Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum etiam angeli qui mittuntur, assistant Whether all the angels who are sent, assist? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod etiam angeli qui mittuntur, assistant. Dicit enim Gregorius, in Homilia, et mittuntur igitur angeli, et assistunt, quia etsi circumscriptus est angelicus spiritus, summus tamen spiritus ipse, qui Deus est, circumscriptus non est. Objection 1: It would seem that the angels who are sent also assist. For Gregory says (Hom. xxxiv in Evang.): So the angels are sent, and assist; for, though the angelic spirit is limited, yet the supreme Spirit, God, is not limited. Praeterea, angelus Tobiae in ministerium missus fuit. Sed tamen ipse dixit, ego sum Raphael angelus, unus ex septem qui adstamus ante Deum, ut habetur Tobiae XII. Ergo angeli qui mittuntur, assistunt. Obj. 2: Further, the angel was sent to administer to Tobias. Yet he said, I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord (Tob 12:15). Therefore the angels who are sent, assist. Praeterea, quilibet angelus beatus propinquior est Deo quam Satan. Sed Satan assistit Deo; secundum quod dicitur Iob I, cum assisterent filii Dei coram domino, affuit inter eos et Satan. Ergo multo magis angeli qui mittuntur in ministerium, assistunt. Obj. 3: Further, every holy angel is nearer to God than Satan is. Yet Satan assisted God, according to Job 1:6: When the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, Satan also was present among them. Therefore much more do the angels, who are sent to minister, assist. Praeterea, si inferiores angeli non assistunt, hoc non est nisi quia non immediate, sed per superiores angelos divinas illuminationes recipiunt. Sed quilibet angelus per superiorem divinas illuminationes suscipit, excepto eo qui est inter omnes supremus. Ergo solus supremus angelus assisteret. Quod est contra illud quod habetur Dan. VII, decies millies centena millia assistebant ei. Ergo etiam illi qui ministrant, assistunt. Obj. 4: Further, if the inferior angels do not assist, the reason is because they receive the Divine enlightenment, not immediately, but through the superior angels. But every angel receives the Divine enlightenment from a superior, except the one who is highest of all. Therefore only the highest angel would assist; which is contrary to the text of Dan. 7:10: Ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before Him. Therefore the angels who are sent also assist. Sed contra est quod Gregorius dicit, XVII Moral., super illud Iob, numquid est numerus militum eius? Assistunt, inquit, illae potestates, quae ad quaedam hominibus nuntianda non exeunt. Ergo illi qui in ministerium mittuntur, non assistunt. On the contrary, Gregory says, on Job 25:3: Is there any numbering of His soldiers? (Moral. xvii): Those powers assist, who do not go forth as messengers to men. Therefore those who are sent in ministry do not assist. Respondeo dicendum quod angeli introducuntur assistentes et administrantes, ad similitudinem eorum qui alicui regi famulantur. Quorum aliqui semper ei assistunt, et eius praecepta immediate audiunt. Alii vero sunt, ad quos praecepta regalia per assistentes nuntiantur, sicut illi qui administrationi civitatum praeficiuntur, et hi dicuntur ministrantes, sed non assistentes. I answer that, The angels are spoken of as assisting and administering, after the likeness of those who attend upon a king; some of whom ever wait upon him, and hear his commands immediately; while others there are to whom the royal commands are conveyed by those who are in attendance—for instance, those who are placed at the head of the administration of various cities; these are said to administer, not to assist. Considerandum est ergo quod omnes angeli divinam essentiam immediate vident, et quantum ad hoc, omnes etiam qui ministrant, assistere dicuntur. Unde Gregorius dicit in II Moral., quod semper assistere, aut videre faciem patris possunt, qui ad ministerium exterius mittuntur pro nostra salute. Sed non omnes angeli secreta divinorum mysteriorum in ipsa claritate divinae essentiae percipere possunt; sed soli superiores, per quos inferioribus denuntiantur. Et secundum hoc, soli superiores, qui sunt primae hierarchiae, assistere dicuntur, cuius proprium dicit esse Dionysius immediate a Deo illuminari. We must therefore observe that all the angels gaze upon the Divine Essence immediately; in regard to which all, even those who minister, are said to assist. Hence Gregory says (Moral. ii) that those who are sent on the external ministry of our salvation can always assist and see the face of the Father. Yet not all the angels can perceive the secrets of the Divine mysteries in the clearness itself of the Divine Essence; but only the superior angels who announce them to the inferior: and in that respect only the superior angels belonging to the highest hierarchy are said to assist, whose special prerogative it is to be enlightened immediately by God. Et per hoc patet solutio ad primum et secundum, quae procedunt de primo modo assistendi. From this may be deduced the reply to the first and second objections, which are based on the first mode of assisting. Ad tertium dicendum quod Satan non dicitur astitisse, sed inter assistentes affuisse describitur, quia, ut Gregorius dicit II Moral., etsi beatitudinem perdidit, naturam tamen angelis similem non amisit. Reply Obj. 3: Satan is not described as having assisted, but as present among the assistants; for, as Gregory says (Moral. ii), though he has lost beatitude, still he has retained a nature like to the angels. Ad quartum dicendum quod omnes assistentes aliqua immediate vident in claritate divinae essentiae; et ideo totius primae hierarchiae proprium esse dicitur immediate illuminari a Deo. Sed superiores eorum plura percipiunt quam inferiores, de quibus illuminant alios, sicut etiam inter eos qui assistunt regi, plura scit de secretis regis unus quam alius. Reply Obj. 4: All the assistants see some things immediately in the glory of the Divine Essence; and so it may be said that it is the prerogative of the whole of the highest hierarchy to be immediately enlightened by God; while the higher ones among them see more than is seen by the inferior; some of whom enlighten others: as also among those who assist the king, one knows more of the king’s secrets than another. Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum angeli secundae hierarchiae omnes mittantur Whether all the angels of the second hierarchy are sent? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod angeli secundae hierarchiae omnes mittantur. Angeli enim omnes vel assistunt vel ministrant; secundum quod habetur Dan. VII. Sed angeli secundae hierarchiae non assistunt, illuminantur enim per angelos primae hierarchiae, sicut dicit Dionysius VIII cap. Cael. Hier. Omnes ergo angeli secundae hierarchiae in ministerium mittuntur. Objection 1: It would seem that all the angels of the second hierarchy are sent. For all the angels either assist, or minister, according to Dan. 7:10. But the angels of the second hierarchy do not assist; for they are enlightened by the angels of the first hierarchy, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. viii). Therefore all the angels of the second hierarchy are sent in ministry. Praeterea, Gregorius dicit, XVII Moral., quod plures sunt qui ministrant, quam qui assistunt. Sed hoc non esset, si angeli secundae hierarchiae in ministerium non mitterentur. Ergo omnes angeli secundae hierarchiae in ministerium mittuntur. Obj. 2: Further, Gregory says (Moral. xvii) that there are more who minister than who assist. This would not be the case if the angels of the second hierarchy were not sent in ministry. Therefore all the angels of the second hierarchy are sent to minister. Sed contra est quod Dionysius dicit, quod dominationes sunt maiores omni subiectione. Sed mitti in ministerium, ad subiectionem pertinet. Ergo dominationes in ministerium non mittuntur. On the contrary, Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. viii) that the Dominations are above all subjection. But to be sent implies subjection. Therefore the dominations are not sent to minister. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, mitti ad exterius ministerium proprie convenit angelo, secundum quod ex divino imperio operatur circa aliquam creaturam corporalem; quod quidem pertinet ad executionem divini ministerii. Proprietates autem angelorum ex eorum nominibus manifestantur, ut Dionysius dicit VII cap. Cael. Hier. Et ideo angeli illorum ordinum ad exterius ministerium mittuntur, ex quorum nominibus aliqua executio datur intelligi. In nomine autem dominationum non importatur aliqua executio, sed sola dispositio et imperium de exequendis. Sed in nominibus inferiorum ordinum intelligitur aliqua executio, nam angeli et Archangeli denominantur a denuntiando; virtutes et potestates dicuntur per respectum ad aliquem actum; principis etiam est, ut Gregorius dicit, inter alios operantes priorem existere. Unde ad hos quinque ordines pertinet in exterius ministerium mitti, non autem ad quatuor superiores. I answer that, As above stated (A. 1), to be sent to external ministry properly belongs to an angel according as he acts by Divine command in respect of any corporeal creature; which is part of the execution of the Divine ministry. Now the angelic properties are manifested by their names, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. vii); and therefore the angels of those orders are sent to external ministry whose names signify some kind of administration. But the name dominations does not signify any such administration, but only disposition and command in administering. On the other hand, the names of the inferior orders imply administration, for the Angels and Archangels are so called from announcing; the Virtues and Powers are so called in respect of some act; and it is right that the Prince, according to what Gregory says (Hom. xxxiv in Evang.), be first among the workers. Hence it belongs to these five orders to be sent to external ministry; not to the four superior orders. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod dominationes computantur quidem inter angelos ministrantes, non sicut exequentes ministerium, sed sicut disponentes et mandantes quid per alios fieri debeat. Sicut architectores in artificiis nihil manu operantur, sed solum disponunt et praecipiunt quid alii debeant operari. Reply Obj. 1: The Dominations are reckoned among the ministering angels, not as exercising but as disposing and commanding what is to be done by others; thus an architect does not put his hands to the production of his art, but only disposes and orders what others are to do. Ad secundum dicendum quod de numero assistentium et ministrantium duplex ratio haberi potest. Gregorius enim dicit plures esse ministrantes quam assistentes. Intelligit enim quod dicitur, millia millium ministrabant ei, non esse dictum multiplicative, sed partitive; ac si diceretur, millia de numero millium. Et sic ministrantium numerus ponitur indefinitus, ad significandum excessum; assistentium vero finitus, cum subditur, et decies millies centena millia assistebant ei. Et hoc procedit secundum rationem Platonicorum, qui dicebant quod quanto aliqua sunt uni primo principio propinquiora, tanto sunt minoris multitudinis, sicut quanto numerus est propinquior unitati, tanto est multitudine minor. Et haec opinio salvatur quantum ad numerum ordinum, dum sex ministrant, et tres assistunt. Reply Obj. 2: