time." And thus, since there is
succession in the angel's intellect, not all things that happen
through all time, are present to the angelic mind.
Reply Obj. 3: Although the species in the intellect of an angel, in
so far as they are species, refer equally to things present, past,
and future; nevertheless the present, past, and future; nevertheless
the present, past, and future do not bear the same relations to the
species. Present things have a nature according to which they
resemble the species in the mind of an angel: and so they can be
known thereby. Things which are yet to come have not yet a nature
whereby they are likened to such species; consequently, they cannot
be known by those species.
Reply Obj. 4: Things distant according to place are already existing
in nature; and share in some species, whose image is in the angel;
whereas this is not true of future things, as has been stated.
Consequently there is no comparison.
_______________________
FOURTH ARTICLE [I, Q. 57, Art. 4]
Whether Angels Know Secret Thoughts?
Objection 1: It would seem that the angels know secret thoughts. For
Gregory (Moral. xviii), explaining Job 28:17: "Gold or crystal cannot
equal it," says that "then," namely in the bliss of those rising from
the dead, "one shall be as evident to another as he is to himself, and
when once the mind of each is seen, his conscience will at the same
time be penetrated." But those who rise shall be like the angels, as
is stated (Matt. 22:30). Therefore an angel can see what is in
another's conscience.
Obj. 2: Further, intelligible species bear the same relation to the
intellect as shapes do to bodies. But when the body is seen its shape
is seen. Therefore, when an intellectual substance is seen, the
intelligible species within it is also seen. Consequently, when one
angel beholds another, or even a soul, it seems that he can see the
thoughts of both.
Obj. 3: Further, the ideas of our intellect resemble the angel more
than do the images in our imagination; because the former are
actually understood, while the latter are understood only
potentially. But the images in our imagination can be known by an
angel as corporeal things are known: because the imagination is a
corporeal faculty. Therefore it seems that an angel can know the
thoughts of the intellect.
_On the contrary,_ What is proper to God does not belong to the
angels. But it is proper to God to read the secrets of hearts,
accordi
|