Bonaventure

ARTICULUS II.

In quid ceciderint angeli lapsi.

Consequenter quaeritur quantum ad lapsum, in quid ceciderunt. Primo, utrum ceciderunt in infernum quantum ad locum. Secundo, utrum in infernale supplicium.

QUAESTIO I.

Utrum angeli in locum infernalem ceciderint.

Quod autem ceciderint in locum infernalem, videtur:

1. Quia casus tanto profundior, quanto gradus excelsior: ergo si ceciderunt de loco altissimo, ut de empyreo, videtur, quod detrusi sunt in locum infimum, et ita in infernum.

2. Item, Angelis sanctis propter munditiam et lucem sapientiae debetur locus mundissimus et lucidissimus, sicut empyreum¹: ergo a contrariis daemonibus immundis et obtenebratis debetur locus tenebrosissimus et immundus; sed iste locus est infimus et subterraneus, qui dicitur infernus: ergo etc.

3. Item, homines mali post mortem statim descendunt in infernum, sicut dicit Iob vigesimo primo²: Ducunt in bonis dies suos, et in puncto ad inferna descendunt: ergo cum «hoc sit Angelis casus quod hominibus mors», ergo statim ceciderunt in locum infernalem. Si tu dicas, quod sunt relicti extra infernum ad nostram exercitationem; contra: homo de se pronus est sufficienter ad malum et satis potest exercitari a passionibus carnis: ergo videntur superfluere exercitationes daemonum; et si Deus hoc permittit, videtur immisericorditer agere.

CONTRA: 1. Ad Ephesios secundo³: Aliquando ambulastis secundum principem potestatis aeris huius; huius demonstrat aerem materialem: ergo potestas diaboli maxime est in hoc aere; sed ubi est potestas eius, et substantia: ergo etc.

2. Item, constans est, quod diabolus nos tentat, et tentavit Christum, ut dicitur Matthaei quarto⁴, de nobis autem non tantum Scriptura docet, sed etiam experientia: ergo cum Angelus ibi sit, ubi operatur; et circa nos operatur: ergo etc.

3. Item, in inferno nulla est omnino redemptio⁵, unde qui descendunt in infernum, nunquam ascendunt: ergo si daemones deiecti essent in inferno, nequaquam possent ad nos venire; sed veniunt: ergo in infernum nunquam descenderunt.

CONCLUSIO.

Locus daemonum post lapsum ordinarie est aer caliginosus.

RESPONDEO: Dicendum, quod, sicut patet ex Scripturis, locus daemonum post lapsum usque ad diem iudicii non est locus subterraneus, quem vocamus infernum, sed aer caliginosus, in quo generaliter daemonum multitudo inhabitat. — Utrum autem aliqui detrusi sint in infernum, hoc ego nescio nec invenio a Sanctis determinatum. Hoc autem bene credo, quod aliqui descendunt ad torquendas animas, secundum quod habent deputata inter se maledictionis officia.

Ratio autem, quare in hoc aere sunt, est propter humanum exercitium. Sicut enim dicit Augustinus⁶: «Nunquam Deus, quos praesciebat futuros malos, eos fecisset, nisi pariter nosset, quibus bonorum usibus eos accommodaret». Unde divina dispositio hoc exigit, ut etiam de praevaricantibus⁷ Angelis obsequium quodam modo electorum trahat et eliciat. Scit enim bene uti malorum pravis voluntatibus; et ideo non eos detrusit in infernum, sed locum dedit aptum ipsis daemonibus tum quantum ad statum peccati, tum quantum ad statum exercitii sive belli. Aer enim caliginosus propter caliginem convenit tenebrositati culpae, sed propter mobilitatem et subtilitatem convenit velocitati angelicae; unde, sicut aliquibus viris sanctis ostensum est, frequenter circa nos volitant sicut muscae.

1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod de altissimo in profundissimum; dicendum, quod verum concluderet, si esset omnino retributum quod meruerunt; sed Dominus non statim retribuit, sed simul cum hominibus eos illuc exspectat proiicere, quo ipsi sua perversitate inducunt peccatorem⁸.

