" For
since the movement of the sun follows a circle, those things which are
subject to the sun's power must needs have some kind of circular
movement.
since the movement of the sun follows a circle, those things which are
subject to the sun's power must needs have some kind of circular
movement.
Summa Theologica
" And
forasmuch as by redeeming mankind He restored not only man but all
creatures without exception---inasmuch as all creatures are bettered
through man's restoration, according to Col. 1:20, "Making peace
through the blood of His cross, both as to things on earth, and the
things that are in heaven"---it follows that through His Passion Christ
merited lordship and judicial power not over man alone, but over all
creatures, according to Mat. 28:18, "All power is given to Me, in
heaven and in earth" [*Cf. TP, Q[59]].
Reply to Objection 1: Christ, in respect of His Divine nature, has
authority of lordship over all creatures by right of creation; but in
respect of His human nature He has authority of lordship merited
through His Passion. The latter is secondary so to speak and acquired,
while the former is natural and eternal.
Reply to Objection 2: Although Christ as man has not of Himself
invincible power resulting from the natural power of the human species,
nevertheless there is also in His human nature an invincible power
derived from His Godhead, whereby all things are subjected under His
feet (1 Cor. 15:25-28; Heb. 2:8,9). Hence He will judge in His human
nature indeed, but by the power of His Godhead.
Reply to Objection 3: Christ would not have sufficed for the redemption
of mankind, had He been a mere man. Wherefore from the very fact that
He was able as man to redeem mankind, and thereby obtained judicial
power, it is evident that He is God, and consequently is to be honored
equally with the Father, not as man but as God.
Reply to Objection 4: In that vision of Daniel the whole order of the
judicial power is clearly expressed. This power is in God Himself as
its first origin, and more especially in the Father Who is the fount of
the entire Godhead; wherefore it is stated in the first place that the
"Ancient of days sat. " But the judicial power was transmitted from the
Father to the Son, not only from eternity in respect of the Divine
nature, but also in time in respect of the human nature wherein He
merited it. Hence in the aforesaid vision it is further stated (Dan.
7:13,14): "Lo, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,
and He came even to the Ancient of days . . . And He gave Him power and
glory, and a kingdom. "
Reply to Objection 5: Augustine is speaking by a kind of appropriation,
so as to trace the effects which Christ wrought in the human nature to
causes somewhat similar to them. And since we are made to the image and
likeness of God in respect of our soul, and are of the same species as
the man Christ in respect of our body, he ascribes to the Godhead the
effects wrought by Christ in our souls, and those which He wrought or
will work in our bodies he ascribes to His flesh; although His flesh,
as being the instrument of His Godhead, has also its effect on our
souls as Damascene asserts (De Fide Orth. iii, 15), according to the
saying of Heb. 9:14, that His "blood" hath cleansed "our conscience
from dead works. " And thus that "the Word was made flesh" is the cause
of the resurrection of souls; wherefore also according to His human
nature He is becomingly the Judge not only of bodily but also of
spiritual goods [*Cf. [5113]TP, Q[56], A[2], ad 1].
__________________________________________________________________
Whether at the judgment Christ will appear in His glorified humanity?
Objection 1: It would seem that at the judgment Christ will not appear
in His glorified humanity. For a gloss [*St. Augustine, Tract. cxx in
Joan. ] on Jn. 19:37, "They shall look on him whom they pierced," says:
"Because He will come in the flesh wherein He was crucified. " Now He
was crucified in the form of weakness. Therefore He will appear in the
form of weakness and not in the form of glory.
Objection 2: Further, it is stated (Mat. 24:30) that "the sign of the
Son of man shall appear in heaven," namely, "the sign of the cross," as
Chrysostom says (Hom. lxxvii in Matth. ), for "Christ when coming to the
judgment will show not only the scars of His wounds but even His most
shameful death. " Therefore it seems that He will not appear in the form
of glory.
Objection 3: Further, Christ will appear at the judgment under that
form which can be gazed upon by all. Now Christ will not be visible to
all, good and wicked, under the form of His glorified humanity: because
the eye that is not glorified is seemingly unproportionate to see the
clarity of a glorified body. Therefore He will not appear under a
glorified form.
Objection 4: Further, that which is promised as a reward to the
righteous is not granted to the unrighteous. Now it is promised as a
reward to the righteous that they shall see the glory of His humanity
(Jn. 10:9): "He shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures, i. e.
refreshment in His Godhead and humanity," according to the commentary
of Augustine [*De Spiritu et Anima, work of an unknown author. St.
Thomas, De Anima, ascribes it to Alcherus, a Cistercian monk; see
above[5114] Q[70], A[2], ad 1] and Is. 33:17: "His eyes shall see the
King in his beauty. " Therefore He will not appear to all in His
glorified form.
Objection 5: Further, Christ will judge in the form wherein He was
judged: wherefore a gloss [*St. Augustine, Tract. xix, in Joan. ] on Jn.
5:21, "So the Son also giveth life to whom He will," says: "He will
judge justly in the form wherein He was judged unjustly, that He may be
visible to the wicked. " Now He was judged in the form of weakness.
Therefore He will appear in the same form at the judgment.
On the contrary, It is written (Lk. 21:27): "Then they shall see the
Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty. " Now majesty
and power pertain to glory. Therefore He will appear in the form of
glory.
Further, he who judges should be more conspicuous than those who are
judged. Now the elect who will be judged by Christ will have a
glorified body. Much more therefore will the Judge appear in a
glorified form.
Further, as to be judged pertains to weakness, so to judge pertains to
authority and glory. Now at His first coming when Christ came to be
judged, He appeared in the form of weakness. Therefore at the second
coming, when He will come to judge, He will appear in the form of
glory.
I answer that, Christ is called the mediator of God and men (1 Tim.
2:5) inasmuch as He satisfies for men and intercedes for them to the
Father, and confers on men things which belong to the Father, according
to Jn. 17:22, "The glory which Thou hast given Me, I have given to
them. " Accordingly then both these things belong to Him in that He
communicates with both extremes: for in that He communicates with men,
He takes their part with the Father, and in that He communicates with
the Father, He bestows the Father's gifts on men. Since then at His
first coming He came in order to make satisfaction for us to the
Father, He came in the form of our weakness. But since at His second
coming He will come in order to execute the Father's justice on men, He
will have to show forth His glory which is in Him by reason of His
communication with the Father: and therefore He will appear in the form
of glory.
Reply to Objection 1: He will appear in the same flesh, but not under
the same form.
Reply to Objection 2: The sign of the cross will appear at the
judgment, to denote not a present but a past weakness: so as to show
how justly those were condemned who scorned so great mercy, especially
those who persecuted Christ unjustly. The scars which will appear in
His body will not be due to weakness, but will indicate the exceeding
power whereby Christ overcame His enemies by His Passion and infirmity.
He will also show forth His most shameful death, not by bringing it
sensibly before the eye, as though He suffered it there; but by the
things which will appear then, namely the signs of His past Passion, He
will recall men to the thought of His past death.
Reply to Objection 3: A glorified body has it in its power to show
itself or not to show itself to an eye that is not glorified, as stated
above ([5115]Q[85], A[2], ad 3). Hence Christ will be visible to all in
His glorified form.
Reply to Objection 4: Even as our friend's glory gives us pleasure, so
the glory and power of one we hate is most displeasing to us. Hence as
the sight of the glory of Christ's humanity will be a reward to the
righteous, so will it be a torment to Christ's enemies: wherefore it is
written (Is. 26:11): "Let the envious people see and be confounded and
let fire" (i. e. envy) "devour Thy enemies. "
Reply to Objection 5: Form is taken there for human nature wherein He
was judged and likewise will judge; but not for a quality of nature,
namely of weakness, which will not be the same in Him when judging as
when judged (Cf. ad 2).
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the Godhead can be seen by the wicked without joy?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Godhead can be seen by the wicked
without joy. For there can be no doubt that the wicked will know with
the greatest certainty that Christ is God. Therefore they will see His
Godhead, and yet they will not rejoice in seeing Christ. Therefore it
will be possible to see it without joy.
Objection 2: Further, the perverse will of the wicked is not more
adverse to Christ's humanity than to His Godhead. Now the fact that
they will see the glory of His humanity will conduce to their
punishment, as stated above (A[2], ad 4). Therefore if they were to see
His Godhead, there would be much more reason for them to grieve rather
than rejoice.
Objection 3: Further, the course of the affections is not a necessary
sequel to that which is in the intellect: wherefore Augustine says (In
Ps. 118: conc. 8): "The intellect precedes, the affections follow
slowly or not at all. " Now vision regards the intellect, whereas joy
regards the affections. Therefore it will be possible to see the
Godhead without joy.
