Dist. 6, Art. 2, Q. 1
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/6/q/bon-sent-II-d6-a2-q1
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### ARTICLE II.

*Into what the fallen angels fell.*

It is consequently asked, as regards the fall, into what they fell. First, whether they fell into hell as regards place. Secondly, whether into the infernal punishment.

### QUESTION I.

*Whether the angels fell into the infernal place.*

That they fell into the infernal place, it seems [so]:

1. Because the fall is so much the deeper, the loftier the rank: therefore if they fell from the highest place, as from the empyrean, it seems that they were thrust down into the lowest place, and thus into hell.

2. Likewise, to the holy Angels, on account of [their] cleanness and the light of wisdom, the cleanest and most luminous place is due, as the empyrean: therefore *conversely* to the demons, unclean and darkened, the most shadowy and unclean place is due; but that place is the lowest and subterranean, which is called *hell:* therefore etc.

3. Likewise, evil men after death descend at once into hell, as Job, twenty-first [chapter], says: *They spend their days in good things, and in a moment they go down to hell:* therefore since «this is to the Angels a fall, what to men is death», therefore they fell at once into the infernal place. *If thou sayest* that they are left outside hell for our exercising; *on the contrary:* man of himself is sufficiently prone to evil and can be sufficiently exercised by the passions of the flesh: therefore the exercisings by demons seem superfluous; and if God permits this, he seems to act unmercifully.

ON THE CONTRARY: 1. To the Ephesians, second [chapter]: *At one time you walked according to the prince of the power of this air; this* points to the material air: therefore the power of the devil is most of all in this air; but where his power is, [there] also [his] substance: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, it is constant that the devil tempts us, and tempted Christ, as is said in Matthew, fourth [chapter]; and about us not only Scripture teaches, but also experience: therefore since the Angel is there where he operates, and he operates around us: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, *in hell there is no redemption at all*, whence those who descend into hell never ascend: therefore if the demons had been cast down into hell, they could in no way come to us; but they do come: therefore they never descended into hell.

CONCLUSION.

*The place of the demons after the fall is ordinarily the murky air.*

I RESPOND: It must be said that, as is clear from the Scriptures, the place of the demons after the fall, until the day of judgment, is not the subterranean place which we call hell, but the murky air, in which generally the multitude of demons dwells. — But whether some have been *thrust down* into hell, this I do not know, nor do I find it determined by the Saints. But this I well believe, that some *descend* to torment souls, according as they have among themselves the appointed offices of malediction.

Now the reason why they are in this air is on account of human exercising. For as Augustine says: «God would never have made those whom he foreknew would be evil, unless he had likewise known for what uses of the good he would accommodate them». Hence the divine disposition requires this, that even from the prevaricating Angels it should draw and elicit in some manner the homage of the elect. For he knows well how to use the depraved wills of the evil; and therefore he did not thrust them into hell, but gave a place fitting for the demons themselves, both as regards the state of *sin* and as regards the state of *exercising* or warfare. For the murky air, by its *murk,* befits the shadowiness of fault, but by its *mobility* and *subtlety* befits angelic swiftness; whence, as has been shown to some holy men, they frequently fly around us like flies.

1. To that, then, which is objected, that [they fell] from the highest to the deepest; it must be said that it would conclude truly, if what they merited were wholly requited; but the Lord does not requite at once, but waits to cast them down thither together with men, to which the [demons] themselves by their perversity lead the sinner.

2. To that which is objected, that to the blessed Angels the highest place is due; it must be said that, although it is due to them, yet they are not always there, but also around us to fulfill their ministry. Likewise I say that, although the lowest and vilest place is due to the demons, yet it is deferred for them on account of our exercising.

3. To that which is objected concerning evil men after death etc., it must be said that it is not alike *altogether,* but only as regards the state of *impenitence.* For as regards the state of *demerit* or of *exercising* it is not alike, as will be better clear below; for the soul is not appointed to minister, as the Angel [is].

To that which is objected last, that God acts unmercifully with man; it must be said that [it is] not [so], but rather *mercy exalts itself above judgment*: because against the *tinder* [of concupiscence] he gives the spark of conscience, against the *demon* he gives the good Angel, and above this he gives his grace and his Holy Spirit, who conquers every power: *because neither death, nor life, nor principalities, nor powers can separate us from the charity of God*. Hence that love is a help prevailing over all and conquering all. For this [reason], that they might have exercising, because *virtue is perfected in infirmity,* God gives to his holy ones an *angel of Satan, that he may buffet them;* as he buffeted Paul.

SCHOLION.

I. On both questions of this article almost all the other doctors treat together. They differ among themselves only as regards q. 2, namely whether and how the demons already suffer the punishment of *fire,* supposing that they are not in the infernal place, but in the murky air. That the punishment of *fire,* but not of loss, is *deferred* until the last judgment, St. Bonaventure judges to be more probable (cf. below, d. 7, p. I, a. 1, q. 3). This same [view], or at least that the punishment of sense is less intense when the demons are not actually in hell, is the opinion of Alexander of Hales, Richard of Mediavilla, and Dionysius the Carthusian, who also cites Henry of Ghent and praises [him], that concerning the manner in which fire can effect a passion upon a spirit he writes «well subtly, catholically, and at length, Quodlibet 8» [q. 34]. But the opposite opinion, that the demons sustain the same punishment whether they are within hell or outside, seems now to be more commonly received, yet not as if it were of faith. St. Thomas (*Summa* 1, q. 64, a. 4, ad 3) teaches: «Although the demons are not actually bound by hellish fire, while they are in this murky air; yet from this very [fact], that they know that binding to be owed to them, their punishment is not *diminished*», (cf. the Commentary here, the single question, a. 3). Giles of Rome (here q. 2, a. 2) agrees as to the *fact,* that the demons carry with them the fire of hell (not however material [fire]), but he does not approve the assigned *reason,* using this argument, that «distance impedes any however spiritual *practical* action»; whence he himself places that reason in a *supernatural* divine action, «by which they are so affected by means of divine power, as if they were joined to a fire afflicting them, as an instrument of divine justice». On this the Seraphic [Doctor] disputes learnedly, IV *Sentences* d. 44, a. 3, q. 2. — The root of this dissension of whatever kind between Sts. Thomas and Bonaventure seems to consist in a diverse opinion concerning the *principle of passion in the Angels.* For according to St. Thomas in them grief is in the will, inasmuch as it is *operative,* not *receptive,* or «according as [affections] name simple acts of the will» (*Summa* 1, q. 64, a. 3). St. Bonaventure thinks otherwise (above, d. 3, p. I, a. 1).

II. In the 3rd fundamentum of question 2 it is asserted that the demons tempting man are to some extent delighted, namely with «impure joy», or «besprinkled with all bitterness» (d. 11, a. 2, q. 3, ad 6), as Alexander of Hales says (loc. cit. just [cited], m. 4, a. 1) and similarly Richard of Mediavilla, here a. 2, q. 2; which opinion seems to be common.

III. Besides those cited, on both questions there dispute at length Alexander of Hales, *Summa* p. II, q. 100, m. 5, a. 1, 2, 3, and m. 4, q. 102, m. 3, a. 9. — Bl. Albert, here a. 5-8; *Summa* p. II, tr. 5, q. 25, m. 2. — Peter of Tarentaise, here q. 2, a. 2. — Richard of Mediavilla, here a. 2, q. 1. — Giles of Rome, here q. 2, a. 1, 2. — Dionysius the Carthusian, here q. 3. — Biel, II *Sentences* d. 8, the single question, at the end.