Augustine of Hippo
Patristic
A.D. 354–430
“"The Lord has judged His people, and will be called upon among His servants" [Psalm 135:14]. Already has He judged the people. Save the final judgment, the people of the Jews is judged. What is "judged"? The just are taken away, the unjust are left. But if I lie, or am thought to lie, because I have said, it is already judged, hear the Lord saying, "I have come for judgment into this world, that they who see not may see, and they who see may be made blind." [John 9:39] The proud are made blind, the lowly are enlightened. Therefore, "He has judged His people." Isaiah spoke the judgment. "And now, thou house of Jacob, come ye, let us walk in the light of the Lord." [Isaiah 2:5] This is a small matter; but what follows? "For He has put away His people, the house of Israel." The house of Jacob is the house of Israel; for he who is Jacob, the same is Israel....Therefore God had judged His people, by separating the evil and the good; that is to say, "He shall be called upon among His servants." By whom? By the Gentiles. For how vast are the nations who have come in by faith. How many farms and desert places now come in to us? They come thence no one can tell how numerously; they would believe. We say to them, What will you? They answer, To know the glory of God. Believe, my brethren, that we wonder and rejoice at such a claim of these rustic people. They come I know not whither, roused up by I know not whom. How shall I say, I know not by whom? I know indeed by whom, because He says, "No one comes to Me, save whom the Father draws." [John 6:44] They come suddenly from the woods, the desert, the most distant and lofty mountains, to the Church; and many of them, nay, near all hold this language, so that we see of a truth that God teaches them within. The prophecy of Scripture is fulfilled, when it says, "And they shall all be taught of God." [Isaiah 54:13] We say to them, What do ye long for? And they answer, To see the glory of God. [John 6:45] "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." [Romans 3:23] They believe, they are sanctified, they will to have clergy ordained for them. Is it not fulfilled, "and He will be called upon among His servants"?”