Objection 4: Further, whatever is received into "a thing is received
according to the mode of the receiver and not of the received. " But
whatever is seen is, in a way, received into the seer. Therefore
although the Godhead is in itself supremely enjoyable, nevertheless
when seen by those who are plunged in grief, it will give no joy but
rather displeasure.
Objection 5: Further, as sense is to the sensible object, so is the
intellect to the intelligible object. Now in the senses, "to the
unhealthy palate bread is painful, to the healthy palate sweet," as
Augustine says (Confess. vii), and the same happens with the other
senses. Therefore since the damned have the intellect indisposed, it
would seem that the vision of the uncreated light will give them pain
rather than joy.
On the contrary, It is written (Jn. 17:3): "This is eternal life: That
they may know Thee, the . . . true God. " Wherefore it is clear that the
essence of bliss consists in seeing God. Now joy is essential to bliss.
Therefore the Godhead cannot be seen without joy.
Further, the essence of the Godhead is the essence of truth. Now it is
delightful to every one to see the truth, wherefore "all naturally
desire to know," as stated at the beginning of the Metaphysics.
Therefore it is impossible to see the Godhead without joy.
Further, if a certain vision is not always delightful, it happens
sometimes to be painful. But intellective vision is never painful since
"the pleasure we take in objects of understanding has no grief opposed
to it," according to the Philosopher (Topic. ii). Since then the
Godhead cannot be seen save by the intellect, it seems that the Godhead
cannot be seen without joy.
I answer that, In every object of appetite or of pleasure two things
may be considered, namely the thing which is desired or which gives
pleasure, and the aspect of appetibility or pleasurableness in that
thing. Now according to Boethius (De Hebdom. ) that which is can have
something besides what it is, but 'being' itself has no admixture of
aught else beside itself. Hence that which is desirable or pleasant can
have an admixture of something rendering it undesirable or unpleasant;
but the very aspect of pleasurableness has not and cannot have anything
mixed with it rendering it unpleasant or undesirable. Now it is
possible for things that are pleasurable, by participation of goodness
which is the aspect of appetibility or pleasurableness, not to give
pleasure when they are apprehended, but it is impossible for that which
is good by its essence not to give pleasure when it is apprehended.
Therefore since God is essentially His own goodness, it is impossible
for the Godhead to be seen without joy.
Reply to Objection 1: The wicked will know most clearly that Christ is
God, not through seeing His Godhead, but on account of the most
manifest signs of His Godhead.
Reply to Objection 2: No one can hate the Godhead considered in itself,
as neither can one hate goodness itself. But God is said to be hated by
certain persons in respect of some of the effects of the Godhead, in so
far as He does or commands something contrary to their will [*Cf.
[5116]SS, Q[34], A[1]]. Therefore the vision of the Godhead can be
painful to no one.
Reply to Objection 3: The saying of Augustine applies when the thing
apprehended previously by the intellect is good by participation and
not essentially, such as all creatures are; wherefore there may be
something in them by reason of which the affections are not moved. In
like manner God is known by wayfarers through His effects, and their
intellect does not attain to the very essence of His goodness. Hence it
is not necessary that the affections follow the intellect, as they
would if the intellect saw God's essence which is His goodness.
Reply to Objection 4: Grief denotes not a disposition but a passion.
Now every passion is removed if a stronger contrary cause supervene,
and does not remove that cause. Accordingly the grief of the damned
would be done away if they saw God in His essence.
Reply to Objection 5: The indisposition of an organ removes the natural
proportion of the organ to the object that has a natural aptitude to
please, wherefore the pleasure is hindered. But the indisposition which
is in the damned does not remove the natural proportion whereby they
are directed to the Divine goodness, since its image ever remains in
them. Hence the comparison fails.
__________________________________________________________________
OF THE QUALITY OF THE WORLD AFTER THE JUDGMENT (FIVE ARTICLES)
We must next discuss the quality which the world and those who rise
again will have after the judgment. Here a threefold matter offers
itself to our consideration: (1) The state and quality of the world;
(2) The state of the blessed; (3) The state of the wicked.
Under the first head there are five points of inquiry:
(1) Whether there will be a renewal of the world?
(2) Whether the movement of the heavenly bodies will cease?
(3) Whether the heavenly bodies will be more brilliant?
(4) Whether the elements will receive an additional clarity?
(5) Whether the animals and plants will remain?
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the world will be renewed?
Objection 1: It would seem that the world will never be renewed. For
nothing will be but what was at some time as to its species: "What is
it that hath been? the same thing that shall be" (Eccles. 1:9). Now the
world never had any disposition other than it has now as to essential
parts, both genera and species. Therefore it will never be renewed.
Objection 2: Further, renewal is a kind of alteration. But it is
impossible for the universe to be altered; because whatever is altered
argues some alterant that is not altered, which nevertheless is a
subject of local movement: and it is impossible to place such a thing
outside the universe. Therefore it is impossible for the world to be
renewed.
Objection 3: Further, it is stated (Gn. 2:2) that "God . . . rested on
the seventh day from all His work which He had done," and holy men
explain that "He rested from forming new creatures. " Now when things
were first established, the mode imposed upon them was the same as they
have now in the natural order. Therefore they will never have any
other.
Objection 4: Further, the disposition which things have now is natural
to them. Therefore if they be altered to another disposition, this
disposition will be unnatural to them. Now whatever is unnatural and
accidental cannot last for ever (De Coelo et Mundo i). Therefore this
disposition acquired by being renewed will be taken away from them; and
thus there will be a cycle of changes in the world as Empedocles and
Origen (Peri Archon. ii, 3) maintained, and after this world there will
be another, and after that again another.
Objection 5: Further, newness of glory is given to the rational
creature as a reward. Now where there is no merit, there can be no
reward. Since then insensible creatures have merited nothing, it would
seem that they will not be renewed.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 65:17): "Behold I create new
heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be in
remembrance"; and (Apoc. 21:1): "I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
For the first heaven and the first earth was gone. "
Further, the dwelling should befit the dweller. But the world was made
to be man's dwelling. Therefore it should befit man. Now man will be
renewed. Therefore the world will be likewise.
Further, "Every beast loveth its like" (Ecclus. 13:19), wherefore it is
evident that likeness is the reason of love. Now man has some likeness
to the universe, wherefore he is called "a little world. " Hence man
loves the whole world naturally and consequently desires its good.
Therefore, that man's desire be satisfied the universe must needs also
be made better.
I answer that, We believe all corporeal things to have been made for
man's sake, wherefore all things are stated to be subject to him [*Ps.
8:5, seqq. ]. Now they serve man in two ways, first, as sustenance to
his bodily life, secondly, as helping him to know God, inasmuch as man
sees the invisible things of God by the things that are made (Rom.
1:20). Accordingly glorified man will nowise need creatures to render
him the first of these services, since his body will be altogether
incorruptible, the Divine power effecting this through the soul which
it will glorify immediately. Again man will not need the second service
as to intellective knowledge, since by that knowledge he will see God
immediately in His essence. The carnal eye, however, will be unable to
attain to this vision of the Essence; wherefore that it may be
fittingly comforted in the vision of God, it will see the Godhead in
Its corporeal effects, wherein manifest proofs of the Divine majesty
will appear, especially in Christ's flesh, and secondarily in the
bodies of the blessed, and afterwards in all other bodies. Hence those
bodies also will need to receive a greater inflow from the Divine
goodness than now, not indeed so as to change their species, but so as
to add a certain perfection of glory: and such will be the renewal of
the world. Wherefore at the one same time, the world will be renewed,
and man will be glorified.
Reply to Objection 1: Solomon is speaking there of the natural course:
this is evident from his adding: "Nothing under the sun is new.
" For
since the movement of the sun follows a circle, those things which are
subject to the sun's power must needs have some kind of circular
movement. This consists in the fact that things which were before
return the same in species but different in the individual (De Generat.
i). But things belonging to the state of glory are not "under the sun. "
Reply to Objection 2: This argument considers natural alteration which
proceeds from a natural agent, which acts from natural necessity. For
such an agent cannot produce different dispositions, unless it be
itself disposed differently. But things done by God proceed from
freedom of will, wherefore it is possible, without any change in God
Who wills it, for the universe to have at one time one disposition, and
another at another time. Thus this renewal will not be reduced to a
cause that is moved, but to an immovable principle, namely God.
Reply to Objection 3: God is stated to have ceased on the seventh day
forming new creatures, for as much as nothing was made afterwards that
was not previously in some likeness [*Cf. [5117]FP, Q[73], A[1]] either
generically, or specifically, or at least as in a seminal principle, or
even as in an obediential potentiality [*Cf. [5118]FP, Q[115], A[2], ad
4; [5119]TP, Q[11], A[1]]. I say then that the future renewal of the
world preceded in the works of the six days by way of a remote
likeness, namely in the glory and grace of the angels. Moreover it
preceded in the obediential potentiality which was then bestowed on the
creature to the effect of its receiving this same renewal by the Divine
agency.
