Dist. 11, Art. 2, Q. 2
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/2/d/11/q/bon-sent-II-d11-a2-q2
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### Question II.

### *Whether joy is increased for the guarding Angel from the beatification of the one in his custody.*

Second, it is asked whether from the beatification of the one in his custody joy is increased for the guarding Angel. And that it is, seems [so]:

*Arguments for the affirmative side.* 1. Luke chapter fifteen: *There is joy among the Angels of God over one sinner doing penance, more than over the ninety-nine just.* From this text it is clear that from the conversion of a sinner joy accrues to the Angels of God: therefore much more from his beatification.

2. Likewise, the Angel in ministering to a man merits something; but he does not merit what he *has*, as has been proved above: therefore he merits what *is to be had*. But what is recompensed for merit is joy: therefore he merits greater joy.

3. Likewise, the Angel has perfect charity, therefore he loves his neighbor as himself; but where there is equal love of an equal good, there is equal joy: if therefore the Angel loves the one whom he guards as himself, he rejoices over his salvation as much as over his own: therefore it seems that his joy is doubled.

4. Likewise, wherever there is the completion of a desire, there is joy and delight: therefore where some desire is newly completed, joy accrues anew; but the Angel desires that the one he guards be saved: therefore when he is saved, it is necessary that the Angel rejoice over his salvation. But previously he did not rejoice over this, because it did not exist: therefore it seems that a new joy accrues to him.

5. Likewise, in the Angels who guard men cognition can grow, as the Master proves in the text; but if cognition can grow, by the same reason by which cognition grows, by the same reason also love [grows]: and if love, therefore joy and delight.

6. Likewise, in one who rejoices in due order, as the matter for rejoicing grows, so also joy grows; but in the heavenly Jerusalem the matter of joy from Christ and his members, whom the blessed Angels minister to, has grown and is growing: therefore it seems that joy grows in them. That the matter of joy has grown is clear both on account of Christ's exaltation, and on account of the repair of the angelic ruin, and on account of the recovery of lost man; all of which are matter of joy for a well-ordered affection, especially for the angelic affection, since it is most ordered.

**On the contrary:** *For the negative side.* 1. «Beatitude is a state perfect by the gathering together of all goods»; but where the state is perfect, there is no advance: therefore if in the blessed Angels there is perfect and full joy, therefore it does not seem that it should receive any increment from anything.

2. Likewise, joy is of the essence of beatitude, just as charity also is: therefore if joy can grow in them, the habit of charity can also grow in them; but if charity can grow, it can be altered in them: therefore it can be lost in them.

3. Likewise, created good, compared to uncreated good, is as a point to a line: therefore if the blessed Angel rejoices in each thing as it ought to be rejoiced in, he rejoices disproportionately more in God than he rejoices in any created thing: therefore as a point added to a line does not increase the line, so the creature with the Creator is not a greater matter of rejoicing than the creating essence itself by itself: therefore since the Angel rejoices in the eternal truth itself, on account of some created thing it does not seem that joy grows in him.

4. Likewise, if joy grows in the Angel on account of the beatitude of the one whom he guards; but the one who is guarded can impede his own beatitude: therefore he can impede the perfection of angelic joy; if this is false, since it is against the account of true beatitude, then so also the first [claim].

### Conclusion.

> *The essential joy of the Angels can in no way be augmented; but it is more probable that the accidental joy can grow not only extensively, but also intensively.*

**I respond:** It must be said that *joy in the Angel* growing *Distinction.* can be understood in two ways: either *extensively*, or *intensively*. It is said to grow *extensively* when one rejoices in many things; but *intensively* when one's affection rejoices more copiously in a single thing. If therefore *Conclusion 1.* we understand the increase of joy according to the first mode, in this way it is without doubt true, and the doctors commonly hold this, that joy accrues to the blessed Angels themselves, because they rejoice in many things, inasmuch as more are saved. — But if we speak of the growth of joy as to the second mode, *Subdistinction.* namely as to *intension*, then a distinction must be made; for joy is twofold. For there is joy in which the *substantial* reward consists; and this is joy in uncreated good, which the Angel has in God and concerning God. There is again joy in which the *accidental* reward consists; and this is the joy which the Angel has in created good, whether his own or another's.

There were therefore those who said that in the blessed *Opinion 1.* Angels both joys grow *intensively*, because they are not yet perfectly blessed, although they are confirmed; of whose opinion the Master seems to have been. But because this does not seem probable, as it was disproved above at the fifth distinction, where the conversion of the Angels is treated; therefore there were others who said *Opinion 2.* that neither joy grows in them *intensively*, but only *extensively*, but their charity is not greater than it was from the beginning, although now more love than then.

But because this still does not seem very probable, that the matter of joy should accrue to the Angels without joy too being in some way intensified; therefore there is *Opinion 3.* a third mode of speaking, that in the Angels joy in no way grows, in which the *essential* reward consists, because *Conclusion.* as to that they are perfectly blessed; but the joy in which the *accidental* reward consists can grow not only *extensively*, but *Conclusion.* also *intensively*, and by reason of *one's own* good and by reason of *conjoined* good; because by ministering to others they do good works in which they merit the *accidental* reward; and they also lead their fellow-citizens to beatitude, over whom without doubt they rejoice and congratulate. — And this third position seems to be more probable, and according to it the response to the opposing sides is clear. For the reasons showing that from our *To the arguments for the affirmative side.* beatification joy accrues to the Angels, conclude only of *accidental* joy, which regards the good [in question], in which however the augmentation of *essential* reward does not consist.

But the reasons on the contrary proceed or *To the arguments for the negative side.* conclude of *substantial* joy, by reason of which the Angel is perfectly blessed, and which corresponds to the quantity of habit, and which regards uncreated good; and this indeed does not grow in him, as those reasons show. — *To the 4th argument.* The last reason, however, does not conclude that man can impede angelic joy; because, as will better appear soon, the Angel so congratulates over the salvation of men that he is nevertheless not saddened by their damnation; and so the impediment of our salvation places no defect in angelic joy or reward. Nevertheless it does not seem inconvenient if it be granted that some accidental joy of the Angel himself can be impeded; but that will be better explained through the next problem.

### Scholion.

**I.** On this second question other older masters either are silent or in a few words settle the matter in solving the following third question, consenting in their solution with St. Bonaventure. — But other commentators are accustomed to treat in this place various other questions, which regard in general the advance of the good Angels in the cognition both of God and of other things, as S. Thom., here q. 2. a. 1-4; Petr. a Tar., here q. 2. a. 1-4; Richard. a Med., here a. 2. q. 1. 2, who teach that the Angels can advance in the cognition of caused things, but not in the vision of God.

**II.** On the third question: Alex. Hal., S. p. II. q. 41. m. 6. a. 2. — S. Thom., here q. 1. a. 5; S. I. q. 113. a. 7. — B. Albert., S. p. II. tr. 9. q. 36. m. 6. — Petr. a Tar., here q. 2. a. 5. — Richard. a Med., here a. 2. q. 3. — Aegid. R., here q. 2. a. 4. — Dionys. Carth., here q. 4.

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