which gathered of every kind, we understand Christ to represent the different classes of individuals who would make a profession of his heavenly truths, would accept his religion, and thus be gathered into his heavenly kingdom. These different classes are referred to in the parable of the Sower. Some joyfully accepted the truth, but through various influences, they fell away from it, and abandoned it. Riches choked the word with some, and others could not endure persecution; while others still remained true and faithful under every trial, even unto the end, and were saved from the terrible calamities which came upon those who abandoned the truth.

A separation is represented as taking place at the end of the world, or the end of the aion, age, and not at the end of the kosmos, the material universe. Many mistake the meaning of the Savior, by erroneously supposing that he referred to the material world, or universe. In the original language, there are two words which are translated world, which we find in the immediate connection, viz.: kosmos and aion.

"The field is the world," verse 38, (kosmos.) But when it says: "The harvest is the end of the world," verse 39; and "So shall it be in the end this world," verse 40-49, we find that Jesus used a different word, viz.: aion, which clearly shows that he did not refer to the end of the material

universe, for had he done so, he would have em

Aion means age or time; Donnegan, a lexicog"Time; a space of

ployed the word kosmos. an indefinite period of time. rapher, defines aion thus: time; life-time and life," etc. The end of the aion, or the end of that age, referred to the time when severe national judgments would come upon the Jewish people for their sins, and all those who abandoned the truth, or the kingdom, on account of persecution or through whatever other influences, would experience the just desert of their sins by suffering in the judgments which came upon that ungodly nation. Then a separation took place between the wicked and the just, so that not a single disciple perished, not a righteous man was overwhelmed in the destruction which came upon the Jews, as Eusebius, the historian, informs us.

Dr. Adam Clarke, the Methodist commentator, says the same thing, thus:

"It is very remarkable that not a single Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem, though there were many there when Cestius Gallus invested the city; and had he persevered in the siege, he would have rendered himself master of it; but when he, unexpectedly and unaccountably, raised the siege, the Christians took that opportunity to escape."

D.

EATETH DAMNATION TO HIMSELF.

"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself."-1 CORINTHIANS xi. 29.

The word rendered damnation in this passage, is krima, and is translated judgment and condemnation. It occurs in Matthew vii. 2, and is rendered judgment; "For with what judgment ye judge," etc. It occurs in Luke xxiii. 40, and is rendered there condemnation: "Thou art in the same condemnation." In Luke xxiv. 20, it is applied to Christ, and is rendered condemned: "Deliver him to be condemned to death." Jesus, when on earth, made use of the same word, and applied it to himself, in John ix. 29: "For judgment I am come into this world." Krima, which is rendered damnation in the passage before us, is here translated judgment. The doctrine of endless punishment finds no support in this passage. The word damnation is too harsh a rendering of krima; it means temporal punishment, which was designed for the good of the offender. The succeeding verse shows what this krima was, or in what the punishment consisted, viz.-weakness and sickness: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and

many sleep." This was the punishment they brought upon themselves in eating and drinking unworthily. Those referred to, indulged in irregularities and excesses, so that they did not discern the Lord's body.

The most intelligent orthodox commentators take this view of the subject, as the following quotations will show:

WHITBY.-"Damnation: the word imports temporal judgments; and when St. Peter saith, the time is come, arxasthai to krima, that judgment must begin at the house of God, (1 Peter iv. 17,) not damnation, surely. And this is certainly the import of the word here, (1,) because the Corinthians did thus eat unworthily, and yet the judgments inflicted on them for so doing were only temporal, viz.: weakness, sickness and death; (verse 30.) (2,) Because the reason assigned for those judg ments is, that they might not be condemned in the other world, or that they might not be obnoxious to damnation."

CLARKE.-"Krima: judgment, punishment; and yet this is not unto damnation; for the judgment, or punishment, inflicted upon the disorderly and profane, was intended for their emendation; for in verse 32, it is said, when we are judged krinomenoi, we are chastened, paideuometha, corrected as a father does his children, that we should not be condemned with the world."