Bonaventure — Opera Omnia

Dist. 10, Art. 1, Q. 1

Book II: On the Creation of Things · Distinction 10

Textus Latinus

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Articulus I. Utrum boni Angeli mittantur.

Quaestio I. Utrum aliqui Angeli mittantur.

Circa primum sic proceditur, et ostenditur, quod Angeli mittantur.

Fundamenta. 1. Lucae primo¹: Missus est Gabriel Angelus a Deo in civitatem etc., et in pluribus aliis Scripturae locis.

2. Item, Angelus nomen est nuntii et officii, sicut dicit Glossa super illud Psalmi²: Qui facit Angelos suos spiritus: ergo si vere et proprie dicuntur Angeli, vere et proprie sunt nuntii: ergo si nuntiorum est mitti, patet etc.

3. Item, quanto aliquis habet maiorem caritatem, tanto sollicitior est circa eum quem potest iuvare; sed Angeli habent perfectam caritatem et possunt nostram indigentiam sublevare: ergo videtur, quod sint solliciti nos adiuvare. Sed hoc non faciunt propria auctoritate, sed Domini: ergo videtur, quod mittantur a Domino.

4. Item, Angeli quantum ad statum et dignitatem sunt medii inter nos et Deum: ergo videtur, quod ad Deum ferant petitiones nostras et a Deo nobis revelationes referant divinas³; sed hoc est proprium nuntiorum: ergo etc.

Contra: Ad oppositum. 1. Frustra mittit quis nuntium, ubi ipse praesens est et melius potest facere per se ipsum: ergo si Deus nobis praesentissimus est et omnia potest facere per se ipsum, ergo frustra mittit ad nos Angelum. Sed ipse nihil frustra facit⁴: ergo etc.

2. Item, Deus Pater misit Filium et Spiritum sanctum ad procurandum nostram salutem⁵; aut ergo

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sufficienter procuratur salus nostra per Filium et Spiritum sanctum, aut non. Si non, ergo imperfectus mediator est Filius et etiam Spiritus sanctus, quod dicere est profanum; si sic, ergo frustra mittitur Angelus.

3. Item, cum Angelus mittitur ad nos, aut ad nos convertitur, aut non. Si non, ergo frustra mittitur: si sic, cum non possit simul et semel moveri diversis motibus, ergo desinit esse beatus.

4. Item, videtur ex hoc generari Angelo praeiudicium, quia quantumcumque aliquis sit ferventis caritatis, ferventius movetur, quando movetur in Deum, quam quando movetur in proximum: ergo ferventius movetur Angelus, cum Deo assistit, quam cum nobis ministrat. Sed cum minuitur fervor dilectionis, minuitur dilectio devotionis: ergo missio Angelorum ad nos et minuit in eis fervorem caritatis et delicias iucunditatis: ergo est in praeiudicium eorum.

5. Item, hoc ipsum videtur: anima quamvis habeat plures potentias, tamen, quia illae potentiae in una substantia simplici radicantur, cum intenditur una, remittitur altera⁶: ergo pari ratione in Angelis, cum Angelus sollicitatur circa ea quae sunt virtutis ministrativae, minuitur eius contemplatio, ergo et dilectio.

6. Item, Angelus beatus locatur in caelo empyreo tanquam in loco sibi congruo et deputato⁷: ergo appetit ibi esse. Si ergo egreditur extra empyreum, aliquis appetitus erit in eo incompletus: ergo videtur, quod missio in Angelis ponat incompletionem. Si ergo Angeli beati sunt in statu omnimodae perfectionis, videtur, quod nullo modo competat eis mitti.

Conclusio

Beatos Angelos a Deo ad nos mitti, convenit caritati divinae, angelicae et humanae.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod absque dubio beati Conclusio. Angeli ad nos mittuntur a Deo.

