Question One. Whether a Superior Angel can illumine an Inferior Angel

1. About the ninth distinction when the Master [Lombard] deals with the orders of angels, I ask, where it pertains to the superior angels to illumine the inferior, whether a superior angel can illumine an inferior one.a

a. a[Interpolation] About the ninth distinction, where the Master deals with the distinction of orders, of gifts, of offices of the angels, a question arises about the illumination of the inferior angels by the superior ones, and this in the multitude of the blessed angels...

2. That he cannot:

To ‘illumine’ means either to cause light or to intensify a caused light. But an angel can do neither. He cannot do the first because to cause light in another angel is only possible through creation (but an angel cannot create, as Damascene says, ch.17); he cannot do the second because ‘a habit is caused by the same thing that intensifies it’ according to the Philosopher Ethics 2.2.1104a27-28.

3. Further, second: all change is between opposites -     therefore everything that is illumined was first dark; but in the blessed angels there is no darkness; therefore etc     .

4. Further, third: a superior angel is a superior light with respect to an inferior; but in bodies a greater light darkens a lesser light or at any rate impedes its effect (as is plain, because during the day the stars are not seen in the presence of the sun); therefore, by similarity, in the issue at hand a superior angel will impede an inferior one from operation - therefore he will not perfect him by illumining him.

Damascene ch.17, 18 [“It is manifest that those who are eminent hand on illumination and knowledge to the inferior.”]