Dist. 5, Art. 3, 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/5/q/bon-sent-II-d5-a3-q2
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### QUESTION II.

*Whether in the conversion of the good Angels merit preceded the reward, or conversely.*

Secondly it is asked about the conversion of the good [Angels] in comparison to the reward, and it is asked whether in their conversion the merit follows the reward, or precedes [it]. And that it precedes, it seems.

1. Augustine, On Correction and Grace: «The holy Angels, who stood while the others were falling, merited to receive the reward of that life»: if therefore they merited to receive [it], the merit preceded the receiving of the reward.

2. Likewise, merit is the way to the reward; but, proceeding in right order, the state of the wayfarer is prior to that of the comprehensor, and the way [prior] to the fatherland: therefore in the Angels there was merit before the reward.

3. Likewise, a disposition precedes that to which it disposes, either in time or in nature; but grace is the disposition to glory: therefore if God gave the Angels grace, by which they could merit, and glory, by which they are blessed, they had grace before glory. But grace, when it finds the free will in due act, makes it meritorious: therefore if the free will of the Angel at the entrance of grace and glory was in act, then it had a meritorious motion before a glorious one.

4. Likewise, it seems *by an impossibility,* because God gave the Angels glory, then either to the *worthy* or to the *unworthy.* If to the *unworthy;* he acted unjustly and inordinately, which is impossible: therefore he gave [it] to the *worthy.* But no one is worthy of a crown except through merits: therefore etc.

5. Likewise, if one merits a habit while he serves God and uses well what he has: therefore, since everyone persevering in grace uses it well, he who perseveres in grace merits it; but what is from merits is not grace: therefore by meriting grace, it would cease to be grace.

6. Likewise, if the reward precedes the merit, I ask: what is that merit? Either with respect to the act of *contemplation,* or of *ministry.* Not of *contemplation;* for thus all the Blessed would merit; if with respect to the act of *ministry,* then it seems that, if there were no man, the Angel could not merit, therefore neither would he be worthy to be beatified; which is plainly false.

On the contrary: 1. Against this is what the Master says in the text, that it pleases him more, that they merit the habit already had.

2. Likewise, *by reason.* The Angels, while they minister to us, merit something, since out of great charity and liberality they condescend to us, and ministry is not the act of a comprehensor, but rather of a wayfarer; then either they merit the *habit*, or what is *to be had.* If the *habit,* I have [my] thesis, that the merit follows the reward; if what is *to be had,* then therefore, since they merit beatitude, they are not blessed; if *something other* than beatitude, then their merit is not perfect nor necessary. *Moreover,* whatever they merit, since *hope that is deferred afflicts the soul*, it seems that such a merit with respect to a thing to be had cannot stand with the state of beatitude.

3. Likewise, great rewards ought not to be given without great merits, and great merits are not without great services: therefore, since the Angels have great rewards, and great services did not precede, in which they merited, then [the merits] ought to follow.

4. Likewise, according as God gives more, he exacts more from the creature: if therefore he gave a greater strength of virtue to the Angel than to man, then he requires also greater services. But man is not glorified except through many labors: therefore neither ought the Angel to be glorified without works; but works did not precede, but only the motion of the affection: therefore [the merits] must follow.

### Conclusion.

> In the Angels merit preceded the reward, not in time, but in nature.

**I respond:** It must be said that concerning this, as the Master says, there was a twofold opinion. For some said that in the Angels the reward precedes the merit, and of this position was the Master; and to posit this they were moved reasonably both as to the *motive* and as to the *manner.* As to the *motive:* because they understood that there is no merit without grace, nor a great merit where there is not a great service, and in the Angels, on account of the swiftness and fitness of [their] nature, grace and glory are given simultaneously in duration; they said that in the Angels merit could not precede the reward — the merit, I say, of condignity — but only, if anything precedes, this is the merit of *congruity,* but the merit of *condignity* follows. This also instigated them to posit it, that merit of a thing *to be had* sounds of an indigence, which does not seem able to stand with glory. — The *manner* of this merit we can sufficiently advert to in soldiers, who by fighting well merit the horse given before the merits. — But this opinion, although it is probable, yet has many things adverse to it, which were touched in objecting.

On account of which there was another position, that in the Angels merit preceded the reward, not in *time,* but in *nature.* And they assign the reason for this: because grace naturally precedes glory, and grace, when it finds a motion ordered in the free will, makes [it] meritorious, and merit is weighed according to the quantity of grace, not according to the multitude of works; therefore, since perfect grace was given to the Angels, and the free will wholly cooperated with grace, they say that in their conversion they sufficiently merited glorification. — And this position is more reasonable and has a better foundation, because merit requires and is founded in the perfection of the will, not in the multitude of operation. This the modern doctors commonly hold; therefore this is to be adhered to.

*To 1.* To that which is objected concerning the Master, it must be said that in this opinion, as also in many others, he does not assent to him. 

*To 2.* To that which is objected, that they merit; it must be said that there is a *substantial* reward, and this they merited by the conversion of themselves into God; and there is an *accidental* reward, and this they merit by the ministry which they perform to man. And because it is accidental to beatitude, therefore without such a reward beatitude can stand together with its merit; nor are they afflicted by the expectation, just as neither are the blessed souls by the reception of the second stole, and still less, because they are less inclined [to it].

*To 3.* To that which is objected, that great rewards require great merits; it must be said that the magnitude of merit does not consist principally in the exterior work, but in the interior. Whence, just as the devil sinned much on account of [his] wicked will, even though he did nothing exteriorly; so, on the contrary, the good Angels merited much.

*To 4.* To that which is objected concerning man, it must be said that man is not moved so quickly as the Angel; therefore he has a longer time of meriting. And therefore it is not similar; but this will be clearer below, in distinction seven.