Sentences, Books I–II

Chapter 1 (47).

On the distinction of the orders, and how many there are. After what has been said, it remains to learn what Scripture teaches about the orders of angels; in several places 3 it declares that there are nine orders of angels: Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim. — In these orders three groups of three are found, with three orders in each, to suggest that the likeness of the Trinity is impressed upon them.

Hence Dionysius 1 teaches that there are three orders of angels, placing three in each. There are three higher, three lower, and three middle orders. The higher are Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; the middle, Dominations, Principalities, and Powers; the lower, Virtues, Archangels, and Angels.

Chapter 2 (48).

1. What is called an order, and the meaning of each name. Here we must consider what is called an order, and then 2 whether these orders were distinguished from the very creation.

2. An order of angels is a multitude of heavenly spirits who resemble one another in some gift of grace, just as they share in gifts of nature. For example, Seraphim are those who burn with love more than the others: Seraphim means burning or kindling 3. Cherubim are those who excel others in knowledge: Cherubim means fullness of knowledge 4. Throne means seat; Thrones, as blessed Gregory says 5, are those filled with the grace of divinity, so that God sits in them and through them decrees and forms his judgments. Dominations are those who surpass Principalities and Powers. Principalities are those who arrange for their subjects what is to be done and preside over them in accomplishing divine mysteries. Powers are those who have received this more potently than others in their order, so that hostile powers subject to them are restrained by their power and cannot tempt human beings as much as they desire. Virtues are those through whom signs and miracles frequently occur; Archangels announce greater things, Angels lesser things.

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² ‘participation’ (NW; ‘or participation’ added between the lines in T, omitted in CMX). 17 ‘decrees’] ‘discerns’ BCNOPVX. ‘and forms’ is the original reading in LMRTX. 22 ‘tempt as much’ transposed in LMT.]

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Chapter 3 (49).

1. These names were given to them for our sake, not their own; they are taken from gifts of grace which they do not possess individually but excellently, and each order is named from its principal gift. These names were given to them for our sake, not their own. For they are known to themselves by contemplation, but become known to us by naming. Each order is named from gifts of grace that are given not individually but excellently in participation. In that heavenly homeland, where the good is complete, although some gifts are given excellently, nothing is possessed individually. For all things are in all, not equally, since some possess them more sublimely than others, though all possess them. Although the higher orders received all gifts of grace more sublimely and perfectly, they nevertheless took their names from the principal gifts, leaving the others to the lower orders as their names. Thus Seraphim, considered the most excellent order, received love, knowledge of divinity, and the other gifts of virtue more sublimely than all the others; yet that highest order took its name from the most excellent gift, love. For love is a greater gift than knowledge 1; and again, knowing is greater than judging, since knowledge informs judgment. Therefore the second order was named from the second gift, namely the knowledge of truth: Cherubim. The same should be understood of the others.

2. The excellence of the orders is therefore assigned according to the excellence of their gifts; yet, as Gregory says 2, those gifts are common to all. For all burn with love and are full of knowledge, and the same is true of the other gifts; but some received them more excellently than others, as was said, and are named from them. Hence Gregory says: "In that highest city each order is designated by the name of the gift it received more fully."

3. And Gregory's statements. Here, however, a question arises: if each order is named from the gift it possesses more fully, then Cherubim excel all in knowledge, because they are named from knowledge. But the one who loves more knows more: as an authoritative text teaches 1, each there knows as much as he loves. Thus Seraphim excel not only in love but also in knowledge.

4. Explanation of that authoritative text. Therefore that text seems to be understood in this way: the comparison does not refer to all the orders, but to some, namely the lower ones. That order does not receive knowledge more fully as a gift than Seraphim, but more fully than the other, lower orders. Nor is each order named from everything it received more fully than the others, but from one of the things it received.

5. Another resolution of the same question. Or the comparison may refer not to the orders themselves but to other gifts—and not to all the other gifts, but to some. For just as human beings, though they have many gifts, possess some more excellently than others, so perhaps angels excel in some gifts and are less excellent in others.

Chapter 4 (50).

1. Whether the orders were distinguished in this way from the beginning of creation. It now remains to inquire whether these orders were distinguished in this way from the beginning of creation. That they were so distinguished from the first moment of their condition seems to be suggested by the testimony of an authoritative text 3, which says that some fell from each order. For Lucifer belonged to the higher order, than whom no one was created more dignified 4. The Apostle also names the Principalities and Powers of darkness 5, showing that some fell from those orders; although they exercise a ministry among evil things, they were not entirely deprived of the names of their orders.

