Ad secundum dicendum quod filiatio adoptiva est quaedam participata similitudo filiationis naturalis; sed fit in nobis appropriate a patre, qui est principium naturalis filiationis; et per donum spiritus sancti, qui est amor patris et filii; secundum illud Galat. IV, misit Deus spiritum filii sui in corda nostra, clamantem, abba, pater. Et ideo sicut, filio incarnato, adoptivam filiationem accipimus ad similitudinem naturalis filiationis eius; ita, patre incarnato, adoptivam filiationem reciperemus ab eo tanquam a principio naturalis filiationis; et a spiritu sancto, tanquam a nexu communi patris et filii. Reply Obj. 2: Adoptive sonship is a certain participation of natural sonship; but it takes place in us, by appropriation, by the Father, Who is the principle of natural sonship, and by the gift of the Holy Spirit, Who is the love of the Father and Son, according to Gal. 4:6: God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father. And therefore, even as by the Incarnation of the Son we receive adoptive sonship in the likeness of His natural sonship, so likewise, had the Father become incarnate, we should have received adoptive sonship from Him, as from the principle of the natural sonship, and from the Holy Spirit as from the common bond of Father and Son. Ad tertium dicendum quod patri convenit esse innascibilem secundum nativitatem aeternam, quod non excluderet nativitas temporalis. Mitti autem dicitur filius secundum incarnationem, eo quod est ab illo, sine quo incarnatio non sufficeret ad rationem missionis. Reply Obj. 3: It belongs to the Father to be innascible as to eternal birth, and the temporal birth would not destroy this. But the Son of God is said to be sent in regard to the Incarnation, inasmuch as He is from another, without which the Incarnation would not suffice for the nature of mission. Articulus 6 Article 6 Utrum duae personae divinae possunt assumere unam et eandem numero naturam Whether two Divine Persons can assume one and the same individual nature? Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod duae personae divinae non possunt assumere unam et eandem numero naturam. Hoc enim supposito aut essent unus homo, vel plures. Sed non plures, sicut enim una natura divina in pluribus personis non patitur esse plures deos, ita una humana natura in pluribus personis non patitur esse plures homines. Similiter etiam non possent esse unus homo, quia unus homo est iste homo, qui demonstrat unam personam; et sic tolleretur distinctio trium personarum divinarum, quod est inconveniens. Non ergo duae aut tres personae possunt accipere unam naturam humanam. Objection 1: It would seem that two Divine Persons cannot assume one and the same individual nature. For, this being granted, there would either be several men or one. But not several, for just as one Divine Nature in several Persons does not make several gods, so one human nature in several persons does not make several men. Nor would there be only one man, for one man is this man, which signifies one person; and hence the distinction of three Divine Persons would be destroyed, which cannot be allowed. Therefore neither two nor three Persons can take one human nature. Praeterea, assumptio terminatur ad unitatem personae, ut dictum est. Sed non est una persona patris et filii et spiritus sancti. Ergo non possunt tres personae assumere unam naturam humanam. Obj. 2: Further, the assumption is terminated in the unity of Person, as has been said above (A. 2). But the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not one Person. Therefore the three Persons cannot assume one human nature. Praeterea, Damascenus dicit, in III libro, et Augustinus, in I de Trin., quod ex incarnatione filii Dei consequitur quod quidquid dicitur de filio Dei, dicitur de filio hominis, et e converso. Si ergo tres personae assumerent unam naturam humanam, sequitur quod quidquid dicitur de qualibet trium personarum, diceretur de illo homine, et e converso ea quae dicerentur de illo homine, possent dici de qualibet trium personarum. Sic ergo id quod est proprium patris, scilicet generare filium ab aeterno, diceretur de illo homine, et per consequens diceretur de filio Dei, quod est inconveniens. Non ergo est possibile quod tres personae divinae assumant unam naturam humanam. Obj. 3: Further, Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 3, 4), and Augustine (De Trin. i, 11, 12, 13), that from the Incarnation of God the Son it follows that whatever is said of the Son of God is said of the Son of Man, and conversely. Hence, if three Persons were to assume one human nature, it would follow that whatever is said of each of the three Persons would be said of the man; and conversely, what was said of the man could be said of each of the three Persons. Therefore what is proper to the Father, viz. to beget the Son, would be said of the man, and consequently would be said of the Son of God; and this could not be. Therefore it is impossible that the three Persons should assume one human nature. Sed contra, persona incarnata subsistit in duabus naturis, divina scilicet et humana. Sed tres personae possunt subsistere in una natura divina. Ergo etiam possunt subsistere in una natura humana, ita scilicet quod sit una natura humana a tribus personis assumpta. On the contrary, The Incarnate Person subsists in two natures. But the three Persons can subsist in one Divine Nature. Therefore they can also subsist in one human nature in such a way that the human nature be assumed by the three Persons. