|
Objection 1: It would seem that all will rise again of the same
stature. For just as man is measured by dimensive quantity, so is he
by the quantity of time. Now the quantity of time will be reduced to
the same measure in all, since all will rise again of the same age.
Therefore the dimensive quantity will also be reduced to the same
measure in all, so that all will rise again of the same stature.
Objection 2: Further, the Philosopher says (De Anima ii, 4)
that "all things in nature have a certain limit end measure of size and
growth." Now this limitation can only arise by virtue of the form,
with which the quantity as well as all the other accidents ought to
agree. Therefore since all men have the same specific form, there
should be the same measure of quantity in respect of matter in all,
unless an error should occur. But the error of nature will be set
right at the resurrection. Therefore all will rise again of the same
stature.
Objection 3: Further, it will be impossible for man in rising again
to be of a quantity proportionate to the natural power which first
formed his body; for otherwise those who could not be brought to a
greater quantity by the power of nature will never rise again of a
greater quantity, which is false. Therefore that quantity must needs
be proportionate to the power which will restore the human body by the
resurrection, and to the matter from which it is restored. Now the
selfsame, namely the Divine, power will restore all bodies; and all
the ashes from which the human bodies will be restored are equally
disposed to receive the action of that power. Therefore the
resurrection of all men will bring them to the same quantity: and so
the same conclusion follows.
On the contrary, Natural quantity results from each individual's
nature. Now the nature of the individual will not be altered at the
resurrection. Therefore neither will its natural quantity. But all
are not of the same natural quantity. Therefore all will not rise
again of the same stature.
Further, human nature will be restored by resurrection unto glory or
unto punishment. But there will not be the same quantity of glory or
punishment in all those who rise again. Neither therefore will there
be the same quantity of stature.
I answer that, At the resurrection human nature will be restored not
only in the self-same species but also in the selfsame individual: and
consequently we must observe in the resurrection what is requisite not
only to the specific but also to the individual nature. Now the
specific nature has a certain quantity which it neither exceeds nor
fails without error, and yet this quantity has certain degrees of
latitude and is not to be attached to one fixed measure; and each
individual in the human species aims at some degree of quantity
befitting his individual nature within the bounds of that latitude, and
reaches it at the end of his growth, if there has been no error in the
working of nature, resulting in the addition of something to or the
subtraction of something from the aforesaid quantity: the measure
whereof is gauged according to the proportion of heat as expanding, and
of humidity as expansive, in point of which all are not of the same
power. Therefore all will not rise again of the same quantity, but
each one will rise again of that quantity which would have been his at
the end of his growth if nature had not erred or failed: and the
Divine power will subtract or supply what was excessive or lacking in
man.
Reply to Objection 1: It has already been explained (Article 1,
ad 2) that all are said to rise again of the same age, not as though
the same length of time were befitting to each one, but because the
same state of perfection will be in all, which state is indifferent to
a great or small quantity.
Reply to Objection 2: The quantity of a particular individual
corresponds not only to the form of the species, but also to the nature
or matter of the individual: wherefore the conclusion does not follow.
Reply to Objection 3: The quantity of those who will be raised from
the dead is not proportionate to the restoring power, because the
latter does not belong to the power of the body---nor to the ashes,
as to the state in which they are before the resurrection---but to
nature which the individual had at first. Nevertheless if the
formative power on account of some defect was unable to effect the due
quantity that is befitting to the species, the Divine power will
supply the defect at the resurrection, as in dwarfs, and in like
manner in those who by immoderate size have exceeded the due bounds of
nature.
|
|