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Objection 1: It would seem that the corporeal creature is not
governed by angels. For whatever possesses a determinate mode of
action, needs not to be governed by any superior power; for we require
to be governed lest we do what we ought not. But corporeal things have
their actions determined by the nature divinely bestowed upon them.
Therefore they do not need the government of angels.
Objection 2: Further, the lowest things are ruled by the superior.
But some corporeal things are inferior, and others are superior.
Therefore they need not be governed by the angels.
Objection 3: Further, the different orders of the angels are
distinguished by different offices. But if corporeal creatures were
ruled by the angels, there would be as many angelic offices as there
are species of things. So also there would be as many orders of angels
as there are species of things; which is against what is laid down
above (Question 108, Article 2). Therefore the corporeal
creature is not governed by angels.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Trin. iii, 4) that "all
bodies are ruled by the rational spirit of life"; and Gregory says
(Dial. iv, 6), that "in this visible world nothing takes place
without the agency of the invisible creature."
I answer that, It is generally found both in human affairs and in
natural things that every particular power is governed and ruled by the
universal power; as, for example, the bailiff's power is governed by
the power of the king. Among the angels also, as explained above
(Question 55, Article 3; Question 108, Article 1), the
superior angels who preside over the inferior possess a more universal
knowledge. Now it is manifest that the power of any individual body is
more particular than the power of any spiritual substance; for every
corporeal form is a form individualized by matter, and determined to
the "here and now"; whereas immaterial forms are absolute and
intelligible. Therefore, as the inferior angels who have the less
universal forms, are ruled by the superior; so are all corporeal
things ruled by the angels. This is not only laid down by the holy
doctors, but also by all philosophers who admit the existence of
incorporeal substances.
Reply to Objection 1: Corporeal things have determinate actions;
but they exercise such actions only according as they are moved;
because it belongs to a body not to act unless moved. Hence a
corporeal creature must be moved by a spiritual creature.
Reply to Objection 2: The reason alleged is according to the
opinion of Aristotle who laid down (Metaph. xi, 8) that the
heavenly bodies are moved by spiritual substances; the number of which
he endeavored to assign according to the number of motions apparent in
the heavenly bodies. But he did not say that there were any spiritual
substances with immediate rule over the inferior bodies, except perhaps
human souls; and this was because he did not consider that any
operations were exercised in the inferior bodies except the natural ones
for which the movement of the heavenly bodies sufficed. But because we
assert that many things are done in the inferior bodies besides the
natural corporeal actions, for which the movements of the heavenly
bodies are not sufficient; therefore in our opinion we must assert that
the angels possess an immediate presidency not only over the heavenly
bodies, but also over the inferior bodies.
Reply to Objection 3: Philosophers have held different opinions
about immaterial substances. For Plato laid down that immaterial
substances were types and species of sensible bodies; and that some
were more universal than others; and so he held that immaterial
substances preside immediately over all sensible bodies, and different
ones over different bodies. But Aristotle held that immaterial
substances are not the species of sensible bodies, but something higher
and more universal; and so he did not attribute to them any immediate
presiding over single bodies, but only over the universal agents, the
heavenly bodies. Avicenna followed a middle course. For he agreed
with Plato in supposing some spiritual substance to preside immediately
in the sphere of active and passive elements; because, as Plato also
said, he held that the forms of these sensible things are derived from
immaterial substances. But he differed from Plato because he supposed
only one immaterial substance to preside over all inferior bodies,
which he called the "active intelligence."
The holy doctors held with the Platonists that different spiritual
substances were placed over corporeal things. For Augustine says
(Questions. 83, qu. 79): "Every visible thing in this world
has an angelic power placed over it"; and Damascene says (De Fide
Orth. ii, 4): "The devil was one of the angelic powers who
presided over the terrestrial order"; and Origen says on the text,
"When the ass saw the angel" (Num. 22:23), that "the world
has need of angels who preside over beasts, and over the birth of
animals, and trees, and plants, and over the increase of all other
things" (Hom. xiv in Num.). The reason of this, however, is
not that an angel is more fitted by his nature to preside over animals
than over plants; because each angel, even the least, has a higher
and more universal power than any kind of corporeal things: the reason
is to be sought in the order of Divine wisdom, Who places different
rulers over different things. Nor does it follow that there are more
than nine orders of angels, because, as above expounded (Question
108, Article 2), the orders are distinguished by their general
offices. Hence as according to Gregory all the angels whose proper
office it is to preside over the demons are of the order of the
"powers"; so to the order of the "virtues" do those angels seem to
belong who preside over purely corporeal creatures; for by their
ministration miracles are sometimes performed.
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