Chapter 3. Almost everything is from Hugh, On the Sacraments, I, 5, 32 (PL 176, 261 D–262 A); a few additions, near the end, are from the Summa of Sentences, II, 5 (PL 171, 1113 B–D; 176, 86 A–C). Chapter 4. Partly from the Summa of Sentences, II, 5 (PL 171, 1113 B–D; 176, 86 A–C).

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2. But this does not seem tenable. For then they did not burn with love or abound in wisdom, nor did God dwell in them: had they possessed these things, they would not have fallen. Therefore they were not then Seraphim, Cherubim, or Thrones.

3. That these orders did not exist before the Fall, because they did not yet possess the gifts of grace which, they say, were bestowed on some after others fell. To this we reply that before the fall of some, these orders did not exist, because they did not yet possess the gifts in whose participation they agree. When some fell, those gifts were bestowed on the others; the same gifts would have been given to those who fell if they had remained. Therefore Scripture says that some fell from each order, not because they had belonged to the orders and then fallen, but because, had they remained, some of them would have belonged to each order. They had different ranks in subtlety of nature and clarity of form, just like those who remained. — For, as we said earlier 1, some were created higher and others lower: the higher were subtler by nature and more discerning in wisdom, the lower less subtle by nature and less discerning in understanding. Only he could weigh these invisible differences among invisible things who arranged all things in number, measure, and weight 2. (Augustine, On Genesis 3:) "that is, in himself, who is the measure that sets a limit for every thing, the number that gives each thing its form, and the weight that draws every thing to stability—that is, limits, forms, and orders all things."

Chapter 5 (51).

1. Whether all angels of the same order are equal. We should also consider whether all angels of the same order are equal. Some have thought so, but this is neither probable nor worth asserting, because Lucifer, who belonged to the company of the higher angels, was more dignified even than those who had been created more excellent than others. From this we understand that, had he remained, he would have been in the higher order and would have been more dignified than the others in that same order.

2. He shows by analogy that not all members of the same order are equal. For just as there is one order of Apostles and another of Martyrs, yet among the Apostles some are more dignified than others, and likewise among Martyrs some are higher than others, so it is rightly believed to be among the orders of angels.

Chapter 6 (52).

1. How Scripture can say that a tenth order is completed from human beings when there are only nine orders. It should also be noted that Scripture says 1 the tenth order is to be restored from human beings. But since there are only nine orders, and there would not have been more even if those who fell had remained, readers wonder how Scripture can say that a tenth order is completed from human beings.

2. For Gregory says 3 that human beings are taken up into the order of angels: some into the order of the higher angels, those who burn more with love; others into the order of the lower angels, those who are less perfect. It follows that a tenth order is not to be formed from human beings, as though there were nine angelic orders and a tenth of human beings; rather, human beings are placed in the angelic orders according to the quality of their merits.

3. Thus what is read about the tenth order being completed from human beings may be understood in this sense. What fell among the angels will be restored from human beings: so many fell that a tenth order could have been made from them. For this reason the Apostle says 4 that all things, those in heaven and those on earth, are restored in Christ, because the human race was redeemed through Christ, and from it the angelic loss is repaired. Nevertheless, humanity would still have been saved even if no angel had fallen.

Chapter 6. Summa of Sentences, II, 5 (PL 171, 1114 B–D; 176, 87 A–C); Hugh, On the Sacraments, I, 5, 30 (PL 176, 260 D); Honorius of Autun, Book of Twelve Questions, q. 5 (PL 172, 1180s).

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⁷ ‘that’ LRVX.]

Chapter 7 (53).

1. Human beings are admitted to blessedness according to the number of angels who remained, not those who fell. For human beings are admitted to blessedness according to the number of those who remained, not those who fell. Hence Gregory says: "That heavenly city consists of angels and human beings; we believe that as many of the human race will ascend to it as angels happened to remain there, as it is written in the Song of Deuteronomy: ‘He fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the angels of God.’" 2

2. Some say that human beings are to be restored according to the number of fallen angels. Some nevertheless think 3 that human beings are restored according to the number of angels who fell, so that the heavenly city is deprived neither of the number of its citizens nor rules with a larger multitude. — Augustine seems to think this in the Enchiridion 4, not asserting that more human beings are saved than angels fell, but only that no fewer are saved. He says: "The heavenly Jerusalem, our mother 5, the city of God, will not be defrauded of any number of its citizens, or perhaps will even reign with a greater multitude. For we do not know the number either of holy human beings or of unclean demons, in whose place the children of the Catholic mother, who seemed barren on earth 6, will remain without end in that peace from which those others fell. But the number of those citizens, whether it is, was, or will be, lies in the contemplation of that maker who calls things that are not as though they were 7." Behold, he clearly says that no fewer human beings are saved than angels fell, but he does not assert that more are saved.