Reply to Objection 4: This disposition of newness will be neither
natural nor contrary to nature, but above nature (just as grace and
glory are above the nature of the soul): and it will proceed from an
everlasting agent which will preserve it for ever.
Reply to Objection 5: Although, properly speaking, insensible bodies
will not have merited this glory, yet man merited that this glory
should be bestowed on the whole universe, in so far as this conduces to
man's increase of glory. Thus a man merits to be clothed in more
splendid robes, which splendor the robes nowise merited themselves.
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the movement of the heavenly bodies will cease?
Objection 1: It seems that when the world is thus renewed the movement
of the heavenly bodies will not cease. For it is written (Gn. 8:22):
"All the days of the earth . . . cold and heat, summer and winter,
night and day shall not cease. " Now night and day, summer and winter
result from the movement of the sun. Therefore the movement of the sun
will never cease.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Jer. 31:35,36): "Thus saith the
Lord Who giveth the sun for the light of the day, the order of the moon
and of the stars for the light of the night: Who stirreth up the sea,
and the waves thereof roar . . . If these ordinances shall fail before
Me . . . then also the seed of Israel shall fail, so as not to be a
nation before Me for ever. " Now the seed of Israel shall never fail,
but will remain for ever. Therefore the laws of day and of the sea
waves, which result from the heavenly movement, will remain for ever.
Therefore the movement of the heaven will never cease.
Objection 3: Further, the substance of the heavenly bodies will remain
for ever. Now it is useless to admit the existence of a thing unless
you admit the purpose for which it was made: and the heavenly bodies
were made in order "to divide the day and the night"; and to be "for
signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years" (Gn. 1:14). But
they cannot do this except by movement. Therefore their movement will
remain for ever, else those bodies would remain without a purpose.
Objection 4: Further, in this renewal of the world the whole world will
be bettered. Therefore no body will be deprived of what pertains to its
perfection. Now movement belongs to the perfection of a heavenly body,
because, as stated in De Coelo et Mundo ii, "those bodies participate
of the Divine goodness by their movement. " Therefore the movement of
the heaven will not cease.
Objection 5: Further, the sun successively gives light to the various
parts of the world, by reason of its circular movement. Therefore if
the circular movement of the heaven ceases, it follows that in some
part of the earth's surface there will be perpetual darkness, which is
unbecoming to the aforesaid renewal.
Objection 6: Further, if the movement were to cease, this could only be
because movement causes some imperfection in the heaven, for instance
wear and tear, which is impossible, since this movement is natural, and
the heavenly bodies are impassible, wherefore they are not worn out by
movement (De Coelo et Mundo ii). Therefore the movement of the heaven
will never cease.
Objection 7: Further, a potentiality is useless if it be not reduced to
act. Now in whatever position the heavenly body is placed it is in
potentiality to another position. Therefore unless this potentiality be
reduced to act, it would remain useless, and would always be imperfect.
But it cannot be reduced to act save by local movement. Therefore it
will always be in motion.
Objection 8: Further, if a thing is indifferent in relation to more
than one alternation, either both are ascribed to it, or neither. Now
the sun is indifferent to being in the east or in the west, else its
movement would not be uniform throughout, since it would move more
rapidly to the place which is more natural to it. Therefore either
neither position is ascribed to the sun, or both. But neither both nor
neither can be ascribed to it, except successively by movement; for if
it stand still, it must needs stand in some position. Therefore the
solar body will always be in motion, and in like manner all other
heavenly bodies.
Objection 9: Further, the movement of the heaven is the cause of time.
Therefore if the movement of the heaven fail, time must needs fail: and
if this were to fail, it would fail in an instant. Now an instant is
defined (Phys. viii) "the beginning of the future and the end of the
past. " Consequently there would be time after the last instant of time,
which is impossible. Therefore the movement of the heavens will never
cease.
Objection 10: Further, glory does not remove nature. But the movement
of the heaven is natural. Therefore it is not deprived thereof by
glory.
On the contrary, It is stated (Apoc. 10:6) that the angel who appeared,
"swore by him that liveth for ever and ever . . . that time shall be no
longer," namely after the seventh angel shall have sounded the trumpet,
at the sound of which "the dead shall rise again" (1 Cor. 15:52). Now
if time be not, there is no movement of the heaven. Therefore the
movement of the heaven will cease.
Further: "Thy sun shall go down no more, and thy moon shall not
decrease" (Is. 60:20). Now the setting of the sun and the phases of the
moon are caused by the movement of the heavens. Therefore the heavenly
movement will cease at length.
Further, it is shown in De Gener. ii that "the movement of the heaven
is for the sake of continual generation in this lower world. " But
generation will cease when the number of the elect is complete.
Therefore the movement of the heaven will cease.
Further, all movement is for some end (Metaph. ii). But all movement
for an end ceases when the end is obtained. Therefore either the
movement of the heaven will never obtain its end, and thus it would be
useless, or it will cease at length.
Further, rest is more noble than movement, because things are more
likened to God, Who is supremely immovable, by being themselves
unmoved. Now the movement of lower bodies terminates naturally in rest.
Therefore since the heavenly bodies are far nobler, their movement
terminates naturally in rest.
I answer that, There are three opinions touching this question. The
first is of the philosophers who assert that the movement of the heaven
will last for ever. But this is not in keeping with our faith, which
holds that the elect are in a certain number preordained by God, so
that the begetting of men will not last for ever, and for the same
reason, neither will other things that are directed to the begetting of
men, such as the movement of the heaven and the variations of the
elements. Others say that the movement of the heaven will cease
naturally. But this again is false, since every body that is moved
naturally has a place wherein it rests naturally, whereto it is moved
naturally, and whence it is not moved except by violence. Now no such
place can be assigned to the heavenly body, since it is not more
natural to the sun to move towards a point in the east than to move
away from it, wherefore either its movement would not be altogether
natural, or its movement would not naturally terminate in rest. Hence
we must agree with others who say that the movement of the heaven will
cease at this renewal of the world, not indeed by any natural cause,
but as a result of the will of God. For the body in question, like
other bodies, was made to serve man in the two ways above mentioned
[5120](A[1]): and hereafter in the state of glory man will no longer
need one of these services, that namely in respect of which the
heavenly bodies serve man for the sustenance of his bodily life. Now in
this way the heavenly bodies serve man by their movement, in so far as
by the heavenly movement the human race is multiplied, plants and
animals needful for man's use generated, and the temperature of the
atmosphere rendered conducive to health. Therefore the movement of the
heavenly body will cease as soon as man is glorified.
Reply to Objection 1: These words refer to the earth in its present
state, when it is able to be the principle of the generation and
corruption of plants. This is evident from its being said there: "All
the days of the earth, seed time and harvest," etc. And it is simply to
be granted that as long as the earth is fit for seed time and harvest,
the movement of the heaven will not cease.
We reply in like manner to OBJ 2 that the Lord is speaking there of the
duration of the seed of Israel with regard to the present state. This
is evident from the words: "Then also the seed of Israel shall fail, so
as not to be a nation before Me for ever. " For after this state there
will be no succession of days: wherefore the laws also which He had
mentioned will cease after this state.
Reply to Objection 3: The end which is there assigned to the heavenly
bodies is their proximate end, because it is their proper act. But this
act is directed further to another end, namely the service of man,
which is shown by the words of Dt. 4:19: "Lest perhaps lifting up thy
eyes to heaven, thou see the sun and the moon and all the stars of
heaven, and being deceived by error thou adore and serve them, which
the Lord thy God created for the service of all the nations, that are
under heaven. " Therefore we should form our judgment of the heavenly
bodies from the service of man, rather than from the end assigned to
them in Genesis. Moreover the heavenly bodies, as stated above, will
serve glorified man in another way; hence it does not follow that they
will remain without a purpose.
Reply to Objection 4: Movement does not belong to the perfection of a
heavenly body, except in so far as thereby it is the cause of
generation and corruption in this lower world: and in that respect also
this movement makes the heavenly body participate in the Divine
goodness by way of a certain likeness of causality. But movement does
not belong to the perfection of the substance of the heaven, which
substance will remain. Wherefore it does not follow that, when this
movement ceases, the substance of the heaven will lose something of its
perfection.
Reply to Objection 5: All the elemental bodies will have in themselves
a certain clarity of glory. Hence though part of the surface of the
earth be not lit up by the sun, there will by no means be any darkness
there.