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod Angelis beatis locus debetur altissimus; dicendum, quod quamvis p. 165sit eis debitus, non tamen ibi sunt semper, sed et circa nos ad explendum suum ministerium. Similiter dico, quod quamvis locus infimus et vilissimus sit daemonibus debitus, tamen eis differtur propter nostrum exercitium.

3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de hominibus malis post mortem etc., dicendum, quod non est simile omnino, sed solum quoad statum impoenitentiae. Nam quoad statum demeriti vel exercitii non est simile, sicut infra melius patebit⁹; anima enim non est deputata ad ministrandum, sicut Angelus.

Ad illud quod obiicitur ultimo, quod Deus immisericorditer agit cum homine; dicendum, quod non, immo misericordia superexultat iudicium¹⁰: quia contra fomitem dat scintillam conscientiae, contra daemonem dat bonum Angelum, et supra hoc dat suam gratiam et Spiritum sanctum suum, qui vincit omnem potestatem: quia neque mors, neque vita, neque principatus, neque potestates possunt nos separare a caritate Dei¹¹. Unde ille amor est adiutorium praevalens omnibus et omnia vincens. Propter hoc, ut haberent exercitium, quia virtus in infirmitate perficitur, dat Deus sanctis suis angelum satanae, qui eos colaphizet; sicut colaphizavit Paulum¹².

SCHOLION.

I. De utraque huius articuli quaestione alii doctores fere omnes simul agunt. Ipsi tantum quoad q. 2. inter se dissident, scil. utrum et quomodo daemones iam poenam ignis patiantur, supposito, quod non sint in loco infernali, sed in aere caliginoso. Quod poena ignis, non autem damni, differatur usque ad extremum iudicium, probabilius esse censet S. Bonav. (cfr. infra d. 7. p. I. a. 1. q. 3.). Hoc idem, vel saltem, quod poena sensus sit minus intensa, quando daemones non sunt actualiter in inferno, opinantur Alex. Hal., Richard. a Med. et Dionys. Carth., qui etiam citat Henr. Gand. et laudat, quod de modo, quo ignis possit agere passionem in spiritum, scribat «bene subtiliter, catholice et diffuse, Quodl. 8.» [q. 34.]. Opposita autem sententia, quod daemones eandem poenam sustineant, sive sint intra infernum, sive extra, videtur nunc communius esse recepta, non autem tanquam sit de fide. S. Thomas (S. 1. q. 64. a. 4. ad 3.) docet: «Licet daemones non actu alligentur gehennali igni, dum sunt in aere isto caliginoso; tamen ex hoc ipso, quod sciunt, illam alligationem sibi deberi, eorum poena non diminuitur», (cfr. Comment. hic q. unica, a. 3.). Consentit Aegid. R. (hic q. 2. a. 2.) quoad factum, quod daemones portent secum ignem inferni (non autem materialem), sed non approbat assignatam rationem, hoc usus argumento, quod «actionem quantumcumque spiritualem practicam impedit distantia»; unde ipse illam rationem ponit in supernaturali divina actione, «qua sic afficiuntur mediante divina virtute, ac si essent coniuncti igni affligenti eos, ut instrumentum divinae iustitiae». De hoc docte disputat Seraphicus, IV. Sent. d. 44. a. 3. q. 2. — Radix huius qualiscunque dissensionis inter SS. Thomam et Bonaventuram consistere videtur in diversa sententia de principio passionis in Angelis. Secundum enim S. Thomam in eis dolor est in voluntate, quatenus est operativa, non receptiva, sive «secundum quod [affectus] nominant simplices actus voluntatis» (S. 1. q. 64. a. 3.). Aliter sentit S. Bonav. (supra d. 3. p. I. a. 1.).

II. In 3. fundam. quaestionis 2. asseritur, quod daemones tentantes hominem aliquatenus delectentur, scil. «gaudio impuro», vel «omni amaritudine resperso» (d. 11. a. 2. q. 3. ad 6.), ut dicit Alex. Hal. (loc. mox cit. m. 4. a. 1.) et similiter Richard. a Med., hic a. 2. q. 2.; quae sententia videtur esse communis.

