1 Objection 1: It would seem that the angels who are sent also assist. For Gregory says Hom. xxxiv in Evang.): So the angels are sent, and assist; for, though the angelic spirit is limited, yet the supreme Spirit, God, is not limited.
1 Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod etiam Angeli qui mittuntur, assistant. Dicit enim Gregorius, in homilia, et mittuntur igitur Angeli, et assistunt, quia etsi circumscriptus est angelicus spiritus, summus tamen spiritus ipse, qui Deus est, circumscriptus non est.
2 Objection 2: Further, the angel was sent to administer to Tobias. Yet he said, I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord Tob. 12, 15). Therefore the angels who are sent, assist.
2 Praeterea, Angelus Tobiae in ministerium missus fuit. Sed tamen ipse dixit, ego sum Raphael Angelus, unus ex septem qui adstamus ante Deum, ut habetur Tobiae XII. Ergo Angeli qui mittuntur, assistunt.
3 Objection 3: Further, every holy angel is nearer to God than Satan is. Yet Satan assisted God, according to Job 1, 6: When the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, Satan also was present among them. Therefore much more do the angels, who are sent to minister, assist.
3 Praeterea, quilibet Angelus beatus propinquior est Deo quam Satan. Sed Satan assistit Deo; secundum quod dicitur Iob I, cum assisterent filii Dei coram domino, affuit inter eos et Satan. Ergo multo magis Angeli qui mittuntur in ministerium, assistunt.
4 Objection 4: Further, if the inferior angels do not assist, the reason is because they receive the Divine enlightenment, not immediately, but through the superior angels. But every angel receives the Divine enlightenment from a superior, except the one who is highest of all. Therefore only the highest angel would assist; which is contrary to the text of Dan. 7, 10: Ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before Him. Therefore the angels who are sent also assist.
4 Praeterea, si inferiores Angeli non assistunt, hoc non est nisi quia non immediate, sed per superiores Angelos divinas illuminationes recipiunt. Sed quilibet Angelus per superiorem divinas illuminationes suscipit, excepto eo qui est inter omnes supremus. Ergo solus supremus Angelus assisteret. Quod est contra illud quod habetur Dan. VII, decies millies centena millia assistebant ei. Ergo etiam illi qui ministrant, assistunt.
5 On the contrary, Gregory says, on Job 25, 3: Is there any numbering of His soldiers? Moral. xvii): Those powers assist, who do not go forth as messengers to men. Therefore those who are sent in ministry do not assist.
5 Sed contra est quod Gregorius dicit, XVII Moral., super illud Iob, numquid est numerus militum eius? Assistunt, inquit, illae potestates, quae ad quaedam hominibus nuntianda non exeunt. Ergo illi qui in ministerium mittuntur, non assistunt.
6 I answer that, The angels are spoken of as assisting and administering, after the likeness of those who attend upon a king; some of whom ever wait upon him, and hear his commands immediately; while others there are to whom the royal commands are conveyed by those who are in attendance, for instance, those who are placed at the head of the administration of various cities; these are said to administer, not to assist. We must therefore observe that all the angels gaze upon the Divine Essence immediately; in regard to which all, even those who minister, are said to assist. Hence Gregory says Moral. ii) that those who are sent on the external ministry of our salvation can always assist and see the face of the Father. Yet not all the angels can perceive the secrets of the Divine mysteries in the clearness itself of the Divine Essence; but only the superior angels who announce them to the inferior: and in that respect only the superior angels belonging to the highest hierarchy are said to assist, whose special prerogative it is to be enlightened immediately by God. From this may be deduced the reply to the first and second objections, which are based on the first mode of assisting.
6 Respondeo dicendum quod Angeli introducuntur assistentes et administrantes, ad similitudinem eorum qui alicui regi famulantur. Quorum aliqui semper ei assistunt, et eius praecepta immediate audiunt. Alii vero sunt, ad quos praecepta regalia per assistentes nuntiantur, sicut illi qui administrationi civitatum praeficiuntur, et hi dicuntur ministrantes, sed non assistentes. Considerandum est ergo quod omnes Angeli divinam essentiam immediate vident, et quantum ad hoc, omnes etiam qui ministrant, assistere dicuntur. Unde Gregorius dicit in II Moral., quod semper assistere, aut videre faciem patris possunt, qui ad ministerium exterius mittuntur pro nostra salute. Sed non omnes Angeli secreta divinorum mysteriorum in ipsa claritate divinae essentiae percipere possunt; sed soli superiores, per quos inferioribus denuntiantur. Et secundum hoc, soli superiores, qui sunt primae hierarchiae, assistere dicuntur, cuius proprium dicit esse Dionysius immediate a Deo illuminari. Et per hoc patet solutio ad primum et secundum, quae procedunt de primo modo assistendi.
7 Reply to Objection 3: Satan is not described as having assisted, but as present among the assistants; for, as Gregory says Moral. ii), though he has lost beatitude, still he has retained a nature like to the angels.
7 Ad tertium dicendum quod Satan non dicitur astitisse, sed inter assistentes affuisse describitur, quia, ut Gregorius dicit II Moral., etsi beatitudinem perdidit, naturam tamen Angelis similem non amisit.
8 Reply to Objection 4: All the assistants see some things immediately in the glory of the Divine Essence; and so it may be said that it is the prerogative of the whole of the highest hierarchy to be immediately enlightened by God; while the higher ones among them see more than is seen by the inferior; some of whom enlighten others: as also among those who assist the king, one knows more of the king's secrets than another.
8 Ad quartum dicendum quod omnes assistentes aliqua immediate vident in claritate divinae essentiae; et ideo totius primae hierarchiae proprium esse dicitur immediate illuminari a Deo. Sed superiores eorum plura percipiunt quam inferiores, de quibus illuminant alios, sicut etiam inter eos qui assistunt regi, plura scit de secretis regis unus quam alius.