Reply to Objection 6: A gloss of Ambrose on Rom. 8:22, "Every creature
groaneth," etc. says explicitly that "all the elements labor to fulfill
their offices: thus the sun and moon fill the places appointed to them
not without work: this is for our sake, wherefore they will rest when
we are taken up to heaven. " This work, in my opinion, does not signify
that any stress or passion occurs to these bodies from their movement,
since this movement is natural to them and nowise violent, as is proved
in De Coelo et Mundo i. But work here denotes a defect in relation to
the term to which a thing tends. Hence since this movement is ordained
by Divine providence to the completion of the number of the elect, it
follows that as long as the latter is incomplete, this movement has not
reached the term whereto it was ordained: hence it is said
metaphorically to labor, as a man who has not what he intends to have.
This defect will be removed from the heaven when the number of the
elect is complete. Or it may refer to the desire of the future renewal
which it awaits from the Divine disposal.
Reply to Objection 7: In a heavenly body there is no potentiality that
can be perfected by place, or that is made for this end which is to be
in such and such a place. But potentiality to situation in a place is
related to a heavenly body, as the craftsman's potentiality to
construct various houses of one kind: for if he construct one of these
he is not said to have the potentiality uselessly, and in like manner
in whatever situation a heavenly body be placed, its potentiality to be
in a place will not remain incomplete or without a purpose.
Reply to Objection 8: Although a heavenly body, so far as regards its
nature, is equally inclined to every situation that it can possibly
occupy, nevertheless in comparison with things outside it, it is not
equally inclined to every situation: but in respect of one situation it
has a more noble disposition in comparison with certain things than in
respect of another situation; thus in our regard the sun has a more
noble disposition at daytime than at night-time. Hence it is probable,
since the entire renewal of the world is directed to man, that the
heaven will have in this renewal the most noble situation possible in
relation to our dwelling there. Or, according to some, the heaven will
rest in that situation wherein it was made, else one of its revolutions
would remain incomplete. But this argument seems improbable, for since
a revolution of the heaven takes no less than 36,000 years to complete,
it would follow that the world must last that length of time, which
does not seem probable. Moreover according to this it would be possible
to know when the world will come to an end. For we may conclude with
probability from astronomers in what position the heavenly bodies were
made, by taking into consideration the number of years that have
elapsed since the beginning of the world: and in the same way it would
be possible to know the exact number of years it would take them to
return to a like position: whereas the time of the world's end is
stated to be unknown.
Reply to Objection 9: Time will at length cease, when the heavenly
movement ceases. Yet that last "now" will not be the beginning of the
future. For the definition quoted applies to the "now" only as
continuous with the parts of time, not as terminating the whole of
time.
Reply to Objection 10: The movement of the heaven is said to be
natural, not as though it were part of nature in the same way as we
speak of natural principles; but because it has its principle in the
nature of a body, not indeed its active but its receptive principle.
Its active principle is a spiritual substance, as the Commentator says
on De Coelo et Mundo; and consequently it is not unreasonable for this
movement to be done away by the renewal of glory, since the nature of
the heavenly body will not alter through the cessation of that
movement.
We grant the other objections which argue in the contrary sense, namely
the first three, because they conclude in due manner. But since the
remaining two seem to conclude that the movement of heaven will cease
naturally, we must reply to them. To the first, then, we reply that
movement ceases when its purpose is attained, provided this is a sequel
to, and does not accompany the movement. Now the purpose of the
heavenly movement, according to philosophers, accompanies that
movement, namely the imitation of the Divine goodness in the causality
of that movement with respect to this lower world. Hence it does not
follow that this movement ceases naturally.
To the second we reply that although immobility is simply nobler than
movement, yet movement in a subject which thereby can acquire a perfect
participation of the Divine goodness is nobler than rest in a subject
which is altogether unable to acquire that perfection by movement. For
this reason the earth which is the lowest of the elements is without
movement: although God Who is exalted above all things is without
movement, by Whom the more noble bodies are moved. Hence also it is
that the movements of the higher bodies might be held to be perpetual,
so far as their natural power is concerned, and never to terminate in
rest, although the movement of lower bodies terminates in rest.
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the brightness of the heavenly bodies will be increased at this
renewal?
Objection 1: It would seem that the brightness of the heavenly bodies
will not be increased at this renewal. For this renewal as regards the
lower bodies will be caused by the cleansing fire. But the cleansing
fire will not reach the heavenly bodies. Therefore the heavenly bodies
will not be renewed by receiving an increase of brightness.
Objection 2: Further, just as the heavenly bodies are the cause of
generation in this lower world by their movement, so are they by their
light. But, when generation ceases, movement will cease as stated above
[5121](A[2]). Therefore in like manner the light of the heavenly bodies
will cease rather than increase.
Objection 3: Further, if the heavenly bodies will be renewed when man
is renewed, it follows that when man deteriorated they deteriorated
likewise. But this does not seem probable, since these bodies are
unalterable as to their substance. Therefore neither will they be
renewed when man is renewed.
Objection 4: Further, if they deteriorated then it follows that their
deterioration was on a par with the amelioration which, it is said,
will accrue to them at man's renewal. Now it is written (Is. 30:26)
that "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun. "
Therefore in the original state before sin the moon shone as much as
the sun does now. Therefore whenever the moon was over the earth, it
made it to be day as the sun does now: which is proved manifestly to be
false from the statement of Gn. 1:16 that the moon was made "to rule
the night. " Therefore when man sinned the heavenly bodies were not
deprived of their light; and so their light will not be increased, so
it seems, when man is glorified.
Objection 5: Further, the brightness of the heavenly bodies, like other
creatures, is directed to the use of man. Now, after the resurrection,
the brightness of the sun will be of no use to man: for it is written
(Is. 60:19): "Thou shalt no more have the sun for thy light by day,
neither shall the brightness of the moon enlighten thee," and (Apoc.
21:23): "The city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon to shine in
it. " Therefore their brightness will not be increased.
Objection 6: Further, it were not a wise craftsman who would make very
great instruments for the making of a small work. Now man is a very
small thing in comparison with the heavenly bodies, which by their huge
bulk surpass the size of man almost beyond comparison: in fact the size
of the whole earth in comparison with the heaven is as a point compared
with a sphere, as astronomers say. Since then God is most wise it would
seem that man is not the end of the creation of the heavens, and so it
is unseemly that the heaven should deteriorate when he sinned, or that
it should be bettered when he is glorified.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 30:26): "The light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be
sevenfold. "
Further, the whole world will be renewed for the better. But the heaven
is the more noble part of the corporeal world. Therefore it will be
altered for the better. But this cannot be unless it shine out with
greater brightness. Therefore its brightness will be bettered and will
increase.
Further, "every creature that groaneth and travaileth in pain, awaiteth
the revelation of the glory of the children of God" [*'The creature
also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into
the liberty of the children of God. For we know that every creature
groaneth and travaileth in pain,' etc. ] (Rom. 8:21,22). Now such are
the heavenly bodies, as a gloss says on the same passage. Therefore
they await the glory of the saints. But they would not await it unless
they were to gain something by it. Therefore their brightness will
increase thereby, since it is their chief beauty.
I answer that, The renewal of the world is directed to the end that,
after this renewal has taken place, God may become visible to man by
signs so manifest as to be perceived as it were by his senses. Now
creatures lead to the knowledge of God chiefly by their comeliness and
beauty, which show forth the wisdom of their Maker and Governor;
wherefore it is written (Wis. 13:5): "By the greatness of the beauty
and of the creature, the Creator of them may be seen, so as to be known
thereby. " And the beauty of the heavenly bodies consists chiefly in
light; wherefore it is written (Ecclus. 43:10): "The glory of the stars
is the beauty of heaven, the Lord enlighteneth the world on high. "
Hence the heavenly bodies will be bettered, especially as regards their
brightness. But to what degree and in what way this betterment will
take place is known to Him alone Who will bring it about.
Reply to Objection 1: The cleansing fire will not cause the form of the
renewal, but will only dispose thereto, by cleansing from the vileness
of sin and the impurity resulting from the mingling of bodies, and this
is not to be found in the heavenly bodies. Hence although the heavenly
bodies are not to be cleansed by fire, they are nevertheless to be
Divinely renewed.
Reply to Objection 2: Movement does not denote perfection in the thing
moved, considered in itself, since movement is the act of that which is
imperfect: although it may pertain to the perfection of a body in so
far as the latter is the cause of something. But light belongs to the
perfection of a lightsome body, even considered in its substance: and
consequently after the heavenly body has ceased to be the cause of
generation, its brightness will remain, while its movement will cease.
