Psalm L
9But what the Lord did after His resurrection, signified what is to be to us after our resurrection, in that number of the kingdom of heaven, where shall be no bad man.…Lastly, those seven thousand of whom reply was made to Elias, “I have left me seven thousand men that have not bowed knees before Baal,” far exceed that number of fishes. Therefore the hundred and fifty-three fishes doth not alone express just such a number of saints, but Scripture doth express the whole number of saints and righteous men by so great a number for a particular reason; to wit, in order that in those hundred and fifty-three all may be understood that pertain to the resurrection to eternal life. For the Law hath ten commandments: but the Spirit of Grace, through which alone the Law is fulfilled, is called sevenfold. The number then must be examined, what mean ten and seven: ten in commandments, seven in the grace of the Holy Spirit: by which grace the commandments are fulfilled. Ten then and seven contain all that pertain to the resurrection, to the right hand, to the kingdom of heaven, to life eternal, that is, they that fulfil the Law by the Grace of the Spirit, not as it were by their own work or their own merit. But ten and seven, if thou countest from one unto seventeen, by adding all the numbers by steps, so that to one thou mayest add two, add three, add four, that they may become ten, by adding five that they may become fifteen, by adding six that they may become twenty-one, by adding seven that they may become twenty-eight, by adding eight that they may become thirty-six, by adding nine that they may become forty-five, by adding ten that they may become fifty-five, by adding eleven that they may become sixty-six, by adding twelve that they may become seventy-eight, by adding thirteen that they may become ninety-one, by adding fourteen that they may become one hundred and five, by adding fifteen that they may become one hundred and twenty, by adding sixteen that they may become one hundred and thirty-six, by adding seventeen, make up one hundred and fifty-three, thou wilt find a vast number of all saints to belong to this number of a few fishes. In like manner then as in five virgins, countless virgins; as in five brethren of him that was tormented in hell, thousands of the people of the Jews; as in the number of one hundred and fifty-three fishes, thousands of thousands of saints: so in twelve thrones, not twelve men, but great is the number of the perfect.
10But I see what is next required of us; in like manner as in the case of the five virgins, a reason was given why many should belong to five, and why to those five many Jews, and why to a hundred and fifty-three many perfect—to show why and how to the twelve thrones not twelve men, but many belong. What mean the twelve thrones, which signify all men every where that have been enabled to be so perfect as they must be perfect, to whom it is said, “Ye shall sit over the twelve tribes of Israel”? And why do all men everywhere belong to the number twelve? Because the very “everywhere” which we say, we say of the whole world: but the compass of lands is contained in four particular quarters, East, West, South, and North: from all these quarters they being called in the Trinity and made perfect in the faith and precept of the Trinity,—seeing that three times four are twelve, ye perceive wherefore the saints belong to the whole world; they that shall sit upon twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel, since the twelve tribes of Israel, also, are the twelve tribes of the whole of Israel. For like as they that are to judge are from the whole world, so also they that are to be judged are from the whole world. The Apostle Paul of himself, when he was reproving believing laymen, because they referred not their causes to the Church, but dragged them with whom they had matters before the public, said, “Know ye not that we shall judge Angels?” See after what sort He hath made Himself judge: not only himself, but also all that judge aright in the Church.
11Since then it is evident, that many are to judge with the Lord, but that others are to be judged, not however on equality, but according to their deserts; He will come with all His Angels, when before Him shall be gathered all nations, and among all the Angels are to be reckoned those that have been made so perfect, that sitting upon twelve thrones they judge the twelve tribes of Israel. For men are called Angels: the Apostle saith of himself, “As an angel of God ye received me.” Of John Baptist it is said, “Behold, I send My Angel before Thy face, that shall prepare Thy way before Thee.” Therefore, coming with all Angels, together with Him He shall have the Saints also. For plainly saith Isaias also, “He shall come to judgment with the elders of the people.” Those “elders of the people,” then, those but now named Angels, those thousands of many men made perfect coming from the whole world, are called Heaven. But the others are called earth, yet fruitful. Which is the earth that is fruitful? That which is to be set on the right hand, unto which it shall be said, “I was an hungred, and ye gave Me to eat:” truly fruitful earth in which the Apostle doth joy, when they sent to him to supply his necessities: “Not because I ask a gift,” he saith, “but I require fruit.” And he giveth thanks, saying, “Because at length ye have budded forth again to be thoughtful for me.” He saith, “Ye have budded forth again,” as to trees which had withered away with a kind of barrenness. Therefore the Lord coming to judgment (that we may now hear the Psalm, brethren), He will do what? “He will call the heaven from above” (ver. 4). The heaven, all the Saints, those made perfect that shall judge, them He shall call from above, to be sitters with Him to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. For how shall “He call the heaven from above,” when the heaven is always above? But those that He here calleth heaven, the same elsewhere He calleth heavens. What heavens? That tell out the glory of God: for, “The heavens tell out the glory of God:” whereof is said, “Into all the earth their sound hath gone forth, and into the ends of the world their words.” For see the Lord severing in judgment: “He shall call the heaven from above and the earth, to sever His people.” From whom but from evil men? Of whom here afterwards no mention is made, now as it were condemned to punishment. See these good men, and distinguish.
