Part I (Prima Pars) Part 167 (1/2)
Reply Obj. 3: Spiritual powers are able to effect whatever happens in this visible world, by employing corporeal seeds by local movement.
Reply Obj. 4: Although the angels can do something which is outside the order of corporeal nature, yet they cannot do anything outside the whole created order, which is essential to a miracle, as above explained.
_______________________
QUESTION 111
THE ACTION OF THE ANGELS ON MAN (In Four Articles)
We now consider the action of the angels on man, and inquire:
(1) How far they can change them by their own natural power;
(2) How they are sent by G.o.d to the ministry of men;
(3) How they guard and protect men.
Under the first head there are four points of inquiry:
(1) Whether an angel can enlighten the human intellect?
(2) Whether he can change man's will?
(3) Whether he can change man's imagination?
(4) Whether he can change man's senses?
_______________________
FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 111, Art. 1]
Whether an Angel Can Enlighten Man?
Objection 1: It would seem that an angel cannot enlighten man. For man is enlightened by faith; hence Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. iii) attributes enlightenment to baptism, as ”the sacrament of faith.” But faith is immediately from G.o.d, according to Eph. 2:8: ”By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of G.o.d.” Therefore man is not enlightened by an angel; but immediately by G.o.d.
Obj. 2: Further, on the words, ”G.o.d hath manifested it to them” (Rom.
1:19), the gloss observes that ”not only natural reason availed for the manifestation of Divine truths to men, but G.o.d also revealed them by His work,” that is, by His creature. But both are immediately from G.o.d--that is, natural reason and the creature. Therefore G.o.d enlightens man immediately.
Obj. 3: Further, whoever is enlightened is conscious of being enlightened. But man is not conscious of being enlightened by angels.
Therefore he is not enlightened by them.
_On the contrary,_ Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. iv) that the revelation of Divine things reaches men through the ministry of the angels. But such revelation is an enlightenment as we have stated (Q. 106, A. 1; Q. 107, A. 2). Therefore men are enlightened by the angels.
_I answer that,_ Since the order of Divine Providence disposes that lower things be subject to the actions of higher, as explained above (Q. 109, A. 2); as the inferior angels are enlightened by the superior, so men, who are inferior to the angels, are enlightened by them.
The modes of each of these kinds of enlightenment are in one way alike and in another way unlike. For, as was shown above (Q. 106, A.
1), the enlightenment which consists in making known Divine truth has two functions; namely, according as the inferior intellect is strengthened by the action of the superior intellect, and according as the intelligible species which are in the superior intellect are proposed to the inferior so as to be grasped thereby. This takes place in the angels when the superior angel divides his universal concept of the truth according to the capacity of the inferior angel, as explained above (Q. 106, A. 1).
The human intellect, however, cannot grasp the universal truth itself unveiled; because its nature requires it to understand by turning to the phantasms, as above explained (Q. 84, A. 7). So the angels propose the intelligible truth to men under the similitudes of sensible things, according to what Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. i), that, ”It is impossible for the divine ray to s.h.i.+ne on us, otherwise than shrouded by the variety of the sacred veils.” On the other hand, the human intellect as the inferior, is strengthened by the action of the angelic intellect. And in these two ways man is enlightened by an angel.
Reply Obj. 1: Two dispositions concur in the virtue of faith; first, the habit of the intellect whereby it is disposed to obey the will tending to Divine truth. For the intellect a.s.sents to the truth of faith, not as convinced by the reason, but as commanded by the will; hence Augustine says, ”No one believes except willingly.” In this respect faith comes from G.o.d alone. Secondly, faith requires that what is to be believed be proposed to the believer; which is accomplished by man, according to Rom. 10:17, ”Faith cometh by hearing”; princ.i.p.ally, however, by the angels, by whom Divine things are revealed to men. Hence the angels have some part in the enlightenment of faith. Moreover, men are enlightened by the angels not only concerning what is to be believed; but also as regards what is to be done.
Reply Obj. 2: Natural reason, which is immediately from G.o.d, can be strengthened by an angel, as we have said above. Again, the more the human intellect is strengthened, so much higher an intelligible truth can be elicited from the species derived from creatures. Thus man is a.s.sisted by an angel so that he may obtain from creatures a more perfect knowledge of G.o.d.