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Objection 1: It would seem that the fire in question is not of the
same species as elemental fire. For nothing consumes itself. But
that fire will consume the four elements according to a gloss on 2
Pt. 3:12. Therefore that fire will not be of the same species as
elemental fire.
Objection 2: Further, as power is made known by operation, so is
nature made known by power. Now that fire will have a different power
from the fire which is an element: because it will cleanse the
universe, whereas this fire cannot do that. Therefore it will not be
of the same species as this.
Objection 3: Further, in natural bodies those that are of the same
species have the same movement. But that fire will have a different
movement from the fire that is an element, because it will move in all
directions so as to cleanse the whole. Therefore it is not of the same
species.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xx, 16), and
his words are contained in a gloss on 1 Cor. 7:31, that "the
fashion of this world will perish in the burning of worldly flames."
Therefore that fire will be of the same nature as the fire which is now
in the world.
Further, just as the future cleansing is to be by fire, so was the
past cleansing by water: and they are both compared to one another, 2
Pt. 3:5. Now in the first cleansing the water was of the same
species with elemental water. Therefore in like manner the fire of the
second cleansing will be of the same species with elemental fire.
I answer that, We meet with three opinions on this question. For
some say that the element of fire which is in its own sphere will come
down to cleanse the world: and they explain this descent by way of
multiplication, because the fire will spread through finding
combustible matter on all sides. And this will result all the more
then since the virtue of the fire will be raised over all the elements.
Against this, however, would seem to be not only the fact that this
fire will come down, but also the statement of the saints that it will
rise up; thus (2 Pt. 3:10) it is declared that the fire of the
judgment will rise as high as the waters of the deluge; whence it would
seem to follow that this fire is situated towards the middle of the
place of generation. Hence others say that this fire will be generated
towards the intervening space through the focusing together of the rays
of the heavenly bodies, just as we see them focused together in a
burning-glass; for at that time in lieu of glasses there will be
concave clouds, on which the rays will strike But this again does not
seem probable: for since the effects of heavenly bodies depend on
certain fixed positions and aspects, if this fire resulted from the
virtue of the heavenly bodies, the time of this cleansing would be
known to those who observe the movements of the stars and this is
contrary to the authority of Scripture. Consequently others,
following Augustine, say that "just as the deluge resulted from an
outpouring of the waters of the world, so the fashion of this world
will perish by a burning of worldly flames" (De Civ. Dei. xx,
16). This burning is nothing else but the assembly of all those
lower and higher causes that by their nature have a kindling virtue:
and this assembly will take place not in the ordinary course of things,
but by the Divine power: and from all these causes thus assembled the
fire that will burn the surface of this world will result. If we
consider aright these opinions, we shall find that they differ as to
the cause producing this fire and not as to its species. For fire,
whether produced by the sun or by some lower heating cause, is of the
same species as fire in its own sphere, except in so far as the former
has some admixture of foreign matter. And this will of necessity be
the case then, since fire cannot cleanse a thing, unless this become
its matter in some way. Hence we must grant that the fire in question
is simply of the same species as ours.
Reply to Objection 1: The fire in question, although of the same
species as ours, is not identically the same. Now we see that of two
fires of the same species one destroys the other, namely the greater
destroys the lesser, by consuming its matter. In like manner that
fire will be able to destroy our fire.
Reply to Objection 2: Just as an operation that proceeds from the
virtue of a thing is an indication of that virtue, so is its virtue an
indication of its essence or nature, if it proceed from the essential
principles of the thing. But an operation that does not proceed from
the virtue of the operator does not indicate its virtue. This appears
in instruments: for the action of an instrument shows forth the virtue
of the mover rather than that of the instrument, since it shows forth
the virtue of the agent in so far as the latter is the first principle
of the action, whereas it does not show forth the virtue of the
instrument, except in so far as it is susceptive of the influence of
the principal agent as moving that instrument. In like manner a virtue
that does not proceed from the essential principles of a thing does not
indicate the nature of that thing except in the point of
susceptibility. Thus the virtue whereby hot water can heat is no
indication of the nature of water except in the point of its being
receptive of heat. Consequently nothing prevents water that has this
virtue from being of the same species as water that has it not. In
like manner it is not unreasonable that this fire, which will have the
power to cleanse the surface of the world, will be of the same species
as the fire to which we are used, since the heating power therein
arises, not from its essential principles but from the divine power or
operation: whether we say that this power is an absolute quality, such
as heat in hot water, or a kind of intention as we have ascribed to
instrumental virtue (Sent. iv, D, 1, qu. 1, Article 4)
[TP, Question 62, Article 4, ad 1]. The latter is more
probable since that fire will not act save as the instrument of the
Divine power.
Reply to Objection 3: Of its own nature fire tends only upwards;
but in so far as it pursues its matter, which it requires when it is
outside its own sphere, it follows the site of combustible matter.
Accordingly it is not unreasonable for it to take a circular or a
downward course, especially in so far as it acts as the instrument of
the Divine power.
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