Question Three of Chapter Five of the Second Decade
That they have no sadness over the damnation of the one guarded
It is asked whether angels are afflicted and grieve over the evils and the damnation of those guarded.
To this it is answered as follows. Angels take neither a loss of their glory, nor groaning, nor sadness from the evils and the damnation of the one guarded.
This is proved by a threefold reason: namely, by reason of immunity, happiness, and conformity.
First, by reason of immunity from guilt, as follows. Sadness is a certain punishment. But punishment exists only in one in whom sin is present, was present, or could have been present.
But in the good angels sin was not present, is not present, and cannot be present. Therefore, sadness cannot be present in them.
Second, this same thing is proved by reason of happiness in the fatherland, as follows. Angels are in perfect happiness. But perfect happiness—such as is the happiness of the fatherland—does not admit any misery together with itself, because, just as it includes every good, so it excludes every evil.
But all sadness pertains to misery and is to be fled, according to the Philosopher in Book II of the Ethics. Therefore, the blessed angels cannot be sad.
Third, this same thing is proved by reason of conformity to the supreme rule, which is God, as follows. The will of the blessed is perfectly conformed and joined to the divine will.
But guilt exists from the divine will permissively, and punishment effectively. Therefore, whatever exists is willed by God; and just as it is willed by God, so it is willed by the blessed angels.
Whence, just as there is nothing over which God grieves, so there is nothing over which the angels grieve.
Whence they are saddened neither over the sins of human beings, since these are willed by God indirectly, namely permissively, nor over the punishment of the damned, since it is willed by God directly, namely effectively.
But in both cases they rejoice over the just permission and punishment, on account of the conformity which they possess with divine justice. For this reason we say that the saints do not suffer with the damned, but indeed rejoice over their punishments.
And if it should be said, “They rejoice over the good things of the one guarded; therefore, they are saddened over his evil things,” the consequence is denied, because rejoicing follows their nature, but being saddened does not.
And if it is also sometimes found in Scripture that they are saddened and weep—as is said in Isaiah, chapter 33, “The angels of peace will weep bitterly”—and in the Lives of the Fathers it is read concerning a certain angel who followed a certain monk when he consented to a sin, striking his hands together and weeping, and afterward, when the monk had been converted, approached him laughing and rejoicing, all these things must be understood metaphorically and accepted according to a certain similitude of operations, not according to weakness of affections.
These things are from Thomas, First Part, question 113, article 7; Bonaventure, Book II of the Sentences, distinction 11; Alexander, Second Part of the Summa, question 42, article 2; and Richard, Book II, distinction 12, question 3.