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Objection 1: It would seem that men are not taken up into the orders
of the angels. For the human hierarchy is stationed beneath the lowest
heavenly hierarchy, as the lowest under the middle hierarchy and the
middle beneath the first. But the angels of the lowest hierarchy are
never transferred into the middle, or the first. Therefore neither
are men transferred to the angelic orders.
Objection 2: Further, certain offices belong to the orders of the
angels, as to guard, to work miracles, to coerce the demons, and the
like; which do not appear to belong to the souls of the saints.
Therefore they are not transferred to the angelic orders.
Objection 3: Further, as the good angels lead on to good, so do
the demons to what is evil. But it is erroneous to say that the souls
of bad men are changed into demons; for Chrysostom rejects this
(Hom. xxviii in Matt.). Therefore it does not seem that the
souls of the saints will be transferred to the orders of angels.
On the contrary, The Lord says of the saints that, "they will be
as the angels of God" (Mt. 22:30). I answer that, As
above explained (Articles 4,7), the orders of the angels are
distinguished according to the conditions of nature and according to the
gifts of grace. Considered only as regards the grade of nature, men
can in no way be assumed into the angelic orders; for the natural
distinction will always remain. In view of this distinction, some
asserted that men can in no way be transferred to an equality with the
angels; but this is erroneous, contradicting as it does the promise of
Christ saying that the children of the resurrection will be equal to
the angels in heaven (Lk. 20:36). For whatever belongs to
nature is the material part of an order; whilst that which perfects is
from grace which depends on the liberality of God, and not on the
order of nature. Therefore by the gift of grace men can merit glory in
such a degree as to be equal to the angels, in each of the angelic
grades; and this implies that men are taken up into the orders of the
angels. Some, however, say that not all who are saved are assumed
into the angelic orders, but only virgins or the perfect; and that the
other will constitute their own order, as it were, corresponding to
the whole society of the angels. But this is against what Augustine
says (De Civ. Dei xii, 9), that "there will not be two
societies of men and angels, but only one; because the beatitude of
all is to cleave to God alone."
Reply to Objection 1: Grace is given to the angels in proportion to
their natural gifts. This, however, does not apply to men, as above
explained (Article 4; Question 62, Article 6). So, as the
inferior angels cannot be transferred to the natural grade of the
superior, neither can they be transferred to the superior grade of
grace; whereas men can ascend to the grade of grace, but not of
nature.
Reply to Objection 2: The angels according to the order of nature
are between us and God; and therefore according to the common law not
only human affairs are administered by them, but also all corporeal
matters. But holy men even after this life are of the same nature with
ourselves; and hence according to the common law they do not administer
human affairs, "nor do they interfere in the things of the living,"
as Augustine says (De cura pro mortuis xiii, xvi). Still, by a
certain special dispensation it is sometimes granted to some of the
saints to exercise these offices; by working miracles, by coercing the
demons, or by doing something of that kind, as Augustine says (De
cura pro mortuis xvi).
Reply to Objection 3: It is not erroneous to say that men are
transferred to the penalty of demons; but some erroneously stated that
the demons are nothing but souls of the dead; and it is this that
Chrysostom rejects.
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