Etsi de hoc possint assignari plurimae rationes, Ratio principalis. una tamen potissima sumitur ex lege caritatis. Haec enim missio concordat caritati divinae et caritati angelicae et humanae. Caritati divinae, quia in hoc manifestatur divina bonitas, quantum nostram salutem diligat, dum nobilissimos spiritus, qui ei intima caritate iunguntur, dirigit et transmittit ad procurandam salutem nostram. — Et competit etiam caritati angelicae. Cum enim caritatis ardentis sit maxime desiderare aliorum salutem, ob quam etiam dicit Domino, sicut dixit Isaias⁸: Ecce ego, Domine, mitte me; et Angeli possint nos iuvare, pro eo quod vident, nos suo auxilio indigere, et malos angelos indesinenter nos impugnare: ideo quod ad nos mittantur, lex exigit caritatis angelicae. — Competit etiam hoc caritati humanae, quae, quoniam parvula est, quamdiu sumus in via, indiget foveri et nutriri et excitari. Et quoniam Angeli sunt concives hominibus, cum non sint eis iuncti per similitudinem naturae, quae excitat ad amorem, oportuit iungi per obsequium beneficentiae. — Unde rationes ad hoc inductae sunt concedendae.

Solutio oppositorum. 1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur in contrarium, quod Deus nobis praesens est; dicendum est, quod quamvis Deus sit praesens, tamen propter caecitatem Notandum. et caliginem intellectus nostri, in qua sumus, ipsum cognoscimus ut absentem. Et quia illi spiritus propter claritatem luminis et beatitudinis perfectionem semper vident Deum facie ad faciem⁹, et sunt ei praesentes; quemadmodum illi qui sunt in camera regis, indicant his qui sunt exterius, regis voluntatem, et ad hoc mittuntur a suo domino; sic intelligendum est in proposito. Nec valet: Dominus potest per se facere, ergo non debet ad hoc nuntium mittere. Multa enim potest ille qui praeest, per se facere, quae tamen iniungit servo vel nuntio, ut salvetur¹⁰ in ministerio et actionibus decens et congruus ordo.

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod Filius et Spiritus sanctus sufficienter procurant salutem nostram; dicendum, quod etsi sufficienter procurent, quantum est ex se, non tamen excludunt nostri arbitrii libertatem; adiutores enim Dei sumus, sicut dicit Apostolus¹¹. Et quia nostrum arbitrium pigrum est et non bene gratiae cooperatur; ideo indiget excitatore. Ad hoc autem nullus est magis idoneus, quam sit Angelus; et ideo conveniens est, ut ad nos mittatur, non propter indigentiam procurationis salutis nostrae ex parte Filii vel Spiritus sancti, sed propter negligentiam cooperationis ex parte nostri.

3. 4. 5. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod si movetur erga nos, non ergo erga Deum; dicendum, quod illud argumentum dupliciter peccat. Primum quidem, quia non movetur erga nos nisi propter Deum; unde motus eius non quiescit in nobis, sed nos semper refert ad Deum; et ideo motus iste non aufert motum in Deum, sed potius disponit ad illum. — Alia ratio. Alia etiam ratio est, quia, quamvis una substantia unica potentia simul et semel non possit se convertere ad diversa per naturam; potest tamen per dispensationem divinam, sive per gratiam perfectam, cuiusmodi est gloria. Unde Angelus simul et semel et de nobis cogitat et de Deo; sic etiam erit in Beatis. — Et per hoc patent duo sequentia, scilicet de amissione fer-

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voris caritatis et remissione actionis virtutis agentis; hoc enim verum est, ubi una conversio impedit alteram, quod quidem non est in proposito. Et istud satis clarum est intelligere ei qui potest hoc capere, Notandum. quomodo anima beatificata simul et semel intelligit multa.

6. Ad illud quod ultimo obiicitur de loco, dicendum, quod sicut in praecedentibus habitum est¹², locus non debetur Angelo propter eius necessitatem vel indigentiam, sed solum propter quandam congruentiam. Haec autem congruentia recompensari potest per maiorem; et tunc nullam ponit imperfectionem vel indecentiam per sui ipsius absentiam. Et sic est in proposito. Plus enim delectatur Angelus implere voluntatem Domini sui et in adiuvando hominem placere Deo, quam delectetur esse in empyreo.