III. Praeter citatos de utraque quaest. diffuse disputat Alex. Hal., S. p. II. q. 100. m. 5. a. 1. 2. 3. et m. 4, q. 102. m. 3. a. 9. — B. Albert., hic a. 5-8; S. p. II. tr. 5. q. 25. m. 2. — Petr. a Tar., hic q. 2. a. 2. — Richard. a Med., hic a. 2. q. 1. — Aegid. R., hic q. 2. a. 1. 2. — Dionys. Carth., hic q. 3. — Biel, II. Sent. d. 8. q. unica in fine.

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ARTICLE II.

Into what the fallen angels fell.

It is consequently asked, as regards the fall, into what they fell. First, whether they fell into hell as regards place. Secondly, whether into the infernal punishment.

QUESTION I.

Whether the angels fell into the infernal place.

That they fell into the infernal place, it seems [so]:

1. Because the fall is so much the deeper, the loftier the rank: therefore if they fell from the highest place, as from the empyrean, it seems that they were thrust down into the lowest place, and thus into hell.

2. Likewise, to the holy Angels, on account of [their] cleanness and the light of wisdom, the cleanest and most luminous place is due, as the empyrean¹: therefore conversely to the demons, unclean and darkened, the most shadowy and unclean place is due; but that place is the lowest and subterranean, which is called hell: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, evil men after death descend at once into hell, as Job, twenty-first [chapter], says²: They spend their days in good things, and in a moment they go down to hell: therefore since «this is to the Angels a fall, what to men is death», therefore they fell at once into the infernal place. If thou sayest that they are left outside hell for our exercising; on the contrary: man of himself is sufficiently prone to evil and can be sufficiently exercised by the passions of the flesh: therefore the exercisings by demons seem superfluous; and if God permits this, he seems to act unmercifully.

ON THE CONTRARY: 1. To the Ephesians, second [chapter]³: At one time you walked according to the prince of the power of this air; this points to the material air: therefore the power of the devil is most of all in this air; but where his power is, [there] also [his] substance: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, it is constant that the devil tempts us, and tempted Christ, as is said in Matthew, fourth [chapter]⁴; and about us not only Scripture teaches, but also experience: therefore since the Angel is there where he operates, and he operates around us: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, in hell there is no redemption at all⁵, whence those who descend into hell never ascend: therefore if the demons had been cast down into hell, they could in no way come to us; but they do come: therefore they never descended into hell.

CONCLUSION.

The place of the demons after the fall is ordinarily the murky air.

I RESPOND: It must be said that, as is clear from the Scriptures, the place of the demons after the fall, until the day of judgment, is not the subterranean place which we call hell, but the murky air, in which generally the multitude of demons dwells. — But whether some have been thrust down into hell, this I do not know, nor do I find it determined by the Saints. But this I well believe, that some descend to torment souls, according as they have among themselves the appointed offices of malediction.

Now the reason why they are in this air is on account of human exercising. For as Augustine says⁶: «God would never have made those whom he foreknew would be evil, unless he had likewise known for what uses of the good he would accommodate them». Hence the divine disposition requires this, that even from the prevaricating⁷ Angels it should draw and elicit in some manner the homage of the elect. For he knows well how to use the depraved wills of the evil; and therefore he did not thrust them into hell, but gave a place fitting for the demons themselves, both as regards the state of sin and as regards the state of exercising or warfare. For the murky air, by its murk, befits the shadowiness of fault, but by its mobility and subtlety befits angelic swiftness; whence, as has been shown to some holy men, they frequently fly around us like flies.

1. To that, then, which is objected, that [they fell] from the highest to the deepest; it must be said that it would conclude truly, if what they merited were wholly requited; but the Lord does not requite at once, but waits to cast them down thither together with men, to which the [demons] themselves by their perversity lead the sinner⁸.

