1323. Besides this, it was shown that the whole of heaven nevertheless seems to exercise judgment, both the heaven of spirits and that of angels. Some do so by way of duty, in accordance with the provinces of the body [assigned to them]. Some do so for the reason that they want or do not want to admit spirits into their company, so they either select or turn away from their companionship. So everyone judges regarding their own society, letting in or rejecting a person.
The heaven of angels likewise judges about the qualities of religious faith symbolized by the 12 tribes, and 12 thrones and disciples. For the angels of the threefold heaven also love to take in those of the faith into their societies-or they do not take them in, and so they judge. Yet they do not judge at all, but the Lord Alone, Who arranges things as a whole and in the least details to turn out as they do, the angels not knowing otherwise but that it is they who are thus giving consent and granting admission, for it does take place by consent.
This, then, is what is meant by the 12 thrones, and the 12 tribes, and the 12 apostles, not that it is they who would judge, which is completely false.
1323. Furthermore, it was shown that the whole heaven, both the heaven of spirits and that of angels, still seems to exercise judgment. Some do so from their office, according to their provinces in the body. Others do so from their being willing or unwilling to admit spirits into their company, thus as they like or dislike their society, and so each one judges concerning that society by admitting or rejecting any one. The heaven of angels judges in like manner concerning those things which are of faith, which are the things meant by the twelve tribes and the twelve thrones and the disciples; for the angels of the three-fold heaven love to admit into their societies those who are of the faith, or they do not admit them, and thus they judge. Nevertheless, it is by no means the angels who exercise judgment, but the Lord alone who so disposes universally and in the most single particulars that it may so be. The angels know no otherwise than that they are the ones who agree and thus admit, since it is done by their consent. This, then, is what is meant by the twelve thrones, the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles, and not that they are the ones who are to judge, which is altogether false.
1323. Ostensum praeterea, quod totum coelum usque videatur judicium exercere, tam coelum spirituum, quam angelorum, quidam id ex officio, secundum provincias in corpore, quidam ex eo, quod velint vel non velint admittere spiritus in sua 1
consortia, sic ut diligant eorum societatem, aut aversentur, sic unusquisque de societate ista judicat, eum admittendo vvl ejiciendo: coelum angelorum de iis similiter {a} quae sunt fidei, quae per 12 tribus, et 12 thronos, ac discipulos, intelliguntur 2
, nam angeli triplicis coeli similiter amant admittere eos qui sunt fidei in suas societates, vel non admittunt, ita judicant; cum tamen ii nequaquam judicant, sed Solus Dominus, Qui ita disponit in universali, et singularissimis, ut sic existat, angeli non sciunt aliter ac ii sint qui consentiunt et sic admittunt, nam ita fit per consensus: et hoc nunc est quod per 12 thronos, et 12 tribus, et 12 apostolos intelligitur, non quod ii sint qui judicaturi, quod prorsus falsum est.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has eorum
2. The Manuscript has intilliguntur