Question XXVII: Whether demons, and the damned, are to be loved out of charity

I ASSERT that demons are not to be loved with charity. It is proved first by D. Bonaventure. Only those who are ordered to the same end of supernatural life are to be loved with Charity; but demons are not orderable to eternal life with us: Therefore. The major is certain: for where we have Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, it is expressed that only those are to be loved with Charity who can, like us, communicate in the same good that we wish for ourselves, as D. Augustine indicates, cited by the Master dist. 28. Note, however, that this is not expressly found in St. Augustine.

It is proved second by the Holy Doctor from that passage Luke 10 where Christ recites the Precepts: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart: and thy neighbor as thyself. But when Christ was asked, And who is my neighbor? He concludes: He who showed mercy upon him, namely upon the wounded man. Where the Gloss says: The neighbor is he upon whom mercy is bestowed, or who bestows it: But demons are not such: Therefore.

Maldonatus, moreover, OBSERVES on Matthew 5 that here neighbor is designated not according to the ancient law, which declared only Jews to be neighbor, and therefore excluded the gentiles; but in the Evangelic manner, where there is no distinction of Jew or Greek: Hence that foreign Samaritan is neighbor to the man who fell among robbers, whom he helped with deeds; for he was not only neighbor to him, but also presented himself with him as Neighbor.

Neighbor, moreover, is called by MANY NAMES in Scripture. First, by kinship, Psalm 37. My friends and my neighbors drew near against me, and stood. Psalm 34. As though a neighbor, and as though our brother, so I pleased. Second, by Religion, Ecclesiasticus 15. He will exalt him among his neighbors, and in this sense the ancient law spoke, at least according to the understanding of the Jews, not including enemies, that is, Pagans. Third, by communication in nature and in the supreme end; and thus man is neighbor to man, and the good Angel is neighbor, as D. Augustine teaches, book 1. de doctrina Christiana, cap. 30. Last, neighbor is said by proof from effects, and thus even that foreign Samaritan, who showed mercy, is truly neighbor, as Christ says. This from St. Bonaventure on that text of Luke.

It is proved third by the Holy Doctor, because Charity is borne toward those like us, either because they are just and communicate in spiritual life, or because they can be just and capable of glory, as D. Augustine says, 8. de Trinit. cap. 6. But demons are not such: Therefore.

It is proved fourth by the Holy Doctor. The Church militant is a Sister conformed to the Church triumphant, and is therefore so called: Descending from heaven, Apocalypse 21. But the triumphant Court does not love demons: Therefore.

It is proved fifth, because Charity does not comprehend those who are eternally separated from the Charity of Christ. Other authors use these arguments; see Tanner disp. 2. quaest. 3. dub. 1.

Almost all the ARGUMENTS to the contrary are solved by the Holy Doctor, granting that for natural friendship conformity in nature and in companionship suffices: But Charity means a supernatural friendship, for which demons are not fit.

You will say first: Demons benefit us toward merit and glory: Therefore they are to be loved with Charity.

The Holy Doctor REPLIES: they benefit us against their own intention; therefore they contribute nothing to this.

You will say second: demons contribute to the honor of God and to justice being exalted: Therefore, since Charity loves God's honor, we ought also to love demons.

The Holy Doctor REPLIES: this is true at most of that which contributes of itself by its own ordination. Therefore demons are indeed matter of the Divine justice worthy of praise, inasmuch as they are punished and forever deprived of beatitude; and hence we rise up to the praise of God; yet they are not objects of Charity, which requires an ordination in itself to beatitude, or at least as a means, such as the gifts of grace are.