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Objection 1: It would seem that the angels exercise functions of
life in assumed bodies. For pretence is unbecoming in angels of
truth. But it would be pretence if the body assumed by them, which
seems to live and to exercise vital functions, did not possess these
functions. Therefore the angels exercise functions of life in the
assumed body.
Objection 2: Further, in the works of the angels there is nothing
without a purpose. But eyes, nostrils, and the other instruments of
the senses, would be fashioned without a purpose in the body assumed by
the angel, if he perceived nothing by their means. Consequently, the
angel perceives by the assumed body; and this is the most special
function of life.
Objection 3: Further, to move hither and thither is one of the
functions of life, as the Philosopher says (De Anima ii). But
the angels are manifestly seen to move in their assumed bodies. For it
was said (Gn. 18:16) that "Abraham walked with" the angels,
who had appeared to him, "bringing them on the way"; and when
Tobias said to the angel (Tob. 5:7,8): "Knowest thou the
way that leadeth to the city of Medes?" he answered: "I know it;
and I have often walked through all the ways thereof." Therefore the
angels often exercise functions of life in assumed bodies.
Objection 4: Further, speech is the function of a living subject,
for it is produced by the voice, while the voice itself is a sound
conveyed from the mouth. But it is evident from many passages of
Sacred Scripture that angels spoke in assumed bodies. Therefore in
their assumed bodies they exercise functions of life.
Objection 5: Further, eating is a purely animal function. Hence
the Lord after His Resurrection ate with His disciples in proof of
having resumed life (Lk. 24). Now when angels appeared in their
assumed bodies they ate, and Abraham offered them food, after having
previously adored them as God (Gn. 18). Therefore the angels
exercise functions of life in assumed bodies.
Objection 6: Further, to beget offspring is a vital act. But this
has befallen the angels in their assumed bodies; for it is related:
"After the sons of God went in to the daughters of men, and they
brought forth children, these are the mighty men of old, men of
renown" (Gn. 6:4). Consequently the angels exercised vital
functions in their assumed bodies.
On the contrary, The bodies assumed by angels have no life, as was
stated in the previous article (ad 3). Therefore they cannot
exercise functions of life through assumed bodies.
I answer that, Some functions of living subjects have something in
common with other operations; just as speech, which is the function of
a living creature, agrees with other sounds of inanimate things, in so
far as it is sound; and walking agrees with other movements, in so far
as it is movement. Consequently vital functions can be performed in
assumed bodies by the angels, as to that which is common in such
operations; but not as to that which is special to living subjects;
because, according to the Philosopher (De Somn. et Vig. i),
"that which has the faculty has the action." Hence nothing can have
a function of life except what has life, which is the potential
principle of such action.
Reply to Objection 1: As it is in no wise contrary to truth for
intelligible things to be set forth in Scripture under sensible
figures, since it is not said for the purpose of maintaining that
intelligible things are sensible, but in order that properties of
intelligible things may be understood according to similitude through
sensible figures; so it is not contrary to the truth of the holy angels
that through their assumed bodies they appear to be living men,
although they are really not. For the bodies are assumed merely for
this purpose, that the spiritual properties and works of the angels may
be manifested by the properties of man and of his works. This could
not so fittingly be done if they were to assume true men; because the
properties of such men would lead us to men, and not to angels.
Reply to Objection 2: Sensation is entirely a vital function.
Consequently it can in no way be said that the angels perceive through
the organs of their assumed bodies. Yet such bodies are not fashioned
in vain; for they are not fashioned for the purpose of sensation
through them, but to this end, that by such bodily organs the
spiritual powers of the angels may be made manifest; just as by the eye
the power of the angel's knowledge is pointed out, and other powers by
the other members, as Dionysius teaches (Coel. Hier.).
Reply to Objection 3: Movement coming from a united mover is a
proper function of life; but the bodies assumed by the angels are not
thus moved, since the angels are not their forms. Yet the angels are
moved accidentally, when such bodies are moved, since they are in them
as movers are in the moved; and they are here in such a way as not to
be elsewhere which cannot be said of God. Accordingly, although God
is not moved when the things are moved in which He exists, since He
is everywhere; yet the angels are moved accidentally according to the
movement of the bodies assumed. But they are not moved according to
the movement of the heavenly bodies, even though they be in them as the
movers in the thing moved, because the heavenly bodies do not change
place in their entirety; nor for the spirit which moves the world is
there any fixed locality according to any restricted part of the
world's substance, which now is in the east, and now in the west,
but according to a fixed quarter; because "the moving energy is always
in the east," as stated in Phys. viii, text 84.
Reply to Objection 4: Properly speaking, the angels do not talk
through their assumed bodies; yet there is a semblance of speech, in
so far as they fashion sounds in the air like to human voices.
Reply to Objection 5: Properly speaking, the angels cannot be said
to eat, because eating involves the taking of food convertible into the
substance of the eater.
Although after the Resurrection food was not converted into the
substance of Christ's body, but resolved into pre-existing matter;
nevertheless Christ had a body of such a true nature that food could be
changed into it; hence it was a true eating. But the food taken by
angels was neither changed into the assumed body, nor was the body of
such a nature that food could be changed into it; consequently, it was
not a true eating, but figurative of spiritual eating. This is what
the angel said to Tobias: "When I was with you, I seemed indeed
to eat and to drink; but I use an invisible meat and drink" (Tob.
12:19).
Abraham offered them food, deeming them to be men, in whom,
nevertheless, he worshipped God, as God is wont to be in the
prophets, as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xvi).
Reply to Objection 6: As Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xv):
"Many persons affirm that they have had the experience, or have heard
from such as have experienced it, that the Satyrs and Fauns, whom
the common folk call incubi, have often presented themselves before
women, and have sought and procured intercourse with them. Hence it
is folly to deny it. But God's holy angels could not fall in such
fashion before the deluge. Hence by the sons of God are to be
understood the sons of Seth, who were good; while by the daughters of
men the Scripture designates those who sprang from the race of Cain.
Nor is it to be wondered at that giants should be born of them; for
they were not all giants, albeit there were many more before than after
the deluge." Still if some are occasionally begotten from demons, it
is not from the seed of such demons, nor from their assumed bodies,
but from the seed of men taken for the purpose; as when the demon
assumes first the form of a woman, and afterwards of a man; just as
they take the seed of other things for other generating purposes, as
Augustine says (De Trin. iii), so that the person born is not the
child of a demon, but of a man.
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