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Objection 1: It would seem that there was some interval between the
angel's creation and his fall. For, it is said (Ezech.
28:15): "Thou didst walk perfect in thy ways from the day of
thy creation until iniquity was found in thee." But since walking is
continuous movement, it requires an interval. Therefore there was
some interval between the devil's creation and his fall.
Objection 2: Further, Origen says (Hom. i in Ezech.) that
"the serpent of old did not from the first walk upon his breast and
belly"; which refers to his sin. Therefore the devil did not sin at
once after the first instant of his creation.
Objection 3: Further, capability of sinning is common alike to man
and angel. But there was some delay between man's formation and his
sin. Therefore, for the like reason there was some interval between
the devil's formation and his sin.
Objection 4: Further, the instant wherein the devil sinned was
distinct from the instant wherein he was created. But there is a
middle time between every two instants. Therefore there was an
interval between his creation and his fall.
On the contrary, It is said of the devil (Jn. 8:44): "He
stood not in the truth": and, as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei
xi, 15), "we must understand this in the sense, that he was in
the truth, but did not remain in it."
I answer that, There is a twofold opinion on this point. But the
more probable one, which is also more in harmony with the teachings of
the Saints, is that the devil sinned at once after the first instant
of his creation. This must be maintained if it be held that he
elicited an act of free-will in the first instant of his creation, and
that he was created in grace; as we have said (Question 62,
Article 3). For since the angels attain beatitude by one
meritorious act, as was said above (Question 62, Article 5),
if the devil, created in grace, merited in the first instant, he
would at once have received beatitude after that first instant, if he
had not placed an impediment by sinning.
If, however, it be contended that the angel was not created in
grace, or that he could not elicit an act of free-will in the first
instant, then there is nothing to prevent some interval being
interposed between his creation and fall.
Reply to Objection 1: Sometimes in Holy Scripture spiritual
instantaneous movements are represented by corporeal movements which are
measured by time. In this way by "walking" we are to understand the
movement of free-will tending towards good.
Reply to Objection 2: Origen says, "The serpent of old did not
from the first walk upon his breast and belly," because of the first
instant in which he was not wicked.
Reply to Objection 3: An angel has an inflexible free-will after
once choosing; consequently, if after the first instant, in which he
had a natural movement to good, he had not at once placed a barrier to
beatitude, he would have been confirmed in good. It is not so with
man; and therefore the argument does not hold good.
Reply to Objection 4: It is true to say that there is a middle time
between every two instants, so far as time is continuous, as it is
proved Phys. vi, text. 2. But in the angels, who are not subject
to the heavenly movement, which is primarily measured by continuous
time, time is taken to mean the succession of their mental acts, or of
their affections. So the first instant in the angels is understood to
respond to the operation of the angelic mind, whereby it introspects
itself by its evening knowledge because on the first day evening is
mentioned, but not morning. This operation was good in them all.
From such operation some of them were converted to the praise of the
Word by their morning knowledge while others, absorbed in themselves,
became night, "swelling up with pride," as Augustine says (Gen.
ad lit. iv, 24). Hence the first act was common to them all; but
in their second they were separated. Consequently they were all of
them good in the first instant; but in the second the good were set
apart from the wicked.
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