“He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people.” He calleth the earth also, not however to be associated, but to be dissociated. For at first He called them together, “when the God of gods spake and called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down,” He had not yet severed: those servants had been sent to bid to the marriage, who had gathered good and bad. But when the God of gods shall come manifest and shall not keep silence, He shall so call the “heaven from above” that it may judge with Him. For what the heaven is, the heavens themselves are; just as what the earth is, the lands themselves, just as what the Church is, the Churches themselves: “He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people.” Now with the heaven He severeth the earth, that is, the heaven with Him doth sever the earth. How doth He sever the earth? In such sort that He setteth on the right hand some, others on the left. But to the earth severed, He saith what? “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me to eat,” and so forth. But they say, “When saw we Thee an hungred?” And He, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of Mine, ye have done it unto Me.” “He shall call therefore the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people.”
12“Gather to Him His righteous” (ver. 5). The voice divine and prophetic, seeing future things as if present doth exhort the Angels gathering. For He shall send His Angels, and before Him shall be gathered all nations. Gather to Him His righteous. What righteous men save those that live of faith and do works of mercy? For those works are works of righteousness. Thou hast the Gospel: “Beware of doing your righteousness before men to be seen of them.” And as if it were inquired, What righteousness? “When therefore thou doest alms,” He saith. Therefore alms He hath signified to be works of righteousness. Those very persons gather for His righteous: gather those that have had compassion on the “needy,” that have considered the needy and poor: gather them, “The Lord preserve them, and make them to live;” “Gather to Him His righteous: who order His covenant above sacrifices:” that is, who think of His promises above those things which they work. For those things are sacrifices, God saying, “I will have mercy more than sacrifice.” “Who keep His covenant more than sacrifice.”
13“And the Heaven shall declare His righteousness” (ver. 6). Truly this righteousness of God to us the “heavens have declared,” the Evangelists have foretold. Through them we have heard that some will be on the right hand, to whom the Householder saith, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive.” Receive what? “A kingdom.” In return for what thing? “I was an hungred, and ye gave Me to eat.” What so valueless, what so earthly, as to break bread to the hungry? At so much is valued the kingdom of heaven. “Break thy bread to the hungry, and the needy without covering bring into thy house; if thou seest one naked, clothe him.” If thou hast not the means of breaking bread, hast not house into which thou mayest bring, hast not garment wherewith thou mayest cover: give a cup of cold water, cast two mites into the treasury. As much the widow doth buy with two mites, as Peter buyeth, by leaving the nets, as Zacchæus buyeth by giving half his goods. Of so much worth is all that thou hast. “The heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God is Judge.” Truly judge not confounding but severing. For “the Lord knoweth them that are His.” Even if grains lie hid in the chaff, they are known to the husbandman. Let no one fear that he is a grain even among the chaff; the eyes of our winnower are not deceived. Fear not lest that tempest, which shall be round about Him, should confound thee with chaff. Certainly mighty will be the tempest; yet not one grain will it sweep from the side of the corn to the chaff: because not any rustic with three-pronged fork, but God, Three in One, is Judge. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness: for God is Judge. Let heavens go, let the heavens tell, into every land let their sound go out, and unto the ends of the world their words: and let that body say, “From the ends of the world unto Thee have I cried, when my heart was in heaviness.” For now mingled it groaneth, divided it shall rejoice. Let it cry then and say, “Destroy not my soul with ungodly men, and with men of blood my life.” He destroyeth not together, because God is Judge. Let it cry to Him and say, “Judge me, O Lord, and sever my cause from the nation unholy:” let it say, He shall do it: there shall be gathered to Him His righteous ones. He hath called the earth that He may sever His people.