Reply to Objection 3: A gloss on Is. 30:26, "The light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun," says: "All things made for man's
sake deteriorated at his fall, and sun and moon diminished in light. "
This diminishment is understood by some to mean a real lessening of
light.
forasmuch as by redeeming mankind He restored not only man but all
creatures without exception---inasmuch as all creatures are bettered
through man's restoration, according to Col. 1:20, "Making peace
through the blood of His cross, both as to things on earth, and the
things that are in heaven"---it follows that through His Passion Christ
merited lordship and judicial power not over man alone, but over all
creatures, according to Mat. 28:18, "All power is given to Me, in
heaven and in earth" [*Cf. TP, Q[59]].
Reply to Objection 1: Christ, in respect of His Divine nature, has
authority of lordship over all creatures by right of creation; but in
respect of His human nature He has authority of lordship merited
through His Passion. The latter is secondary so to speak and acquired,
while the former is natural and eternal.
Reply to Objection 2: Although Christ as man has not of Himself
invincible power resulting from the natural power of the human species,
nevertheless there is also in His human nature an invincible power
derived from His Godhead, whereby all things are subjected under His
feet (1 Cor. 15:25-28; Heb. 2:8,9). Hence He will judge in His human
nature indeed, but by the power of His Godhead.
Reply to Objection 3: Christ would not have sufficed for the redemption
of mankind, had He been a mere man. Wherefore from the very fact that
He was able as man to redeem mankind, and thereby obtained judicial
power, it is evident that He is God, and consequently is to be honored
equally with the Father, not as man but as God.
Reply to Objection 4: In that vision of Daniel the whole order of the
judicial power is clearly expressed. This power is in God Himself as
its first origin, and more especially in the Father Who is the fount of
the entire Godhead; wherefore it is stated in the first place that the
"Ancient of days sat. " But the judicial power was transmitted from the
Father to the Son, not only from eternity in respect of the Divine
nature, but also in time in respect of the human nature wherein He
merited it. Hence in the aforesaid vision it is further stated (Dan.
7:13,14): "Lo, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,
and He came even to the Ancient of days . . . And He gave Him power and
glory, and a kingdom. "
Reply to Objection 5: Augustine is speaking by a kind of appropriation,
so as to trace the effects which Christ wrought in the human nature to
causes somewhat similar to them. And since we are made to the image and
likeness of God in respect of our soul, and are of the same species as
the man Christ in respect of our body, he ascribes to the Godhead the
effects wrought by Christ in our souls, and those which He wrought or
will work in our bodies he ascribes to His flesh; although His flesh,
as being the instrument of His Godhead, has also its effect on our
souls as Damascene asserts (De Fide Orth. iii, 15), according to the
saying of Heb. 9:14, that His "blood" hath cleansed "our conscience
from dead works. " And thus that "the Word was made flesh" is the cause
of the resurrection of souls; wherefore also according to His human
nature He is becomingly the Judge not only of bodily but also of
spiritual goods [*Cf. [5113]TP, Q[56], A[2], ad 1].
__________________________________________________________________
Whether at the judgment Christ will appear in His glorified humanity?
Objection 1: It would seem that at the judgment Christ will not appear
in His glorified humanity. For a gloss [*St. Augustine, Tract. cxx in
Joan. ] on Jn. 19:37, "They shall look on him whom they pierced," says:
"Because He will come in the flesh wherein He was crucified. " Now He
was crucified in the form of weakness. Therefore He will appear in the
form of weakness and not in the form of glory.
Objection 2: Further, it is stated (Mat. 24:30) that "the sign of the
Son of man shall appear in heaven," namely, "the sign of the cross," as
Chrysostom says (Hom. lxxvii in Matth. ), for "Christ when coming to the
judgment will show not only the scars of His wounds but even His most
shameful death. " Therefore it seems that He will not appear in the form
of glory.
Objection 3: Further, Christ will appear at the judgment under that
form which can be gazed upon by all. Now Christ will not be visible to
all, good and wicked, under the form of His glorified humanity: because
the eye that is not glorified is seemingly unproportionate to see the
clarity of a glorified body. Therefore He will not appear under a
glorified form.
Objection 4: Further, that which is promised as a reward to the
righteous is not granted to the unrighteous. Now it is promised as a
reward to the righteous that they shall see the glory of His humanity
(Jn. 10:9): "He shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures, i. e.
refreshment in His Godhead and humanity," according to the commentary
of Augustine [*De Spiritu et Anima, work of an unknown author. St.
Thomas, De Anima, ascribes it to Alcherus, a Cistercian monk; see
above[5114] Q[70], A[2], ad 1] and Is. 33:17: "His eyes shall see the
King in his beauty. " Therefore He will not appear to all in His
glorified form.
Objection 5: Further, Christ will judge in the form wherein He was
judged: wherefore a gloss [*St. Augustine, Tract. xix, in Joan. ] on Jn.
5:21, "So the Son also giveth life to whom He will," says: "He will
judge justly in the form wherein He was judged unjustly, that He may be
visible to the wicked. " Now He was judged in the form of weakness.
Therefore He will appear in the same form at the judgment.
On the contrary, It is written (Lk. 21:27): "Then they shall see the
Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty. " Now majesty
and power pertain to glory. Therefore He will appear in the form of
glory.
Further, he who judges should be more conspicuous than those who are
judged. Now the elect who will be judged by Christ will have a
glorified body. Much more therefore will the Judge appear in a
glorified form.
Further, as to be judged pertains to weakness, so to judge pertains to
authority and glory. Now at His first coming when Christ came to be
judged, He appeared in the form of weakness. Therefore at the second
coming, when He will come to judge, He will appear in the form of
glory.
I answer that, Christ is called the mediator of God and men (1 Tim.
2:5) inasmuch as He satisfies for men and intercedes for them to the
Father, and confers on men things which belong to the Father, according
to Jn. 17:22, "The glory which Thou hast given Me, I have given to
them. " Accordingly then both these things belong to Him in that He
communicates with both extremes: for in that He communicates with men,
He takes their part with the Father, and in that He communicates with
the Father, He bestows the Father's gifts on men. Since then at His
first coming He came in order to make satisfaction for us to the
Father, He came in the form of our weakness. But since at His second
coming He will come in order to execute the Father's justice on men, He
will have to show forth His glory which is in Him by reason of His
communication with the Father: and therefore He will appear in the form
of glory.
Reply to Objection 1: He will appear in the same flesh, but not under
the same form.
Reply to Objection 2: The sign of the cross will appear at the
judgment, to denote not a present but a past weakness: so as to show
how justly those were condemned who scorned so great mercy, especially
those who persecuted Christ unjustly. The scars which will appear in
His body will not be due to weakness, but will indicate the exceeding
power whereby Christ overcame His enemies by His Passion and infirmity.
He will also show forth His most shameful death, not by bringing it
sensibly before the eye, as though He suffered it there; but by the
things which will appear then, namely the signs of His past Passion, He
will recall men to the thought of His past death.
Reply to Objection 3: A glorified body has it in its power to show
itself or not to show itself to an eye that is not glorified, as stated
above ([5115]Q[85], A[2], ad 3). Hence Christ will be visible to all in
His glorified form.
Reply to Objection 4: Even as our friend's glory gives us pleasure, so
the glory and power of one we hate is most displeasing to us. Hence as
the sight of the glory of Christ's humanity will be a reward to the
righteous, so will it be a torment to Christ's enemies: wherefore it is
written (Is. 26:11): "Let the envious people see and be confounded and
let fire" (i. e. envy) "devour Thy enemies. "
Reply to Objection 5: Form is taken there for human nature wherein He
was judged and likewise will judge; but not for a quality of nature,
namely of weakness, which will not be the same in Him when judging as
when judged (Cf. ad 2).
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the Godhead can be seen by the wicked without joy?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Godhead can be seen by the wicked
without joy. For there can be no doubt that the wicked will know with
the greatest certainty that Christ is God. Therefore they will see His
Godhead, and yet they will not rejoice in seeing Christ. Therefore it
will be possible to see it without joy.
Objection 2: Further, the perverse will of the wicked is not more
adverse to Christ's humanity than to His Godhead. Now the fact that
they will see the glory of His humanity will conduce to their
punishment, as stated above (A[2], ad 4). Therefore if they were to see
His Godhead, there would be much more reason for them to grieve rather
than rejoice.
Objection 3: Further, the course of the affections is not a necessary
sequel to that which is in the intellect: wherefore Augustine says (In
Ps. 118: conc. 8): "The intellect precedes, the affections follow
slowly or not at all. " Now vision regards the intellect, whereas joy
regards the affections. Therefore it will be possible to see the
Godhead without joy.