Scholion

I. Hanc et seq. quaestionem multi Commentatores Lombardi una quaestione absolvunt. — Quid sit proprie missio in genere, explanatum est I. Sent. d. 15. p. I. q. 1; et quid missio visibilis, ibid. d. 16. q. 1. — Quod boni Angeli a Deo proprie mittantur, ex s. Scriptura evidenter constat; quod hic confirmatur a S. Doctore per legem caritatis, quam consequitur sublimis quaedam Sanctorum communio, quae Angelos et sanctos homines consociat in unam civitatem Dei. — Malis autem angelis non competere proprie mitti, docetur hic dub. I, de quo diffusius tractat Alex. Hal., S. p. II. q. 36. m. 2.

II. Circa sequentem quaestionem iam a Lombardo (hic c. I.) duae opiniones sibi oppositae recensentur, quas iam idem in quandam concordiam reducit, distinguendo inter missionem exteriorem ad homines et interiorem ad inferiores Angelos. Consentiunt ipsi S. Bonav., Alex. Hal., loc. cit. m. 3. ad 1; S. Thom., B. Albert., Petr. a Tar., Richard. a Med. aliique. Scotus autem, quem multi posteriores sequuntur, probabilius esse censet, interdum et extraordinarie aliquos etiam ex supremis ordinibus ad homines mitti, ut maiora Dei mysteria manifestent.

III. De utraque quaestione: Alex. Hal., loc. cit. m. 1. 3. — Scot., hic q. unica; Report. hic q. 2. — S. Thom., hic q. unica, a. 2. 3; S. I. q. 112. a. 1. 2. — B. Albert., hic a. 1. 3; S. p. II. tr. 9. q. 34. m. 1. 3. — Petr. a Tar., hic q. unica, a. 2. 3. — Richard. a Med., hic a. 1. q. 1. 2. — Aegid. R., hic q. 2. a. 1. — Durand., hic q. 1. — Dionys. Carth., hic q. 1. — Biel, hic q. 1.

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English Translation

Article I. Whether the good Angels are sent.

Question I. Whether any Angels are sent.

Concerning the first, one proceeds thus, and it is shown that the Angels are sent.

The grounds. 1. Luke, chapter one¹: Gabriel the Angel was sent from God into a city etc., and in many other places of Scripture.

2. Likewise, "Angel" is a name of a messenger and of an office, as the Gloss says upon that [verse] of the Psalm²: Who makes his Angels spirits: therefore, if they are truly and properly called Angels, they are truly and properly messengers: therefore, if it belongs to messengers to be sent, the point is clear, etc.

3. Likewise, the greater the charity one has, the more solicitous he is concerning the one whom he can help; but the Angels have perfect charity and can relieve our need: therefore it seems that they are solicitous to help us. But this they do not do by their own authority, but by the Lord's: therefore it seems that they are sent by the Lord.

4. Likewise, the Angels, as to status and dignity, are midway between us and God: therefore it seems that they carry our petitions to God and bring back to us divine revelations from God³; but this is proper to messengers: therefore etc.

On the contrary: To the opposite. 1. In vain does one send a messenger where he himself is present and can do [the thing] better by himself: therefore, if God is most present to us and can do all things by himself, then in vain does he send an Angel to us. But he does nothing in vain⁴: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, God the Father sent the Son and the Holy Spirit to procure our salvation⁵; therefore either

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our salvation is sufficiently procured through the Son and the Holy Spirit, or not. If not, then the Son, and the Holy Spirit also, is an imperfect mediator — which to say is profane; if so, then in vain is an Angel sent.

3. Likewise, when an Angel is sent to us, either he turns toward us, or not. If not, then he is sent in vain; if so, then — since he cannot be moved by diverse motions at one and the same time — he ceases to be blessed.

4. Likewise, it seems that from this a prejudice is generated for the Angel, because, however fervent in charity anyone may be, he is moved more fervently when he is moved toward God than when he is moved toward [his] neighbor: therefore an Angel is moved more fervently when he attends upon God than when he ministers to us. But when the fervor of love is diminished, the love of devotion is diminished: therefore the mission of the Angels to us both diminishes in them the fervor of charity and the delights of joyfulness: therefore it is to their prejudice.

5. Likewise, this same thing seems [to follow]: although the soul has several powers, nevertheless, because those powers are rooted in one simple substance, when one is intensified, another is slackened⁶: therefore, by parity of reasoning, in the Angels, when an Angel is engaged about the things which belong to the ministering power, his contemplation is diminished, and therefore his love also.