2. To that which is objected, that to the blessed Angels the highest place is due; it must be said that, although p. 165it is due to them, yet they are not always there, but also around us to fulfill their ministry. Likewise I say that, although the lowest and vilest place is due to the demons, yet it is deferred for them on account of our exercising.

3. To that which is objected concerning evil men after death etc., it must be said that it is not alike altogether, but only as regards the state of impenitence. For as regards the state of demerit or of exercising it is not alike, as will be better clear below⁹; for the soul is not appointed to minister, as the Angel [is].

To that which is objected last, that God acts unmercifully with man; it must be said that [it is] not [so], but rather mercy exalts itself above judgment¹⁰: because against the tinder [of concupiscence] he gives the spark of conscience, against the demon he gives the good Angel, and above this he gives his grace and his Holy Spirit, who conquers every power: because neither death, nor life, nor principalities, nor powers can separate us from the charity of God¹¹. Hence that love is a help prevailing over all and conquering all. For this [reason], that they might have exercising, because virtue is perfected in infirmity, God gives to his holy ones an angel of Satan, that he may buffet them; as he buffeted Paul¹².

SCHOLION.

I. On both questions of this article almost all the other doctors treat together. They differ among themselves only as regards q. 2, namely whether and how the demons already suffer the punishment of fire, supposing that they are not in the infernal place, but in the murky air. That the punishment of fire, but not of loss, is deferred until the last judgment, St. Bonaventure judges to be more probable (cf. below, d. 7, p. I, a. 1, q. 3). This same [view], or at least that the punishment of sense is less intense when the demons are not actually in hell, is the opinion of Alexander of Hales, Richard of Mediavilla, and Dionysius the Carthusian, who also cites Henry of Ghent and praises [him], that concerning the manner in which fire can effect a passion upon a spirit he writes «well subtly, catholically, and at length, Quodlibet 8» [q. 34]. But the opposite opinion, that the demons sustain the same punishment whether they are within hell or outside, seems now to be more commonly received, yet not as if it were of faith. St. Thomas (Summa 1, q. 64, a. 4, ad 3) teaches: «Although the demons are not actually bound by hellish fire, while they are in this murky air; yet from this very [fact], that they know that binding to be owed to them, their punishment is not diminished», (cf. the Commentary here, the single question, a. 3). Giles of Rome (here q. 2, a. 2) agrees as to the fact, that the demons carry with them the fire of hell (not however material [fire]), but he does not approve the assigned reason, using this argument, that «distance impedes any however spiritual practical action»; whence he himself places that reason in a supernatural divine action, «by which they are so affected by means of divine power, as if they were joined to a fire afflicting them, as an instrument of divine justice». On this the Seraphic [Doctor] disputes learnedly, IV Sentences d. 44, a. 3, q. 2. — The root of this dissension of whatever kind between Sts. Thomas and Bonaventure seems to consist in a diverse opinion concerning the principle of passion in the Angels. For according to St. Thomas in them grief is in the will, inasmuch as it is operative, not receptive, or «according as [affections] name simple acts of the will» (Summa 1, q. 64, a. 3). St. Bonaventure thinks otherwise (above, d. 3, p. I, a. 1).

II. In the 3rd fundamentum of question 2 it is asserted that the demons tempting man are to some extent delighted, namely with «impure joy», or «besprinkled with all bitterness» (d. 11, a. 2, q. 3, ad 6), as Alexander of Hales says (loc. cit. just [cited], m. 4, a. 1) and similarly Richard of Mediavilla, here a. 2, q. 2; which opinion seems to be common.

III. Besides those cited, on both questions there dispute at length Alexander of Hales, Summa p. II, q. 100, m. 5, a. 1, 2, 3, and m. 4, q. 102, m. 3, a. 9. — Bl. Albert, here a. 5-8; Summa p. II, tr. 5, q. 25, m. 2. — Peter of Tarentaise, here q. 2, a. 2. — Richard of Mediavilla, here a. 2, q. 1. — Giles of Rome, here q. 2, a. 1, 2. — Dionysius the Carthusian, here q. 3. — Biel, II Sentences d. 8, the single question, at the end.