Thursday, November 30, 2006

Q60 A3: Whether the angel loves himself with both natural love, and love of choice?

Yes. The angel does love himself both with natural love and a love of choice because love for others comes of love for oneself.

It is manifest that in things devoid of knowledge, everything naturally seeks to procure what is good for itself; as fire seeks to mount upwards. Consequently both angel and man naturally seek their own good and perfection. This is to love self.

Hence angel and man naturally love self, in so far as by natural appetite each desires what is good for self. On the other hand, each loves self with the love of choice, in so far as from choice he wishes for something which will benefit himself.