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Objection 1: It would seem that an angel cannot enlighten man. For
man is enlightened by faith; hence Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. iii)
attributes enlightenment to baptism, as "the sacrament of faith."
But faith is immediately from God, according to Eph. 2:8: "By
grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it
is the gift of God." Therefore man is not enlightened by an angel;
but immediately by God.
Objection 2: Further, on the words, "God hath manifested it to
them" (Rm. 1:19), the gloss observes that "not only natural
reason availed for the manifestation of Divine truths to men, but God
also revealed them by His work," that is, by His creature. But
both are immediately from God---that is, natural reason and the
creature. Therefore God enlightens man immediately.
Objection 3: Further, whoever is enlightened is conscious of being
enlightened. But man is not conscious of being enlightened by angels.
Therefore he is not enlightened by them.
On the contrary, Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. iv) that the
revelation of Divine things reaches men through the ministry of the
angels. But such revelation is an enlightenment as we have stated
(Question 106, Article 1; Question 107, Article 2).
Therefore men are enlightened by the angels.
I answer that, Since the order of Divine Providence disposes that
lower things be subject to the actions of higher, as explained above
(Question 109, Article 2); as the inferior angels are
enlightened by the superior, so men, who are inferior to the angels,
are enlightened by them.
The modes of each of these kinds of enlightenment are in one way alike
and in another way unlike. For, as was shown above (Question
106, Article 1), the enlightenment which consists in making
known Divine truth has two functions; namely, according as the
inferior intellect is strengthened by the action of the superior
intellect, and according as the intelligible species which are in the
superior intellect are proposed to the inferior so as to be grasped
thereby. This takes place in the angels when the superior angel
divides his universal concept of the truth according to the capacity of
the inferior angel, as explained above (Question 106, Article
1).
The human intellect, however, cannot grasp the universal truth itself
unveiled; because its nature requires it to understand by turning to
the phantasms, as above explained (Question 84, Article 7).
So the angels propose the intelligible truth to men under the
similitudes of sensible things, according to what Dionysius says
(Coel. Hier. i), that, "It is impossible for the divine ray to
shine on us, otherwise than shrouded by the variety of the sacred
veils." On the other hand, the human intellect as the inferior, is
strengthened by the action of the angelic intellect. And in these two
ways man is enlightened by an angel.
Reply to Objection 1: Two dispositions concur in the virtue of
faith; first, the habit of the intellect whereby it is disposed to
obey the will tending to Divine truth. For the intellect assents to
the truth of faith, not as convinced by the reason, but as commanded
by the will; hence Augustine says, "No one believes except
willingly." In this respect faith comes from God alone. Secondly,
faith requires that what is to be believed be proposed to the believer;
which is accomplished by man, according to Rm. 10:17, "Faith
cometh by hearing"; principally, however, by the angels, by whom
Divine things are revealed to men. Hence the angels have some part in
the enlightenment of faith. Moreover, men are enlightened by the
angels not only concerning what is to be believed; but also as regards
what is to be done.
Reply to Objection 2: Natural reason, which is immediately from
God, can be strengthened by an angel, as we have said above.
Again, the more the human intellect is strengthened, so much higher
an intelligible truth can be elicited from the species derived from
creatures. Thus man is assisted by an angel so that he may obtain from
creatures a more perfect knowledge of God.
Reply to Objection 3: Intellectual operation and enlightenment can
be understood in two ways. First, on the part of the object
understood; thus whoever understands or is enlightened, knows that he
understands or is enlightened, because he knows that the object is made
known to him. Secondly, on the part of the principle; and thus it
does not follow that whoever understands a truth, knows what the
intellect is, which is the principle of the intellectual operation.
In like manner not everyone who is enlightened by an angel, knows that
he is enlightened by him.
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