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, ex unione animae et corporis in Christo non fit neque nova persona neque hypostasis, sed fit una natura assumpta in personam vel hypostasim divinam. Quod quidem non fit per potentiam naturae humanae, sed per potentiam personae divinae. Est autem talis divinarum personarum conditio quod una earum non excludit aliam a communione eiusdem naturae, sed solum a communione eiusdem personae. Quia igitur in mysterio incarnationis tota ratio facti est potentia facientis, ut Augustinus dicit, in epistola ad Volusianum; magis est circa hoc iudicandum secundum conditionem personae assumentis quam secundum conditionem naturae humanae assumptae. Sic igitur non est impossibile divinis personis ut duae vel tres assumant unam naturam humanam. Esset tamen impossibile ut assumerent unam hypostasim vel unam personam humanam, sicut Anselmus dicit, in libro de conceptu virginali, quod plures personae non possunt assumere unum eundemque hominem. I answer that, As was said above (Q. 2, A. 5, ad 1), by the union of the soul and body in Christ neither a new person is made nor a new hypostasis, but one human nature is assumed to the Divine Person or hypostasis, which, indeed, does not take place by the power of the human nature, but by the power of the Divine Person. Now such is the characteristic of the Divine Persons that one does not exclude another from communicating in the same nature, but only in the same Person. Hence, since in the mystery of the Incarnation the whole reason of the deed is the power of the doer, as Augustine says (Ep. ad Volusianum cxxxvii), we must judge of it in regard to the quality of the Divine Person assuming, and not according to the quality of the human nature assumed. Therefore it is not impossible that two or three Divine Persons should assume one human nature, but it would be impossible for them to assume one human hypostasis or person; thus Anselm says in the book De Concep. Virg. (Cur Deus Homo ii, 9), that several Persons cannot assume one and the same man to unity of Person. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, hac positione facta, quod scilicet tres personae assumerent unam humanam naturam, verum esset dicere quod tres personae essent unus homo, propter unam humanam naturam, sicut nunc verum est dicere quod sunt unus Deus, propter unam divinam naturam. Nec ly unus importat unitatem personae, sed unitatem in natura humana. Non enim posset argui ex hoc quod tres personae sunt unus homo, quod essent unus simpliciter, nihil enim prohibet dicere quod homines qui sunt plures simpliciter, sint unus quantum ad aliquid, puta unus populus; sicut Augustinus dicit, VI de Trin., diversum est natura spiritus hominis et spiritus Dei, sed inhaerendo fit unus spiritus, secundum illud I Cor. VI, qui adhaeret Deo, unus spiritus est. Reply Obj. 1: In the hypothesis that three Persons assume one human nature, it would be true to say that the three Persons were one man, because of the one human nature. For just as it is now true to say the three Persons are one God on account of the one Divine Nature, so it would be true to say they are one man on account of the one human nature. Nor would one imply unity of person, but unity in human nature; for it could not be argued that because the three Persons were one man they were one simply. For nothing hinders our saying that men, who are many simply, are in some respect one, e.g., one people, and as Augustine says (De Trin. vi, 3): The Spirit of God and the spirit of man are by nature different, but by inherence one spirit results, according to 1 Cor. 6:17: He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Ad secundum dicendum quod, illa positione facta, humana natura esset assumpta in unitate non unius personae, sed in unitate singularum personarum, ita scilicet quod, sicut divina natura habet naturalem unitatem cum singulis personis, ita natura humana haberet unitatem cum singulis per assumptionem. Reply Obj. 2: In this supposition the human nature would be assumed to the unity, not indeed of one Person, but to the unity of each Person, so that even as the Divine Nature has a natural unity with each Person, so also the human nature would have a unity with each Person by assumption. Ad tertium dicendum quod circa mysterium incarnationis fuit communicatio proprietatum pertinentium ad naturam, quia quaecumque conveniunt naturae, possunt praedicari de persona subsistente in natura illa, cuiuscumque naturae nomine significetur. Praedicta ergo positione facta, de persona patris poterunt praedicari et ea quae sunt humanae naturae, et ea quae sunt divinae, et similiter de persona filii et spiritus sancti. Non autem illud quod conveniret personae patris ratione propriae personae, posset attribui personae filii aut spiritus sancti, propter distinctionem personarum, quae remaneret. Posset ergo dici quod, sicut pater est ingenitus, ita homo esset ingenitus, secundum quod ly homo supponeret pro persona patris. Si quis autem