Chapter 8

prospects and high position amongst his fellows, "what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" (Phil. iii. 7, 8).

The last Parable of the series, "The Draw-net," referring as it does to the final separation at the end of the world, cannot be illustrated by example.

Of the other Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven" describing special circumstances which affect the subjects of the Kingdom, only one, "The Marriage of the King's Son," seems to be capable of illustration by examples. And this is abundantly illustrated throughout the Acts of the Apostles in the history of the extension of the Church. As soon as the Gospel spread to Gentile lands, we find the Jews in general persistently refusing to accept the Lord Jesus as Messiah and to become members of the Church. Thus at Antioch in Pisidia, after the glad tidings had been so published that "almost the whole city came together to hear the Word of God; when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming." Then the literal fulfilment of this prophetic Parable followed. "Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts xiii. 44-46). And, in a similar way, the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles records how the Jews in Rome brought upon themselves the warning Words of S. Paul, "Be it known, therefore, unto you; that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it" (Acts xxviii. 25-28).

Thus we find the Parables of "The Kingdom of Heaven" exemplified and fulfilled in the history of the early Church. And any doubt still lingering in the mind of the reader, about the Church of Christ being "The Kingdom of Heaven," may be dispelled by the clear testimony of the facts recorded in Holy Scripture.