6. Likewise, a blessed Angel is located in the empyrean heaven as in a place fitting and assigned to him⁷: therefore he desires to be there. If, then, he goes out beyond the empyrean, some desire will be incomplete in him: therefore it seems that mission places an incompleteness in the Angels. If, then, the blessed Angels are in a state of all-round perfection, it seems that to be sent in no way befits them.

Conclusion

That the blessed Angels are sent to us by God befits the charity of God, of the Angels, and of men.

I respond: It must be said that without doubt the blessed Conclusion. Angels are sent to us by God.

Although many reasons can be assigned for this, The principal reason. one nonetheless, the most powerful, is taken from the law of charity. For this mission accords with the charity of God, with the charity of the Angels, and [with the charity] of men. With the charity of God, because in this is manifested the divine goodness — how greatly it loves our salvation — when it directs and sends the most noble spirits, who are joined to it by intimate charity, to procure our salvation. — And it befits also the charity of the Angels. For since it belongs to ardent charity most of all to desire the salvation of others — on account of which [an Angel] also says to the Lord, as Isaiah said⁸: Behold, I [am here], Lord, send me — and since the Angels can help us, inasmuch as they see that we need their aid and that the evil angels assail us without ceasing: therefore the law of angelic charity requires that they be sent to us. — This befits also human charity, which, since it is little, so long as we are on the way, needs to be cherished and nourished and stirred up. And since the Angels are fellow citizens with men — [yet] since they are not joined to them by the likeness of nature, which stirs up to love — it was necessary that they be joined by the service of beneficence. — Hence the arguments adduced for this [position] are to be conceded.

The solution of the opposing arguments. 1. To that, then, which is objected on the contrary — that God is present to us — it must be said that, although God is present, nevertheless, on account of the blindness Note. and darkness of our intellect, in which we are, we know him as absent. And since those spirits, on account of the brightness of light and the perfection of beatitude, always see God face to face⁹, and are present to him — just as those who are in the king's chamber make known the king's will to those who are outside, and are sent for this by their lord — so it is to be understood in the matter at hand. Nor does it avail [to say]: the Lord can do [it] by himself, therefore he ought not to send a messenger for this. For one who is in authority can do many things by himself which he nonetheless enjoins upon a servant or a messenger, so that in ministry and in actions a becoming and fitting order may be preserved¹⁰.

2. To that which is objected — that the Son and the Holy Spirit sufficiently procure our salvation — it must be said that, although they procure [it] sufficiently as far as is of themselves, they do not, however, exclude the freedom of our choice; for we are God's helpers, as the Apostle says¹¹. And since our choice is sluggish and does not cooperate well with grace, it therefore needs one to stir [it]. And for this no one is more suitable than an Angel is; and therefore it is fitting that he be sent to us — not on account of any need of procuring our salvation on the part of the Son or of the Holy Spirit, but on account of the negligence of cooperation on our part.

3, 4, 5. To that which is objected — that if [the Angel] is moved toward us, then [he is] not [moved] toward God — it must be said that that argument errs in two ways. First, indeed, because [the Angel] is not moved toward us except for God's sake; hence his motion does not rest in us, but always refers us back to God; and therefore that motion does not take away the motion toward God, but rather disposes [him] toward it. — Another reason. There is also another reason: because, although one substance by a single power cannot at one and the same time turn itself to diverse things by nature, it can nonetheless [do so] by divine dispensation, or by perfect grace, of which kind is glory. Hence an Angel at one and the same time thinks both of us and of God; so too will it be in the Blessed. — And by this the two following [points] are clear, namely concerning the loss of the fer-

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vor of charity and the slackening of the action of the acting power; for this is true where one conversion impedes another — which indeed is not the case in the matter at hand. And this [a man] who can grasp it has clear enough understanding [to see], Note. how a beatified soul understands many things at one and the same time.

6. To that which is objected lastly concerning place, it must be said that, as has been held in what precedes¹², place is not owed to an Angel on account of his necessity or need, but only on account of a certain fittingness. And this fittingness can be compensated for by a greater [fittingness]; and then it places no imperfection or unbecomingness through his own absence. And so it is in the matter at hand. For an Angel delights more to fulfill the will of his Lord and, in helping man, to please God, than he would delight to be in the empyrean.