ulterius procederet, homo est ingenitus, filius est homo, ergo filius est ingenitus, esset fallacia figurae dictionis vel accidentis. Sicut et nunc dicimus Deum esse ingenitum, quia pater est ingenitus, nec tamen possumus concludere quod filius sit ingenitus, quamvis sit Deus. Reply Obj. 3: In the mystery of the Incarnation, there results a communication of the properties belonging to the nature, because whatever belongs to the nature can be predicated of the Person subsisting in that nature, no matter to which of the natures it may apply. Hence in this hypothesis, of the Person of the Father may be predicated what belongs to the human nature and what belongs to the Divine; and likewise of the Person of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But what belongs to the Person of the Father by reason of His own Person could not be attributed to the Person of the Son or Holy Spirit on account of the distinction of Persons which would still remain. Therefore it might be said that as the Father was unbegotten, so the man was unbegotten, inasmuch as man stood for the Person of the Father. But if one were to go on to say, The man is unbegotten; the Son is man; therefore the Son is unbegotten, it would be the fallacy of figure of speech or of accident; even as we now say God is unbegotten, because the Father is unbegotten, yet we cannot conclude that the Son is unbegotten, although He is God. Articulus 7 Article 7 Utrum una persona divina possit assumere duas naturas humanas Whether one Divine Person can assume two human natures? Ad septimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod una persona divina non possit assumere duas naturas humanas. Natura enim assumpta in mysterio incarnationis non habet aliud suppositum praeter suppositum personae divinae, ut ex supra dictis patet. Si ergo ponatur esse una persona divina assumens duas humanas naturas, esset unum suppositum duarum naturarum eiusdem speciei. Quod videtur implicare contradictionem, non enim natura unius speciei multiplicatur nisi secundum distinctionem suppositorum. Objection 1: It would seem that one Divine Person cannot assume two human natures. For the nature assumed in the mystery of the Incarnation has no other suppositum than the suppositum of the Divine Person, as is plain from what has been stated above (Q. 2, AA. 3, 6). Therefore, if we suppose one Person to assume two human natures, there would be one suppositum of two natures of the same species; which would seem to imply a contradiction, for the nature of one species is only multiplied by distinct supposita. Praeterea, hac suppositione facta, non posset dici quod persona divina incarnata esset unus homo, quia non haberet unam naturam humanam. Similiter etiam non posset dici quod essent plures homines, quia plures homines sunt supposito distincti, et ibi esset unum tantum suppositum. Ergo praedicta positio esset omnino impossibilis. Obj. 2: Further, in this hypothesis it could not be said that the Divine Person incarnate was one man, seeing that He would not have one human nature; neither could it be said that there were several, for several men have distinct supposita, whereas in this case there would be only one suppositum. Therefore the aforesaid hypothesis is impossible. Praeterea, in incarnationis mysterio tota divina natura est unita toti naturae assumptae, idest cuilibet parti eius, est enim Christus perfectus Deus et perfectus homo, totus Deus et totus homo, ut Damascenus dicit, in III libro. Sed duae humanae naturae non possent totaliter sibi invicem uniri, quia oporteret quod anima unius esset unita corpori alterius, et quod etiam duo corpora essent simul, quod etiam confusionem induceret naturarum. Non ergo est possibile quod persona divina duas humanas naturas assumeret. Obj. 3: Further, in the mystery of the Incarnation the whole Divine Nature is united to the whole nature assumed, i.e., to every part of it, for Christ is perfect God and perfect man, complete God and complete man, as Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 7). But two human natures cannot be wholly united together, inasmuch as the soul of one would be united to the body of the other; and, again, two bodies would be together, which would give rise to confusion of natures. Therefore it is not possible for one Divine Person to assume two human natures. Sed contra est quod quidquid potest pater, potest filius. Sed pater post incarnationem filii, potest assumere naturam humanam aliam numero ab ea quam filius assumpsit, in nullo enim per incarnationem filii est diminuta potentia patris vel filii. Ergo videtur quod filius, post incarnationem, possit aliam humanam naturam assumere, praeter eam quam assumpsit. On the contrary, Whatever the Father can do, that also can the Son do. But after the Incarnation the Father can still assume a human nature distinct from that which the Son has assumed; for in nothing is the power of the Father or the Son lessened by the Incarnation of the Son. Therefore it seems that after the Incarnation the Son can assume another human nature distinct from the one He has assumed. Respondeo dicendum quod id quod potest in unum et non in amplius, habet potentiam limitatam ad unum. Potentia autem divinae personae est infinita, nec potest