1 Objection 1: It would seem that the guardianship of men does not belong only to the lowest order of the angels. For Chrysostom says that the text Mt. 18, 10), Their angels in heaven, etc. is to be understood not of any angels but of the highest. Therefore the superior angels guard men.
1 Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod custodire homines non pertineat solum ad infimum ordinem Angelorum. Dicit enim Chrysostomus quod hoc quod dicitur Matth. XVIII, Angeli eorum in caelo etc., intelligitur non de quibuscumque Angelis, sed de supereminentibus. Ergo supereminentes Angeli custodiunt homines.
2 Objection 2: Further, the Apostle says that angels are sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation Heb. 1, 14); and thus it seems that the mission of the angels is directed to the guardianship of men. But five orders are sent in external ministry Question 112, Article 4). Therefore all the angels of the five orders are deputed to the guardianship of men.
2 Praeterea, apostolus, ad Heb. I, dicit quod Angeli sunt in ministerium missi propter eos qui haereditatem capiunt salutis, et sic videtur quod missio Angelorum ad custodiam hominum ordinetur. Sed quinque ordines in exterius ministerium mittuntur, ut supra dictum est. Ergo omnes Angeli quinque ordinum custodiae hominum deputantur.
3 Objection 3: Further, for the guardianship of men it seems especially necessary to coerce the demons, which belongs most of all to the Powers, according to Gregory Hom. xxxiv in Evang.); and to work miracles, which belongs to the Virtues. Therefore these orders are also deputed to the work of guardianship, and not only the lowest order.
3 Praeterea, ad custodiam hominum maxime videtur esse necessarium arcere Daemones, quod pertinet ad potestates, secundum Gregorium; et miracula facere, quod pertinet ad virtutes. Ergo illi etiam ordines deputantur ad custodiam, et non solum infimus.
4 On the contrary, In the Psalm 90) the guardianship of men is attributed to the angels; who belong to the lowest order, according to Dionysius Coel. Hier. v, ix).
4 Sed contra est quod in Psalmo custodia hominum attribuitur Angelis; quorum ordo est infimus, secundum Dionysium.
5 I answer that, As above stated Article 2), man is guarded in two ways; in one way by particular guardianship, according as to each man an angel is appointed to guard him; and such guardianship belongs to the lowest order of the angels, whose place it is, according to Gregory, to announce the lesser things; for it seems to be the least of the angelic offices to procure what concerns the salvation of only one man. The other kind of guardianship is universal, multiplied according to the different orders. For the more universal an agent is, the higher it is. Thus the guardianship of the human race belongs to the order of Principalities, or perhaps to the Archangels, whom we call the angel princes. Hence, Michael, whom we call an archangel, is also styled one of the princes Dan. 10, 13). Moreover all corporeal creatures are guarded by the Virtues; and likewise the demons by the Powers, and the good spirits by the Principalities, according to Gregory's opinion Hom. xxxiv in Ev.).
5 Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, homini custodia dupliciter adhibetur. Uno modo custodia particularis, secundum quod singulis hominibus singuli Angeli ad custodiam deputantur. Et talis custodia pertinet ad infimum ordinem Angelorum, quorum, secundum Gregorium, est minima nuntiare; hoc autem videtur esse minimum in officiis Angelorum, procurare ea quae ad unius hominis tantum salutem pertinent. Alia vero est custodia universalis. Et haec multiplicatur secundum diversos ordines, nam quanto agens fuerit universalius, tanto est superius. Sic igitur custodia humanae multitudinis pertinet ad ordinem principatuum, vel forte ad Archangelos, qui dicuntur principes Angeli, unde et Michael, quem Archangelum dicimus, unus de principibus dicitur Dan. X. Ulterius autem super omnes naturas corporeas habent custodiam virtutes. Et ulterius etiam super Daemones habent custodiam potestates. Et ulterius etiam super bonos spiritus habent custodiam principatus, secundum Gregorium.
6 Reply to Objection 1: Chrysostom can be taken to mean the highest in the lowest order of angels; for, as Dionysius says Coel. Hier. x) in each order there are first, middle, and last. It is, however, probable that the greater angels are deputed to keep those chosen by God for the higher degree of glory.
6 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod verbum Chrysostomi potest intelligi, ut loquatur de supremis in ordine infimo Angelorum, quia, ut Dionysius dicit, in quolibet ordine sunt primi, medii et ultimi. Est autem probabile quod maiores Angeli deputentur ad custodiam eorum qui sunt ad maiorem gradum gloriae a Deo electi.
7 Reply to Objection 2: Not all the angels who are sent have guardianship of individual men; but some orders have a universal guardianship, greater or less, as above explained.
7 Ad secundum dicendum quod non omnes Angeli qui mittuntur, habent particularem custodiam super singulos homines; sed quidam ordines habent universalem custodiam, magis vel minus, ut dictum est.
8 Reply to Objection 3: Even inferior angels exercise the office of the superior, as they share in their gifts, and they are executors of the superiors' power; and in this way all the angels of the lowest order can coerce the demons, and work miracles.
8 Ad tertium dicendum quod etiam inferiores Angeli exercent officia superiorum, inquantum aliquid de dono eorum participant, et se habent ad superiores sicut executores virtutis eorum. Et per hunc modum etiam Angeli infimi ordinis possunt et arcere Daemones, et miracula facere.