Scholion

I. Many Commentators of Lombard dispatch this question and the following one in a single question. — What mission properly is in general has been explained in [book] I of the Sentences, d. 15, part I, q. 1; and what visible mission is, in the same [book], d. 16, q. 1. — That the good Angels are properly sent by God is evidently established from sacred Scripture; which is here confirmed by the holy Doctor through the law of charity, upon which there follows a certain sublime communion of the Saints, which associates the Angels and holy men into one city of God. — That it does not, however, belong to the evil angels to be properly sent is taught here in doubt I, concerning which Alexander of Hales treats more at length, Summa part II, q. 36, m. 2.

II. Concerning the following question, two mutually opposed opinions are already recounted by Lombard (here, c. I), which the same [author] then brings back into a certain concord, distinguishing between exterior mission to men and interior [mission] to the lower Angels. With him agree S. Bonaventure [himself], Alexander of Hales (in the place cited, m. 3, ad 1), S. Thomas, B. Albert, Peter of Tarentaise, Richard of Middleton, and others. But Scotus, whom many later [writers] follow, judges it more probable that sometimes and extraordinarily some [Angels], even from the highest orders, are sent to men, in order to manifest the greater mysteries of God.

III. On both questions: Alexander of Hales, in the place cited, m. 1, 3. — Scotus, here, the sole question; the Reportatio, here, q. 2. — S. Thomas, here, the sole question, a. 2, 3; Summa I, q. 112, a. 1, 2. — B. Albert, here, a. 1, 3; Summa part II, tr. 9, q. 34, m. 1, 3. — Peter of Tarentaise, here, the sole question, a. 2, 3. — Richard of Middleton, here, a. 1, q. 1, 2. — Giles of Rome, here, q. 2, a. 1. — Durandus, here, q. 1. — Dionysius the Carthusian, here, q. 1. — Biel, here, q. 1.

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Apparatus Criticus

Vers. 26.
[Luke ch. 1,] v. 26.
Psalm. 103, 4. — Glossam interlinearem, quae sumta est ex August., Enarrat. in hunc Ps., serm. 1. n. 15, vide apud Lyranum, ibid.
Psalm 103, 4. — The interlinear Gloss, which is taken from Augustine, Enarration on this Psalm, sermon 1, n. 15, see in Lyra, at the same place.
Cfr. Tob. 12, 12.
Cf. Tobit 12, 12.
Aristot., 1. de Caelo et mundo, text. 32. (c. 4.).
Aristotle, On the Heaven and the World, book I, text 32 (c. 4).
Cfr. I. Sent. d. 15. 16.
Cf. [book] I of the Sentences, d. 15, 16.
Averroes, in Comment. super librum de Somniis, ait: Anima est una in subiecto et multa secundum virtutes, ideo quando utetur aliquo modo virtutum, debilitabitur in usu alterius modi virtutum.
Averroes, in his Commentary on the book On Dreams, says: The soul is one in subject and many according to its powers; therefore, when it uses some mode of its powers, it will be weakened in the use of another mode of [its] powers.
Cfr. supra d. 2. p. II. a. 2. q. 1.
Cf. above, d. 2, part II, a. 2, q. 1.
Cap. 6, 8, ubi Vulgata omittit Domine. — Paulo ante in cod. bb (a manu suppari) post dicit bene adiungitur Angelus; Vat. substituit Dominus pro Domino.
[Isaiah] ch. 6, 8, where the Vulgate omits Domine ["Lord"]. — A little before, in codex bb (by a near-contemporary hand) after dicit the word Angelus is well added; the Vatican edition substitutes Dominus for Domino.
Epist. 1. Cor. 13, 12.
First Epistle to the Corinthians 13, 12.
Cod. cc et ed. 1 servetur.
Codex cc and edition 1 read servetur (be kept) [for salvetur].
Epist. 1. Cor. 3, 9.
First Epistle to the Corinthians 3, 9.
Dist. 2. p. II. a. 2. q. 1.
Distinction 2, part II, a. 2, q. 1. ---

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