limitari ad aliquid creatum. Unde non est dicendum quod persona divina ita assumpserit unam naturam humanam quod non potuerit assumere aliam. Videretur enim ex hoc sequi quod personalitas divinae naturae esset ita comprehensa per unam humanam naturam quod ad eius personalitatem alia assumi non possit. Quod est impossibile, non enim increatum a creato comprehendi potest. Patet ergo quod, sive consideremus personam divinam secundum virtutem, quae est principium unionis; sive secundum suam personalitatem, quae est terminus unionis, oportet dicere quod persona divina, praeter naturam humanam quam assumpsit possit aliam numero naturam humanam assumere. I answer that, What has power for one thing, and no more, has a power limited to one. Now the power of a Divine Person is infinite, nor can it be limited by any created thing. Hence it may not be said that a Divine Person so assumed one human nature as to be unable to assume another. For it would seem to follow from this that the Personality of the Divine Nature was so comprehended by one human nature as to be unable to assume another to its Personality; and this is impossible, for the Uncreated cannot be comprehended by any creature. Hence it is plain that, whether we consider the Divine Person in regard to His power, which is the principle of the union, or in regard to His Personality, which is the term of the union, it has to be said that the Divine Person, over and beyond the human nature which He has assumed, can assume another distinct human nature. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod natura creata perficitur in sua ratione per formam, quae multiplicatur secundum divisionem materiae. Et ideo, si compositio formae et materiae constituat novum suppositum, consequens est quod natura multiplicetur secundum multiplicationem suppositorum. Sed in mysterio incarnationis unio formae et materiae, idest animae et corporis, non constituit novum suppositum, ut supra dictum est. Et ideo posset esse multitudo secundum numerum ex parte naturae, propter divisionem materiae, absque distinctione suppositorum. Reply Obj. 1: A created nature is completed in its essentials by its form, which is multiplied according to the division of matter. And hence, if the composition of matter and form constitutes a new suppositum, the consequence is that the nature is multiplied by the multiplication of supposita. But in the mystery of the Incarnation the union of form and matter, i.e., of soul and body, does not constitute a new suppositum, as was said above (A. 6). Hence there can be a numerical multitude on the part of the nature, on account of the division of matter, without distinction of supposita. Ad secundum dicendum quod posset videri quod, praedicta positione facta, consequeretur quod essent duo homines, propter duas naturas, absque hoc quod essent ibi duo supposita, sicut e converso tres personae dicerentur unus homo, propter unam naturam humanam assumptam, ut supra dictum est. Sed hoc non videtur esse verum. Quia nominibus est utendum secundum quod sunt ad significandum imposita. Quod quidem est ex consideratione eorum quae apud nos sunt. Et ideo oportet, circa modum significandi et consignificandi, considerare ea quae apud nos sunt. In quibus nunquam nomen ab aliqua forma impositum pluraliter dicitur nisi propter pluralitatem suppositorum, homo enim qui est duobus vestimentis indutus, non dicitur duo vestiti, sed unus vestitus duobus vestimentis; et qui habet duas qualitates, dicitur singulariter aliqualis secundum duas qualitates. Natura autem assumpta quantum ad aliquid se habet per modum indumenti, licet non sit similitudo quantum ad omnia, ut supra dictum est. Et ideo, si persona divina assumeret duas naturas humanas, propter unitatem suppositi diceretur unus homo habens duas naturas humanas. Contingit autem quod plures homines dicuntur unus populus, propter hoc quod conveniunt in aliquo uno, non autem propter unitatem suppositi. Et similiter, si duae personae divinae assumerent unam numero humanam naturam, dicerentur unus homo, ut supra dictum est, non propter unitatem suppositi, sed inquantum conveniunt in aliquo uno. Reply Obj. 2: It might seem possible to reply that in such a hypothesis it would follow that there were two men by reason of the two natures, just as, on the contrary, the three Persons would be called one man, on account of the one nature assumed, as was said above (A. 6, ad 1). But this does not seem to be true; because we must use words according to the purpose of their signification, which is in relation to our surroundings. Consequently, in order to judge of a word’s signification or co-signification, we must consider the things which are around us, in which a word derived from some form is never used in the plural unless there are several supposita. For a man who has on two garments is not said to be two persons clothed, but one clothed with two garments; and whoever has two qualities is designated in the singular as such by reason of the two qualities. Now the assumed nature is, as it were, a garment, although this similitude does not fit at all points, as has been said above (Q. 2, A. 6, ad 1). And hence, if the Divine Person were to assume two human natures, He would be called, on account of the unity