t from the first
instant in which it was flesh. But between any two instants there is
an interval of time. Therefore Christ's body was not formed in an
instant, but during a space of time.

Obj. 4: Further, as the augmentative power requires a fixed time for
its act, so also does the generative power: for both are natural
powers belonging to the vegetative soul. But Christ's body took a
fixed time to grow, like the bodies of other men: for it is written
(Luke 2:52) that He "advanced in wisdom and age." Therefore it seems
for the same reason that the formation of His body, since that, too,
belongs to the generative power, was not instantaneous, but took a
fixed time, like the bodies of other men.

_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Moral. xviii): "As soon as the angel
announced it, as soon as the Spirit came down, the Word was in the
womb, within the womb the Word was made flesh."

_I answer that,_ In the conception of Christ's body three points may
be considered: first, the local movement of the blood to the place of
generation; secondly, the formation of the body from that matter;
thirdly, the development whereby it was brought to perfection of
quantity. Of these, the second is the conception itself; the first is
a preamble; the third, a result of the conception.

Now, the first could not be instantaneous: since this would be
contrary to the very nature of the local movement of any body
whatever, the parts of which come into a place successively. The
third also requires a succession of time: both because there is no
increase without local movement, and because increase is effected by
the power of the soul already informing the body, the operation of
which power is subject to time.

But the body's very formation, in which conception principally
consists, was instantaneous, for two reasons. First, because of the
infinite power of the agent, viz. the Holy Ghost, by whom Christ's
body was formed, as stated above (Q. 32, A. 1). For the greater the
power of an agent, the more quickly can it dispose matter; and,
consequently, an agent of infinite power can dispose matter
instantaneously to its due form. Secondly, on the part of the Person
of the Son, whose body was being formed. For it was unbecoming that
He should take to Himself a body as yet unformed. While, if the
conception had been going on for any time before the perfect
formation of the body, the whole conception could not be attributed
to the Son of God, since i