1 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.
1 Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod aliqua mora fuerit inter creationem et lapsum Angeli. Dicitur enim Ezech. XXVIII, ambulasti perfectus in viis tuis a die conceptionis tuae, donec inventa est iniquitas in te. Sed ambulatio, cum sit motus continuus, requirit aliquam moram. Ergo aliqua mora fuit inter creationem Diaboli et eius lapsum.
2 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.
2 Praeterea, Origenes dicit quod serpens antiquus non statim supra pectus et ventrem suum ambulavit; per quod intelligitur eius peccatum. Ergo Diabolus non statim post primum instans suae creationis peccavit.
3 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.
3 Praeterea, posse peccare commune est homini et Angelo. Fuit autem aliqua mora inter formationem hominis et eius peccatum. Ergo, pari ratione, fuit aliqua mora inter formationem Diaboli et eius peccatum.
4 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.
4 Praeterea, aliud instans fuit in quo Diabolus peccavit, ab instanti in quo creatus fuit. Sed inter quaelibet duo instantia cadit tempus medium. Ergo aliqua mora fuit inter creationem eius et lapsum.
5 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.
5 Sed contra est quod dicitur Ioan. VIII, de Diabolo, quod in veritate non stetit. Et sicut Augustinus dicit, XI de Civ. Dei, oportet ut hoc sic accipiamus, quod in veritate fuerit, sed non permanserit.
6 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.
6 Respondeo dicendum quod circa hoc est duplex opinio. Sed probabilior, et sanctorum dictis magis consona est, quod statim post primum instans suae creationis Diabolus peccaverit. Et hoc necesse est dicere, si ponatur quod in primo instanti suae creationis in actum liberi arbitrii proruperit, et cum gratia fuerit creatus, ut supra diximus. Cum enim Angeli per unum actum meritorium ad beatitudinem perveniant, ut supra dictum est; si Diabolus in primo instanti, in gratia creatus, meruit, statim post primum instans beatitudinem accepisset, nisi statim impedimentum praestitisset peccando. Si vero ponatur quod Angelus in gratia creatus non fuerit; vel quod in primo instanti actum liberi arbitrii non potuerit habere; nihil prohibet aliquam moram fuisse inter creationem et lapsum.
7 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.
7 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod per motus corporales, qui per tempus mensurantur, quandoque in sacra Scriptura intelliguntur metaphorice motus spirituales instantanei. Et sic per ambulationem intelligitur motus liberi arbitrii tendentis in bonum.
8 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.
8 Ad secundum dicendum quod Origenes dicit quod serpens antiquus non a principio, nec statim supra pectus ambulavit, propter primum instans, in quo malus non fuit.
9 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.
9 Ad tertium dicendum quod Angelus habet liberum arbitrium inflexibile post electionem, et ideo nisi statim post primum instans, in quo naturalem motum habuit ad bonum, impedimentum beatitudini praestitisset, fuisset firmatus in bono. Sed non est simile de homine. Et ideo ratio non sequitur.
10 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.
10 Ad quartum dicendum quod inter quaelibet duo instantia esse tempus medium, habet veritatem inquantum tempus est continuum, ut probatur in VI Physic. Sed in Angelis, qui non sunt subiecti caelesti motui, qui primo per tempus continuum mensuratur, tempus accipitur pro ipsa successione operationum intellectus, vel etiam affectus. Sic igitur instans primum in Angelis intelligitur respondere operationi mentis angelicae, qua se in seipsam convertit per vespertinam cognitionem, quia in primo die commemoratur vespere, sed non mane. Et haec quidem operatio in omnibus bona fuit. Sed ab hac operatione quidam per matutinam cognitionem ad laudem verbi sunt conversi, quidam vero, in seipsis remanentes, facti sunt nox, per superbiam intumescentes, ut Augustinus dicit, IV super Gen. ad Litt. Et sic prima operatio fuit omnibus communis; sed in secunda sunt discreti. Et ideo in primo instanti omnes fuerunt boni; sed in secundo fuerunt boni a malis distincti.