Article 11

In the eleventh article, the question is raised whether all corruptible bodies composed of elements would instantly be separated into these elements if the movement of the celestial bodies were to cease.

I believe that this proposition is true or false according to the way it is understood. For it is necessary that the motion of the sky—just as any given movement—would cease in a moment because the last instant of time corresponds to the last instant of motion. If, then, it is understood that the corruption of these bodies or their disintegration into elements is instantaneous, this is true in regard to the beginning [of the process] but false in regard to its terminus. Indeed, celestial bodies are causes that cause and preserve things just as moving causes do. Accordingly, both the corruption and disintegration that occurs due to the removal of such a cause comes about through motion. But the terminus and the beginning of a motion is not able to be at the same moment because every motion requires some amount of time. It would be different, however, if the divine conservation were removed; for God himself is the cause of being for things operating immovably. In other words, since he produced things in a moment by creating in a way that was not temporal, if his activity were to cease things would come to an end—and they would not do so by means of some movement.