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Objection 1: It would seem that all the angels of the second
hierarchy are sent. For all the angels either assist, or minister,
according to Dan. 7:10. But the angels of the second hierarchy
do not assist; for they are enlightened by the angels of the first
hierarchy, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. viii). Therefore all
the angels of the second hierarchy are sent in ministry.
Objection 2: Further, Gregory says (Moral. xvii) that "there
are more who minister than who assist." This would not be the case if
the angels of the second hierarchy were not sent in ministry.
Therefore all the angels of the second hierarchy are sent to minister.
On the contrary, Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. viii) that the
"Dominations are above all subjection." But to be sent implies
subjection. Therefore the dominations are not sent to minister.
I answer that, As above stated (Article 1), to be sent to
external ministry properly belongs to an angel according as he acts by
Divine command in respect of any corporeal creature; which is part of
the execution of the Divine ministry. Now the angelic properties are
manifested by their names, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. vii);
and therefore the angels of those orders are sent to external ministry
whose names signify some kind of administration. But the name
"dominations" does not signify any such administration, but only
disposition and command in administering. On the other hand, the
names of the inferior orders imply administration, for the "Angels"
and "Archangels" are so called from "announcing"; the "Virtues"
and "Powers" are so called in respect of some act; and it is right
that the "Prince," according to what Gregory says (Hom. xxxiv in
Evang.), "be first among the workers." Hence it belongs to these
five orders to be sent to external ministry; not to the four superior
orders.
Reply to Objection 1: The Dominations are reckoned among the
ministering angels, not as exercising but as disposing and commanding
what is to be done by others; thus an architect does not put his hands
to the production of his art, but only disposes and orders what others
are to do.
Reply to Objection 2: A twofold reason may be given in assigning
the number of the assisting and ministering angels. For Gregory says
that those who minister are more numerous than those who assist;
because he takes the words (Dan. 7:10) "thousands of thousands
ministered to Him," not in a multiple but in a partitive sense, to
mean "thousands out of thousands"; thus the number of those who
minister is indefinite, and signifies excess; while the number of
assistants is finite as in the words added, "and ten thousand times a
hundred thousand assisted Him." This explanation rests on the
opinion of the Platonists, who said that the nearer things are to the
one first principle, the smaller they are in number; as the nearer a
number is to unity, the lesser it is than multitude. This opinion is
verified as regards the number of orders, as six administer and three
assist.
Dionysius, however, (Coel. Hier. xiv) declares that the
multitude of angels surpasses all the multitude of material things; so
that, as the superior bodies exceed the inferior in magnitude to an
immeasurable degree, so the superior incorporeal natures surpass all
corporeal natures in multitude; because whatever is better is more
intended and more multiplied by God. Hence, as the assistants are
superior to the ministers there will be more assistants than ministers.
In this way, the words "thousands of thousands" are taken by way of
multiplication, to signify "a thousand times a thousand." And
because ten times a hundred is a thousand, if it were said "ten times
a hundred thousand" it would mean that there are as many assistants as
ministers: but since it is written "ten thousand times a hundred
thousand," we are given to understand that the assistants are much
more numerous than the ministers. Nor is this said to signify that
this is the precise number of angels, but rather that it is much
greater, in that it exceeds all material multitude. This is signified
by the multiplication together of all the greatest numbers, namely
ten, a hundred, and a thousand, as Dionysius remarks in the same
passage.
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