A twofold reason may be given in assigning the number of the assisting and ministering angels. For Gregory says that those who minister are more numerous than those who assist; because he takes the words (Dan 7:10) thousands of thousands ministered to Him, not in a multiple but in a partitive sense, to mean thousands out of thousands; thus the number of those who minister is indefinite, and signifies excess; while the number of assistants is finite as in the words added, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand assisted Him. This explanation rests on the opinion of the Platonists, who said that the nearer things are to the one first principle, the smaller they are in number; as the nearer a number is to unity, the lesser it is than multitude. This opinion is verified as regards the number of orders, as six administer and three assist. Sed Dionysius ponit, XIV cap. Cael. Hier., quod multitudo angelorum transcendit omnem materialem multitudinem; ut scilicet, sicut corpora superiora transcendunt corpora inferiora magnitudine quasi in immensum, ita superiores naturae incorporeae transcendunt multitudine omnes naturas corporeas; quia quod est melius, est magis a Deo intentum et multiplicatum. Et secundum hoc, cum assistentes sint superiores ministrantibus, plures erunt assistentes quam ministrantes. Unde secundum hoc, millia millium legitur multiplicativae, ac si diceretur, millies millia. Et quia decies centum sunt mille, si diceretur, decies centena millia, daretur intelligi quod tot essent assistentes, quot ministrantes, sed quia dicitur, decies millies centena millia, multo plures dicuntur esse assistentes quam ministrantes. Nec tamen hoc pro tanto dicitur, quia tantus solum sit angelorum numerus, sed multo maior, quia omnem materialem multitudinem excedit. Quod significatur per multiplicationem maximorum numerorum supra seipsos, scilicet denarii, centenarii et millenarii; ut Dionysius ibidem dicit. Dionysius, however, (Coel. Hier. xiv) declares that the multitude of angels surpasses all the multitude of material things; so that, as the superior bodies exceed the inferior in magnitude to an immeasurable degree, so the superior incorporeal natures surpass all corporeal natures in multitude; because whatever is better is more intended and more multiplied by God. Hence, as the assistants are superior to the ministers there will be more assistants than ministers. In this way, the words thousands of thousands are taken by way of multiplication, to signify a thousand times a thousand. And because ten times a hundred is a thousand, if it were said ten times a hundred thousand it would mean that there are as many assistants as ministers: but since it is written ten thousand times a hundred thousand, we are given to understand that the assistants are much more numerous than the ministers. Nor is this said to signify that this is the precise number of angels, but rather that it is much greater, in that it exceeds all material multitude. This is signified by the multiplication together of all the greatest numbers, namely ten, a hundred, and a thousand, as Dionysius remarks in the same passage. Quaestio 113 Question 113 De custodia bonorum angelorum The Guardianship of the Good Angels Deinde considerandum est de custodia bonorum angelorum, et de impugnatione malorum. Et circa primum quaeruntur octo. We next consider the guardianship exercised by the good angels; and their warfare against the bad angels. Under the first head eight points of inquiry arise: Primo, utrum homines ab angelis custodiantur. (1) Whether men are guarded by the angels? Secundo, utrum singulis hominibus singuli angeli ad custodiam deputentur. (2) Whether to each man is assigned a single guardian angel? Tertio, utrum custodia pertineat solum ad ultimum ordinem angelorum. (3) Whether the guardianship belongs only to the lowest order of angels? Quarto, utrum omni homini conveniat habere angelum custodem. (4) Whether it is fitting for each man to have an angel guardian? Quinto, quando incipiat custodia angeli circa hominem. (5) When does an angel’s guardianship of a man begin? Sexto, utrum angelus semper custodiat hominem. (6) Whether the angel guardians always watch over men? Septimo, utrum doleat de perditione custoditi. (7) Whether the angel grieves over the loss of the one guarded? Octavo, utrum inter angelos sit pugna ratione custodiae. (8) Whether rivalry exists among the angels as regards their guardianship? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum homines custodiantur ab angelis Whether men are guarded by the angels? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod homines non custodiantur ab angelis. Custodes enim deputantur aliquibus vel quia nesciunt, vel quia non possunt custodire seipsos; sicut pueris et infirmis. Sed homo potest custodire seipsum per liberum arbitrium; et scit, per naturalem cognitionem legis naturalis. Ergo homo non custoditur ab angelo. Objection 1: It would seem that men are not guarded by the angels. For guardians are deputed to some because they either know not how, or are not able, to guard themselves, as children and the sick. But man is able to guard himself by his free-will; and knows how by his natural knowledge of natural law. Therefore man is not guarded by an angel. Praeterea, ubi adest fortior custodia, infirmior superfluere videtur. Sed homines custodiuntur a Deo; secundum illud Psalmi CXX, non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel. Ergo non est necessarium quod homo custodiatur ab angelo. Obj. 2: Further, a strong guard makes a weaker one superfluous. But men are guarded by God, according to Ps. 120:4: He shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keepeth Israel. Therefore man does not need to be guarded by an angel.