Section V: On the Prudence of Individuals, from the Lowest Hierarchy

THE choirs of the lowest Hierarchy are the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels, who exhibit to subjects the norm of Prudence.

PRINCIPALITIES therefore, as St. Isidore says, are those Angels who above the rest possess the gift of reverence; hence their ministry is to teach men to show reverence to each one according to his degree.

Of these St. Dionysius, de coelest. Hier. cap. 6. The holy Principalities are Deiformly moved toward the principal principality, and restoratives of the inferior ones by holy and fitting ordination, and wholly convertive toward the super-principal Prince of every principality, and clearly manifestative of his ordination, etc. Therefore subjects are likened to Principalities; who, just as the Princes wish to preside over them without tyranny, so do they reverently obey them, and they also wonderfully reduce their inferiors, subject to them by Oeconomical subjection, to the laws of obedience, both toward God and toward Princes, whether Ecclesiastical or secular. Of these the Scriptures hand down many admonitions Rom. 13. Coloss. 3. prima Cor. 7. secunda Cor. 13. Lev. 19. Iob. 29. Most beautiful is the saying of Isa. 9. His principality was made upon his shoulder, etc.

HENCE he above all obtains true principality; for the obedient man shall speak of victories, and Iosue 10. The heavenly spheres, obedient, stood still at the voice of an obedient prince; nay, God obeyed the voice of a man, fighting for Israel. Therefore they themselves also ought to be reverent toward superiors; hence Exodi 22. Thou shalt not speak ill of the gods, and thou shalt not curse the prince of thy people. See the Saintly Doctor, cap. 1. de Eccl. Hierarchia.

IN subjects moreover there ought to be both cleanness and innocence, assimilating them to the Archangels. The Scriptures commend this cleanness Matth. 5. Prov. 22. In the resurrection they shall be as the Angels of God.

Of the Archangels St. Dionysius says that this order communicates with the Principalities and the superior orders, as to the reception of illuminations and its reduction to the first principle; they communicate also with the inferior ones through their reduction to God. For, united to God through the other superior orders by love, they strive to unite the Angels of the inferior order, and men, to God, just as they themselves are united; hence they are said to have a single and simple virtue. Therefore the innocent and chaste, especially Virgins, are like them, who by a wondrous example draw others to purity, and so are enriched with graces.

OBSERVES moreover the Saintly Doctor that the Archangels are always prelated over the more dignified offices, as he judges of Michael, Daniel. 10. Raphael, Tob. 6. Gabriel, Lucae 1.; on the contrary, impurity casts out and rejects men, as is evident in Samson Iud. 16. and in those senses Daniel. 13.; for he was blinded, weakened, and prostrated; those senses being overturned, they turned away their eyes, that they might not behold heaven. Therefore the Saintly Doctor warns, with D. Thom. and others, that Luxury especially harms Prudence, because it blinds the mind. See the Saintly Doctor treating this wondrously.

ANGELS finally are those who are immediately related to the Ecclesiastical hierarchy, so as to purify, perfect, and illuminate it, so that through them there be upward toward God action, conversion, communication, and union, as St. Dionysius says. Now Angel is the name of an office, not of a nature; hence they carry down to us the illuminations received from above. To these Angels good subjects are likened, on account of the works of mercy, which corresponds to the gift of Counsel annexed to Prudence. See the Saintly Doctor treating these exquisitely, where he enjoins solicitude in the works of piety, and swiftness and unwearying labor. Hence also the Angels are painted young and winged. From what has been said the other question can almost be defined.