Chapter III.
Second member of the first part. The vanity of things is shown with respect to variety in time, and this in three articles.
All things have their time, etc. Above he treated the vanity of things, showing that there is variability in them by reason of motion: here secondly he wishes to show vanity with respect to the determination and variety in time. And because he shows the mutability and variety of things not for contempt of them insofar as they are works of God, but insofar as they are loved by us: therefore in this part he shows first the variety of times: second he reproves our curiosity, there: What more has man: third he shows the perpetuity of the divine works, there: And I learned that the works of God.
Art. 1. On the variety and mutability of things in time, both generally and specifically.
The first part has two sections, because first he treats the variety and mutability of things in time generally, second specifically, by adducing and proving, there: A time to be born.
The variety and mutability of things in time is proposed and proved generally.
(Verse 1.). He proposes therefore generally, saying: All things have their time, that is, variety of time, because Romans 8: "The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly." And all things pass away in their appointed intervals under the sun, with respect to the determination of the prefixed time; Wisdom 11: "You have disposed all things in number, weight, and measure"; 1 Corinthians 7: "The figure of this world passes away"; and especially in this span of time prefixed for it; Job 14: "You have appointed his bounds, which cannot be passed."
Questions.
I. Here there is a question concerning what he says: All things have their time.
1. There is an objection: since spiritual substances, as Jerome says, are contained neither by place nor by time.
2. Likewise, everything that is in time and has time is corporeal; but spiritual substances are incorporeal: therefore they are not in time nor do they have time.
That they are in time, however, seems clear: 1. Because Augustine says to Dardanus: "Uncreated spiritual substance is moved neither through time nor through place; created spiritual substance is moved through time, but not through place; created corporeal substance through time and place."
2. Likewise, what is in place is in time; but "God alone is uncircumscribable," as Damascene says, therefore He alone is atemporal: therefore all other things have time.
I respond: it must be said to this that this distribution is accommodated, just as when it is said: the heaven covers all things, it is understood of those things which are under heaven; and therefore the objection concerning spiritual substance is not to be sustained.
If however we wish to extend the division, we shall say that time is spoken of in three ways: commonly and properly and more properly. Commonly, according as it denotes the measure of the passage from non-being to being: and in this way it is in all things, because all things had a beginning. And the text seems to suggest this, because he says that all things have their time, but not that all things pass away except under the sun.
In another way properly, insofar as it implies variation either in substance or in affection; and thus spiritual substance still has time with respect to the change of affections.
In a third way more properly, insofar as it is the preeminent measure: and thus it belongs to corruptible things, and not to all things.
As to what is asked, therefore, whether spiritual substances have time: it must be resolved that in the first way they have it with respect to substance: in the second way, with respect to certain affections: in the third way they do not have it. — And by this the contraries of both sides are resolved.
II. It is asked concerning the second part of the proposition: And all things pass away in their own times under the sun, whether the elements pass away.
It seems that they do.
1. Revelation 21: I saw a new heaven and a new earth: therefore the old had passed away.
2. Likewise, 1 John 2: The world passes away and its concupiscence: and Matthew 24: Heaven and earth shall pass away.
ON THE CONTRARY: They are part of the constitution of the universe: therefore since the universe remains, it is manifest that the elements do also.
I respond: it must be said that for something to pass away in its own time is threefold: either with respect to corruption according to the whole substance, as brute animals are corrupted: or with respect to corruption of itself according to a part, as the elements are generated and corrupted at their boundaries, where they touch one another 5 ; or to pass away, that is, to be changed from the state of corruptibility to another state, and in this way this sensible world will be renewed.
What is said here, therefore, that they pass away in their own times, is understood according to one or another of these three ways.