Objection 4: Further, whatever is received into "a thing is received
according to the mode of the receiver and not of the received. " But
whatever is seen is, in a way, received into the seer. Therefore
although the Godhead is in itself supremely enjoyable, nevertheless
when seen by those who are plunged in grief, it will give no joy but
rather displeasure.
Objection 5: Further, as sense is to the sensible object, so is the
intellect to the intelligible object. Now in the senses, "to the
unhealthy palate bread is painful, to the healthy palate sweet," as
Augustine says (Confess. vii), and the same happens with the other
senses. Therefore since the damned have the intellect indisposed, it
would seem that the vision of the uncreated light will give them pain
rather than joy.
On the contrary, It is written (Jn. 17:3): "This is eternal life: That
they may know Thee, the . . . true God. " Wherefore it is clear that the
essence of bliss consists in seeing God. Now joy is essential to bliss.
Therefore the Godhead cannot be seen without joy.
Further, the essence of the Godhead is the essence of truth. Now it is
delightful to every one to see the truth, wherefore "all naturally
desire to know," as stated at the beginning of the Metaphysics.
Therefore it is impossible to see the Godhead without joy.
Further, if a certain vision is not always delightful, it happens
sometimes to be painful. But intellective vision is never painful since
"the pleasure we take in objects of understanding has no grief opposed
to it," according to the Philosopher (Topic. ii). Since then the
Godhead cannot be seen save by the intellect, it seems that the Godhead
cannot be seen without joy.
I answer that, In every object of appetite or of pleasure two things
may be considered, namely the thing which is desired or which gives
pleasure, and the aspect of appetibility or pleasurableness in that
thing. Now according to Boethius (De Hebdom. ) that which is can have
something besides what it is, but 'being' itself has no admixture of
aught else beside itself. Hence that which is desirable or pleasant can
have an admixture of something rendering it undesirable or unpleasant;
but the very aspect of pleasurableness has not and cannot have anything
mixed with it rendering it unpleasant or undesirable. Now it is
possible for things that are pleasurable, by participation of goodness
which is the aspect of appetibility or pleasurableness, not to give
pleasure when they are apprehended, but it is impossible for that which
is good by its essence not to give pleasure when it is apprehended.
Therefore since God is essentially His own goodness, it is impossible
for the Godhead to be seen without joy.
Reply to Objection 1: The wicked will know most clearly that Christ is
God, not through seeing His Godhead, but on account of the most
manifest signs of His Godhead.
Reply to Objection 2: No one can hate the Godhead considered in itself,
as neither can one hate goodness itself. But God is said to be hated by
certain persons in respect of some of the effects of the Godhead, in so
far as He does or commands something contrary to their will [*Cf.
[5116]SS, Q[34], A[1]]. Therefore the vision of the Godhead can be
painful to no one.
Reply to Objection 3: The saying of Augustine applies when the thing
apprehended previously by the intellect is good by participation and
not essentially, such as all creatures are; wherefore there may be
something in them by reason of which the affections are not moved. In
like manner God is known by wayfarers through His effects, and their
intellect does not attain to the very essence of His goodness. Hence it
is not necessary that the affections follow the intellect, as they
would if the intellect saw God's essence which is His goodness.
Reply to Objection 4: Grief denotes not a disposition but a passion.
Now every passion is removed if a stronger contrary cause supervene,
and does not remove that cause. Accordingly the grief of the damned
would be done away if they saw God in His essence.
Reply to Objection 5: The indisposition of an organ removes the natural
proportion of the organ to the object that has a natural aptitude to
please, wherefore the pleasure is hindered. But the indisposition which
is in the damned does not remove the natural proportion whereby they
are directed to the Divine goodness, since its image ever remains in
them. Hence the comparison fails.
__________________________________________________________________
OF THE QUALITY OF THE WORLD AFTER THE JUDGMENT (FIVE ARTICLES)
We must next discuss the quality which the world and those who rise
again will have after the judgment. Here a threefold matter offers
itself to our consideration: (1) The state and quality of the world;
(2) The state of the blessed; (3) The state of the wicked.
Under the first head there are five points of inquiry:
(1) Whether there will be a renewal of the world?
(2) Whether the movement of the heavenly bodies will cease?
(3) Whether the heavenly bodies will be more brilliant?
(4) Whether the elements will receive an additional clarity?
(5) Whether the animals and plants will remain?
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the world will be renewed?
Objection 1: It would seem that the world will never be renewed. For
nothing will be but what was at some time as to its species: "What is
it that hath been? the same thing that shall be" (Eccles. 1:9). Now the
world never had any disposition other than it has now as to essential
parts, both genera and species. Therefore it will never be renewed.
Objection 2: Further, renewal is a kind of alteration. But it is
impossible for the universe to be altered; because whatever is altered
argues some alterant that is not altered, which nevertheless is a
subject of local movement: and it is impossible to place such a thing
outside the universe. Therefore it is impossible for the world to be
renewed.
Objection 3: Further, it is stated (Gn. 2:2) that "God . . . rested on
the seventh day from all His work which He had done," and holy men
explain that "He rested from forming new creatures. " Now when things
were first established, the mode imposed upon them was the same as they
have now in the natural order. Therefore they will never have any
other.
Objection 4: Further, the disposition which things have now is natural
to them. Therefore if they be altered to another disposition, this
disposition will be unnatural to them. Now whatever is unnatural and
accidental cannot last for ever (De Coelo et Mundo i). Therefore this
disposition acquired by being renewed will be taken away from them; and
thus there will be a cycle of changes in the world as Empedocles and
Origen (Peri Archon. ii, 3) maintained, and after this world there will
be another, and after that again another.
Objection 5: Further, newness of glory is given to the rational
creature as a reward. Now where there is no merit, there can be no
reward. Since then insensible creatures have merited nothing, it would
seem that they will not be renewed.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 65:17): "Behold I create new
heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be in
remembrance"; and (Apoc. 21:1): "I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
For the first heaven and the first earth was gone. "
Further, the dwelling should befit the dweller. But the world was made
to be man's dwelling. Therefore it should befit man. Now man will be
renewed. Therefore the world will be likewise.
Further, "Every beast loveth its like" (Ecclus. 13:19), wherefore it is
evident that likeness is the reason of love. Now man has some likeness
to the universe, wherefore he is called "a little world. " Hence man
loves the whole world naturally and consequently desires its good.
Therefore, that man's desire be satisfied the universe must needs also
be made better.
I answer that, We believe all corporeal things to have been made for
man's sake, wherefore all things are stated to be subject to him [*Ps.
8:5, seqq. ]. Now they serve man in two ways, first, as sustenance to
his bodily life, secondly, as helping him to know God, inasmuch as man
sees the invisible things of God by the things that are made (Rom.
1:20). Accordingly glorified man will nowise need creatures to render
him the first of these services, since his body will be altogether
incorruptible, the Divine power effecting this through the soul which
it will glorify immediately. Again man will not need the second service
as to intellective knowledge, since by that knowledge he will see God
immediately in His essence. The carnal eye, however, will be unable to
attain to this vision of the Essence; wherefore that it may be
fittingly comforted in the vision of God, it will see the Godhead in
Its corporeal effects, wherein manifest proofs of the Divine majesty
will appear, especially in Christ's flesh, and secondarily in the
bodies of the blessed, and afterwards in all other bodies. Hence those
bodies also will need to receive a greater inflow from the Divine
goodness than now, not indeed so as to change their species, but so as
to add a certain perfection of glory: and such will be the renewal of
the world. Wherefore at the one same time, the world will be renewed,
and man will be glorified.
Reply to Objection 1: Solomon is speaking there of the natural course:
this is evident from his adding: "Nothing under the sun is new.
" For
since the movement of the sun follows a circle, those things which are
subject to the sun's power must needs have some kind of circular
movement. This consists in the fact that things which were before
return the same in species but different in the individual (De Generat.
i). But things belonging to the state of glory are not "under the sun. "
Reply to Objection 2: This argument considers natural alteration which
proceeds from a natural agent, which acts from natural necessity. For
such an agent cannot produce different dispositions, unless it be
itself disposed differently. But things done by God proceed from
freedom of will, wherefore it is possible, without any change in God
Who wills it, for the universe to have at one time one disposition, and
another at another time. Thus this renewal will not be reduced to a
cause that is moved, but to an immovable principle, namely God.
Reply to Objection 3: God is stated to have ceased on the seventh day
forming new creatures, for as much as nothing was made afterwards that
was not previously in some likeness [*Cf. [5117]FP, Q[73], A[1]] either
generically, or specifically, or at least as in a seminal principle, or
even as in an obediential potentiality [*Cf. [5118]FP, Q[115], A[2], ad
4; [5119]TP, Q[11], A[1]]. I say then that the future renewal of the
world preceded in the works of the six days by way of a remote
likeness, namely in the glory and grace of the angels. Moreover it
preceded in the obediential potentiality which was then bestowed on the
creature to the effect of its receiving this same renewal by the Divine
agency.
