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De civitate Dei (CCSL)

Caput XVIII: De terrenis corporibus, quae philosophi adfirmant in caelestibus esse non posse, quia, quod terrenum est, naturali pondere reuocetur ad terram.

Sed necesse est, inquiunt, ut terrena corpora naturale pondus uel in terra teneat uel cogat ad terram et ideo in caelo esse non possint. primi quidem illi homines in terra erant nemorosa atque fructuosa, quae paradisi nomen obtinuit; sed quia et ad hoc respondendum est uel propter Christi corpus cum quo ascendit in caelum uel propter sanctorum qualia in resurrectione futura sunt, intueantur paulo attentius pondera ipsa terrena. si enim ars humana efficit, ut ex metallis, quae in aquis posita continuo submerguntur, quibusdam modis uasa fabricata etiam natare possint: quanto credibilius et efficacius occultus aliquis modus operationis dei, cuius omnipotentissima uoluntate Plato dicit nec orta interire nec conligata posse dissolui, cum multo mirabilius incorporea corporeis quam quaecumque corpora quibuscumque corporibus copulentur, potest molibus praestare terrenis, ut nullo in ima pondere deprimantur, ipsisque animis perfectissime beatis, ut quamuis terrena, tamen incorruptibilia iam corpora ubi uolunt ponant et quo uolunt agant, situ motuque facillimo. an uero si hoc angeli faciant et quaelibet animalia terrestria rapiant unde libet constituantque ubi libet, aut eos non posse aut onera sentire credendum est? cur ergo sanctorum perfectos et beatos diuino munere spiritus sine ulla difficultate posse ferre quo uoluerint et sistere ubi uoluerint sua corpora non credamus? nam cum terrenorum corporum, sicut onera in gestando sentire consueuimus, quanto maior est quantitas, tanto sit maior et grauitas, ita ut plura pondo quam pauciora plus premant: membra tamen suae carnis leuiora portat anima, cum in sanitate robusta sunt quam in languore cum macra sunt. et cum aliis gestantibus onerosior sit saluus et ualidus quam exilis et morbidus, ipse tamen ad suum corpus mouendum atque portandum agilior est, cum in bona ualetudine plus habet molis, quam cum in peste uel fame minimum roboris. tantum ualet in habendis etiam terrenis corporibus, quamuis adhuc corruptibilibus atque mortalibus, non quantitatis pondus, sed temperationis modus. et quis uerbis explicat, quantum distet inter praesentem quam dicimus sanitatem et inmortalitatem futuram? non itaque nostram fidem redarguunt philosophi de ponderibus corporum. nolo enim quaerere, cur non credant terrenum esse posse corpus in caelo, cum terra uniuersa libretur in nihilo. fortassis enim de ipso medio mundi loco, eo quod in eum coeant quaeque grauiora, etiam argumentatio uerisimilior habeatur. illud dico: si di minores, quibus inter animalia terrestria cetera etiam hominem faciendum commisit Plato, potuerunt, sicut dicit, ab igne remouere urendi qualitatem, lucendi relinquere quae per oculos emicaret, ita ne deo summo concedere dubitabimus, cuius ille uoluntati potestatique concessit, ne moriantur quae orta sint, et tam diuersa, tam dissimilia, id est corporea et incorporea, sibi met conexa nulla possint dissolutione seiungi, ut de carne hominis, cui donat inmortalitatem, corruptionem auferat, naturam relinquat, congruentiam figurae membrorumque detineat, detrahat ponderis tarditatem? sed de fide resurrectionis mortuorum et de corporibus eorum inmortalibus diligentius, si deus uoluerit, in fine huius operis disserendum est.

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The City of God

Chapter 18.--Of Earthly Bodies, Which the Philosophers Affirm Cannot Be in Heavenly Places, Because Whatever is of Earth is by Its Natural Weight Attracted to Earth.

But it is necessary, they say, that the natural weight of earthly bodies either keeps them on earth or draws them to it; and therefore they cannot be in heaven. Our first parents were indeed on earth, in a well-wooded and fruitful spot, which has been named Paradise. But let our adversaries a little more carefully consider this subject of earthly weight, because it has important bearings, both on the ascension of the body of Christ, and also on the resurrection body of the saints. If human skill can by some contrivance fabricate vessels that float, out of metals which sink as soon as they are placed on the water, how much more credible is it that God, by some occult mode of operation, should even more certainly effect that these earthy masses be emancipated from the downward pressure of their weight? This cannot be impossible to that God by whose almighty will, according to Plato, neither things born perish, nor things composed dissolve, especially since it is much more wonderful that spiritual and bodily essences be conjoined than that bodies be adjusted to other material substances. Can we not also easily believe that souls, being made perfectly blessed, should be endowed with the power of moving their earthy but incorruptible bodies as they please, with almost spontaneous movement, and of placing them where they please with the readiest action? If the angels transport whatever terrestrial creatures they please from any place they please, and convey them whither they please, is it to be believed that they cannot do so without toil and the feeling of burden? Why, then, may we not believe that the spirits of the saints, made perfect and blessed by divine grace, can carry their own bodies where they please, and set them where they will? For, though we have been accustomed to notice, in bearing weights, that the larger the quantity the greater the weight of earthy bodies is, and that the greater the weight the more burdensome it is, yet the soul carries the members of its own flesh with less difficulty when they are massive with health, than in sickness when they are wasted. And though the hale and strong man feels heavier to other men carrying him than the lank and sickly, yet the man himself moves and carries his own body with less feeling of burden when he has the greater bulk of vigorous health, than when his frame is reduced to a minimum by hunger or disease. Of such consequence, in estimating the weight of earthly bodies, even while yet corruptible and mortal, is the consideration not of dead weight, but of the healthy equilibrium of the parts. And what words can tell the difference between what we now call health and future immortality? Let not the philosophers, then, think to upset our faith with arguments from the weight of bodies; for I don't care to inquire why they cannot believe an earthly body can be in heaven, while the whole earth is suspended on nothing. For perhaps the world keeps its central place by the same law that attracts to its centre all heavy bodies. But this I say, if the lesser gods, to whom Plato committed the creation of man and the other terrestrial creatures, were able, as he affirms, to withdraw from the fire its quality of burning, while they left it that of lighting, so that it should shine through the eyes; and if to the supreme God Plato also concedes the power of preserving from death things that have been born, and of preserving from dissolution things that are composed of parts so different as body and spirit;--are we to hesitate to concede to this same God the power to operate on the flesh of him whom He has endowed with immortality, so as to withdraw its corruption but leave its nature, remove its burdensome weight but retain its seemly form and members? But concerning our belief in the resurrection of the dead, and concerning their immortal bodies, we shall speak more at large, God willing, in the end of this work.