Reply to Objection 4: This disposition of newness will be neither
natural nor contrary to nature, but above nature (just as grace and
glory are above the nature of the soul): and it will proceed from an
everlasting agent which will preserve it for ever.
Reply to Objection 5: Although, properly speaking, insensible bodies
will not have merited this glory, yet man merited that this glory
should be bestowed on the whole universe, in so far as this conduces to
man's increase of glory. Thus a man merits to be clothed in more
splendid robes, which splendor the robes nowise merited themselves.
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Whether the movement of the heavenly bodies will cease?
Objection 1: It seems that when the world is thus renewed the movement
of the heavenly bodies will not cease. For it is written (Gn. 8:22):
"All the days of the earth . . . cold and heat, summer and winter,
night and day shall not cease. " Now night and day, summer and winter
result from the movement of the sun. Therefore the movement of the sun
will never cease.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Jer. 31:35,36): "Thus saith the
Lord Who giveth the sun for the light of the day, the order of the moon
and of the stars for the light of the night: Who stirreth up the sea,
and the waves thereof roar . . . If these ordinances shall fail before
Me . . . then also the seed of Israel shall fail, so as not to be a
nation before Me for ever. " Now the seed of Israel shall never fail,
but will remain for ever. Therefore the laws of day and of the sea
waves, which result from the heavenly movement, will remain for ever.
Therefore the movement of the heaven will never cease.
Objection 3: Further, the substance of the heavenly bodies will remain
for ever. Now it is useless to admit the existence of a thing unless
you admit the purpose for which it was made: and the heavenly bodies
were made in order "to divide the day and the night"; and to be "for
signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years" (Gn. 1:14). But
they cannot do this except by movement. Therefore their movement will
remain for ever, else those bodies would remain without a purpose.
Objection 4: Further, in this renewal of the world the whole world will
be bettered. Therefore no body will be deprived of what pertains to its
perfection. Now movement belongs to the perfection of a heavenly body,
because, as stated in De Coelo et Mundo ii, "those bodies participate
of the Divine goodness by their movement. " Therefore the movement of
the heaven will not cease.
Objection 5: Further, the sun successively gives light to the various
parts of the world, by reason of its circular movement. Therefore if
the circular movement of the heaven ceases, it follows that in some
part of the earth's surface there will be perpetual darkness, which is
unbecoming to the aforesaid renewal.
Objection 6: Further, if the movement were to cease, this could only be
because movement causes some imperfection in the heaven, for instance
wear and tear, which is impossible, since this movement is natural, and
the heavenly bodies are impassible, wherefore they are not worn out by
movement (De Coelo et Mundo ii). Therefore the movement of the heaven
will never cease.
Objection 7: Further, a potentiality is useless if it be not reduced to
act. Now in whatever position the heavenly body is placed it is in
potentiality to another position. Therefore unless this potentiality be
reduced to act, it would remain useless, and would always be imperfect.
But it cannot be reduced to act save by local movement. Therefore it
will always be in motion.
Objection 8: Further, if a thing is indifferent in relation to more
than one alternation, either both are ascribed to it, or neither. Now
the sun is indifferent to being in the east or in the west, else its
movement would not be uniform throughout, since it would move more
rapidly to the place which is more natural to it. Therefore either
neither position is ascribed to the sun, or both. But neither both nor
neither can be ascribed to it, except successively by movement; for if
it stand still, it must needs stand in some position. Therefore the
solar body will always be in motion, and in like manner all other
heavenly bodies.
Objection 9: Further, the movement of the heaven is the cause of time.
Therefore if the movement of the heaven fail, time must needs fail: and
if this were to fail, it would fail in an instant. Now an instant is
defined (Phys. viii) "the beginning of the future and the end of the
past. " Consequently there would be time after the last instant of time,
which is impossible. Therefore the movement of the heavens will never
cease.
Objection 10: Further, glory does not remove nature. But the movement
of the heaven is natural. Therefore it is not deprived thereof by
glory.
On the contrary, It is stated (Apoc. 10:6) that the angel who appeared,
"swore by him that liveth for ever and ever . . . that time shall be no
longer," namely after the seventh angel shall have sounded the trumpet,
at the sound of which "the dead shall rise again" (1 Cor. 15:52). Now
if time be not, there is no movement of the heaven. Therefore the
movement of the heaven will cease.
Further: "Thy sun shall go down no more, and thy moon shall not
decrease" (Is. 60:20). Now the setting of the sun and the phases of the
moon are caused by the movement of the heavens. Therefore the heavenly
movement will cease at length.
Further, it is shown in De Gener. ii that "the movement of the heaven
is for the sake of continual generation in this lower world. " But
generation will cease when the number of the elect is complete.
Therefore the movement of the heaven will cease.
Further, all movement is for some end (Metaph. ii). But all movement
for an end ceases when the end is obtained. Therefore either the
movement of the heaven will never obtain its end, and thus it would be
useless, or it will cease at length.
Further, rest is more noble than movement, because things are more
likened to God, Who is supremely immovable, by being themselves
unmoved. Now the movement of lower bodies terminates naturally in rest.
Therefore since the heavenly bodies are far nobler, their movement
terminates naturally in rest.
I answer that, There are three opinions touching this question. The
first is of the philosophers who assert that the movement of the heaven
will last for ever. But this is not in keeping with our faith, which
holds that the elect are in a certain number preordained by God, so
that the begetting of men will not last for ever, and for the same
reason, neither will other things that are directed to the begetting of
men, such as the movement of the heaven and the variations of the
elements. Others say that the movement of the heaven will cease
naturally. But this again is false, since every body that is moved
naturally has a place wherein it rests naturally, whereto it is moved
naturally, and whence it is not moved except by violence. Now no such
place can be assigned to the heavenly body, since it is not more
natural to the sun to move towards a point in the east than to move
away from it, wherefore either its movement would not be altogether
natural, or its movement would not naturally terminate in rest. Hence
we must agree with others who say that the movement of the heaven will
cease at this renewal of the world, not indeed by any natural cause,
but as a result of the will of God. For the body in question, like
other bodies, was made to serve man in the two ways above mentioned
[5120](A[1]): and hereafter in the state of glory man will no longer
need one of these services, that namely in respect of which the
heavenly bodies serve man for the sustenance of his bodily life. Now in
this way the heavenly bodies serve man by their movement, in so far as
by the heavenly movement the human race is multiplied, plants and
animals needful for man's use generated, and the temperature of the
atmosphere rendered conducive to health. Therefore the movement of the
heavenly body will cease as soon as man is glorified.
Reply to Objection 1: These words refer to the earth in its present
state, when it is able to be the principle of the generation and
corruption of plants. This is evident from its being said there: "All
the days of the earth, seed time and harvest," etc. And it is simply to
be granted that as long as the earth is fit for seed time and harvest,
the movement of the heaven will not cease.
We reply in like manner to OBJ 2 that the Lord is speaking there of the
duration of the seed of Israel with regard to the present state. This
is evident from the words: "Then also the seed of Israel shall fail, so
as not to be a nation before Me for ever. " For after this state there
will be no succession of days: wherefore the laws also which He had
mentioned will cease after this state.
Reply to Objection 3: The end which is there assigned to the heavenly
bodies is their proximate end, because it is their proper act. But this
act is directed further to another end, namely the service of man,
which is shown by the words of Dt. 4:19: "Lest perhaps lifting up thy
eyes to heaven, thou see the sun and the moon and all the stars of
heaven, and being deceived by error thou adore and serve them, which
the Lord thy God created for the service of all the nations, that are
under heaven. " Therefore we should form our judgment of the heavenly
bodies from the service of man, rather than from the end assigned to
them in Genesis. Moreover the heavenly bodies, as stated above, will
serve glorified man in another way; hence it does not follow that they
will remain without a purpose.
Reply to Objection 4: Movement does not belong to the perfection of a
heavenly body, except in so far as thereby it is the cause of
generation and corruption in this lower world: and in that respect also
this movement makes the heavenly body participate in the Divine
goodness by way of a certain likeness of causality. But movement does
not belong to the perfection of the substance of the heaven, which
substance will remain. Wherefore it does not follow that, when this
movement ceases, the substance of the heaven will lose something of its
perfection.
Reply to Objection 5: All the elemental bodies will have in themselves
a certain clarity of glory. Hence though part of the surface of the
earth be not lit up by the sun, there will by no means be any darkness
there.
Reply to Objection 6: A gloss of Ambrose on Rom. 8:22, "Every creature
groaneth," etc. says explicitly that "all the elements labor to fulfill
their offices: thus the sun and moon fill the places appointed to them
not without work: this is for our sake, wherefore they will rest when
we are taken up to heaven. " This work, in my opinion, does not signify
that any stress or passion occurs to these bodies from their movement,
since this movement is natural to them and nowise violent, as is proved
in De Coelo et Mundo i. But work here denotes a defect in relation to
the term to which a thing tends. Hence since this movement is ordained
by Divine providence to the completion of the number of the elect, it
follows that as long as the latter is incomplete, this movement has not
reached the term whereto it was ordained: hence it is said
metaphorically to labor, as a man who has not what he intends to have.
This defect will be removed from the heaven when the number of the
elect is complete. Or it may refer to the desire of the future renewal
which it awaits from the Divine disposal.
Reply to Objection 7: In a heavenly body there is no potentiality that
can be perfected by place, or that is made for this end which is to be
in such and such a place. But potentiality to situation in a place is
related to a heavenly body, as the craftsman's potentiality to
construct various houses of one kind: for if he construct one of these
he is not said to have the potentiality uselessly, and in like manner
in whatever situation a heavenly body be placed, its potentiality to be
in a place will not remain incomplete or without a purpose.
Reply to Objection 8: Although a heavenly body, so far as regards its
nature, is equally inclined to every situation that it can possibly
occupy, nevertheless in comparison with things outside it, it is not
equally inclined to every situation: but in respect of one situation it
has a more noble disposition in comparison with certain things than in
respect of another situation; thus in our regard the sun has a more
noble disposition at daytime than at night-time. Hence it is probable,
since the entire renewal of the world is directed to man, that the
heaven will have in this renewal the most noble situation possible in
relation to our dwelling there. Or, according to some, the heaven will
rest in that situation wherein it was made, else one of its revolutions
would remain incomplete. But this argument seems improbable, for since
a revolution of the heaven takes no less than 36,000 years to complete,
it would follow that the world must last that length of time, which
does not seem probable. Moreover according to this it would be possible
to know when the world will come to an end. For we may conclude with
probability from astronomers in what position the heavenly bodies were
made, by taking into consideration the number of years that have
elapsed since the beginning of the world: and in the same way it would
be possible to know the exact number of years it would take them to
return to a like position: whereas the time of the world's end is
stated to be unknown.
Reply to Objection 9: Time will at length cease, when the heavenly
movement ceases. Yet that last "now" will not be the beginning of the
future. For the definition quoted applies to the "now" only as
continuous with the parts of time, not as terminating the whole of
time.
Reply to Objection 10: The movement of the heaven is said to be
natural, not as though it were part of nature in the same way as we
speak of natural principles; but because it has its principle in the
nature of a body, not indeed its active but its receptive principle.
Its active principle is a spiritual substance, as the Commentator says
on De Coelo et Mundo; and consequently it is not unreasonable for this
movement to be done away by the renewal of glory, since the nature of
the heavenly body will not alter through the cessation of that
movement.
We grant the other objections which argue in the contrary sense, namely
the first three, because they conclude in due manner. But since the
remaining two seem to conclude that the movement of heaven will cease
naturally, we must reply to them. To the first, then, we reply that
movement ceases when its purpose is attained, provided this is a sequel
to, and does not accompany the movement. Now the purpose of the
heavenly movement, according to philosophers, accompanies that
movement, namely the imitation of the Divine goodness in the causality
of that movement with respect to this lower world. Hence it does not
follow that this movement ceases naturally.
To the second we reply that although immobility is simply nobler than
movement, yet movement in a subject which thereby can acquire a perfect
participation of the Divine goodness is nobler than rest in a subject
which is altogether unable to acquire that perfection by movement. For
this reason the earth which is the lowest of the elements is without
movement: although God Who is exalted above all things is without
movement, by Whom the more noble bodies are moved. Hence also it is
that the movements of the higher bodies might be held to be perpetual,
so far as their natural power is concerned, and never to terminate in
rest, although the movement of lower bodies terminates in rest.
__________________________________________________________________
Whether the brightness of the heavenly bodies will be increased at this
renewal?
Objection 1: It would seem that the brightness of the heavenly bodies
will not be increased at this renewal. For this renewal as regards the
lower bodies will be caused by the cleansing fire. But the cleansing
fire will not reach the heavenly bodies. Therefore the heavenly bodies
will not be renewed by receiving an increase of brightness.
Objection 2: Further, just as the heavenly bodies are the cause of
generation in this lower world by their movement, so are they by their
light. But, when generation ceases, movement will cease as stated above
[5121](A[2]). Therefore in like manner the light of the heavenly bodies
will cease rather than increase.
Objection 3: Further, if the heavenly bodies will be renewed when man
is renewed, it follows that when man deteriorated they deteriorated
likewise. But this does not seem probable, since these bodies are
unalterable as to their substance. Therefore neither will they be
renewed when man is renewed.
Objection 4: Further, if they deteriorated then it follows that their
deterioration was on a par with the amelioration which, it is said,
will accrue to them at man's renewal. Now it is written (Is. 30:26)
that "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun. "
Therefore in the original state before sin the moon shone as much as
the sun does now. Therefore whenever the moon was over the earth, it
made it to be day as the sun does now: which is proved manifestly to be
false from the statement of Gn. 1:16 that the moon was made "to rule
the night. " Therefore when man sinned the heavenly bodies were not
deprived of their light; and so their light will not be increased, so
it seems, when man is glorified.
Objection 5: Further, the brightness of the heavenly bodies, like other
creatures, is directed to the use of man. Now, after the resurrection,
the brightness of the sun will be of no use to man: for it is written
(Is. 60:19): "Thou shalt no more have the sun for thy light by day,
neither shall the brightness of the moon enlighten thee," and (Apoc.
21:23): "The city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon to shine in
it. " Therefore their brightness will not be increased.
Objection 6: Further, it were not a wise craftsman who would make very
great instruments for the making of a small work. Now man is a very
small thing in comparison with the heavenly bodies, which by their huge
bulk surpass the size of man almost beyond comparison: in fact the size
of the whole earth in comparison with the heaven is as a point compared
with a sphere, as astronomers say. Since then God is most wise it would
seem that man is not the end of the creation of the heavens, and so it
is unseemly that the heaven should deteriorate when he sinned, or that
it should be bettered when he is glorified.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 30:26): "The light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be
sevenfold. "
Further, the whole world will be renewed for the better. But the heaven
is the more noble part of the corporeal world. Therefore it will be
altered for the better. But this cannot be unless it shine out with
greater brightness. Therefore its brightness will be bettered and will
increase.
Further, "every creature that groaneth and travaileth in pain, awaiteth
the revelation of the glory of the children of God" [*'The creature
also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into
the liberty of the children of God. For we know that every creature
groaneth and travaileth in pain,' etc. ] (Rom. 8:21,22). Now such are
the heavenly bodies, as a gloss says on the same passage. Therefore
they await the glory of the saints. But they would not await it unless
they were to gain something by it. Therefore their brightness will
increase thereby, since it is their chief beauty.
I answer that, The renewal of the world is directed to the end that,
after this renewal has taken place, God may become visible to man by
signs so manifest as to be perceived as it were by his senses. Now
creatures lead to the knowledge of God chiefly by their comeliness and
beauty, which show forth the wisdom of their Maker and Governor;
wherefore it is written (Wis. 13:5): "By the greatness of the beauty
and of the creature, the Creator of them may be seen, so as to be known
thereby. " And the beauty of the heavenly bodies consists chiefly in
light; wherefore it is written (Ecclus. 43:10): "The glory of the stars
is the beauty of heaven, the Lord enlighteneth the world on high. "
Hence the heavenly bodies will be bettered, especially as regards their
brightness. But to what degree and in what way this betterment will
take place is known to Him alone Who will bring it about.
Reply to Objection 1: The cleansing fire will not cause the form of the
renewal, but will only dispose thereto, by cleansing from the vileness
of sin and the impurity resulting from the mingling of bodies, and this
is not to be found in the heavenly bodies. Hence although the heavenly
bodies are not to be cleansed by fire, they are nevertheless to be
Divinely renewed.
Reply to Objection 2: Movement does not denote perfection in the thing
moved, considered in itself, since movement is the act of that which is
imperfect: although it may pertain to the perfection of a body in so
far as the latter is the cause of something. But light belongs to the
perfection of a lightsome body, even considered in its substance: and
consequently after the heavenly body has ceased to be the cause of
generation, its brightness will remain, while its movement will cease.
Reply to Objection 3: A gloss on Is. 30:26, "The light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun," says: "All things made for man's
sake deteriorated at his fall, and sun and moon diminished in light. "
This diminishment is understood by some to mean a real lessening of
light.