of suppositum, one man having two human natures. Now many men are said to be one people, inasmuch as they have some one thing in common, and not on account of the unity of suppositum. So likewise, if two Divine Persons were to assume one singular human nature, they would be said to be one man, as stated (A. 6, ad 1), not from the unity of suppositum, but because they have some one thing in common. Ad tertium dicendum quod divina et humana natura non eodem ordine se habent ad unam divinam personam, sed per prius comparatur ad ipsam divina natura, utpote quae est unum cum ea ab aeterno; sed natura humana comparatur ad personam divinam per posterius, utpote assumpta ex tempore a divina persona, non quidem ad hoc quod natura sit ipsa persona, sed quod persona in natura subsistat filius enim Dei est sua deitas, sed non est sua humanitas. Et ideo ad hoc quod natura humana assumatur a divina persona, relinquitur quod divina natura unione personali uniatur toti naturae assumptae, idest secundum omnes partes eius. Sed duarum naturarum assumptarum esset uniformis habitudo ad personam divinam, nec una assumeret aliam. Unde non oporteret quod una earum totaliter alteri uniretur, idest, omnes partes unius omnibus partibus alterius. Reply Obj. 3: The Divine and human natures do not bear the same relation to the one Divine Person, but the Divine Nature is related first of all thereto, inasmuch as It is one with It from eternity; and afterwards the human nature is related to the Divine Person, inasmuch as it is assumed by the Divine Person in time, not indeed that the nature is the Person, but that the Person of God subsists in human nature. For the Son of God is His Godhead, but is not His manhood. And hence, in order that the human nature may be assumed by the Divine Person, the Divine Nature must be united by a personal union with the whole nature assumed, i.e., in all its parts. Now in the two natures assumed there would be a uniform relation to the Divine Person, nor would one assume the other. Hence it would not be necessary for one of them to be altogether united to the other, i.e., all the parts of one with all the parts of the other. Articulus 8 Article 8 Utrum fuerit magis conveniens Filium Dei incarnari quam Patrem vel Spiritum Sanctum Whether it was more fitting that the Person of the Son should assume human nature rather than the Father or Holy Spirit? Ad octavum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non fuerit magis conveniens filium Dei incarnari quam patrem vel spiritum sanctum. Per mysterium enim incarnationis homines ad veram Dei cognitionem sunt perducti, secundum illud Ioan. XVIII, in hoc natus sum, et ad hoc veni in mundum, ut testimonium perhiberem veritati. Sed ex hoc quod persona filii Dei est incarnata, multi impediti fuerunt a vera Dei cognitione, ea quae dicuntur de filio secundum humanam naturam referentes ad ipsam filii personam, sicut Arius, qui posuit inaequalitatem personarum propter hoc quod dicitur Ioan. XIV, pater maior me est, qui quidem error non provenisset si persona patris incarnata fuisset; nullus enim existimasset patrem filio minorem. Magis ergo videtur conveniens fuisse quod persona patris incarnaretur quam persona filii. Objection 1: It would seem that it was not more fitting that the Son of God should become incarnate than the Father or the Holy Spirit. For by the mystery of the Incarnation men are led to the true knowledge of God, according to John 18:37: For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, to give testimony to the truth. But by the Person of the Son of God becoming incarnate many have been kept back from the true knowledge of God, since they referred to the very Person of the Son what was said of the Son in His human nature, as Arius, who held an inequality of Persons, according to what is said (John 14:28): The Father is greater than I. Now this error would not have arisen if the Person of the Father had become incarnate, for no one would have taken the Father to be less than the Son. Hence it seems fitting that the Person of the Father, rather than the Person of the Son, should have become incarnate. Praeterea, incarnationis effectus videtur esse recreatio quaedam humanae naturae, secundum illud Galat. ult., in Christo Iesu neque circumcisio aliquid valet neque praeputium, sed nova creatura. Sed potentia creandi appropriatur patri. Ergo magis decuisset patrem incarnari quam filium. Obj. 2: Further, the effect of the Incarnation would seem to be, as it were, a second creation of human nature, according to Gal. 6:15: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. But the power of creation is appropriated to the Father. Therefore it would have been more becoming to the Father than to the Son to become incarnate. Praeterea, incarnatio ordinatur ad remissionem peccatorum, secundum illud Matth. I, vocabis nomen eius Iesum, ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum. Remissio autem peccatorum attribuitur spiritui sancto, secundum illud Ioan. XX, accipite spiritum sanctum, quorum remiseritis peccata, remittentur eis. Ergo magis congruebat personam spiritus sancti incarnari quam personam filii. Obj. 3: Further, the Incarnation is ordained to the remission of sins, according to Matt. 1:21: Thou shalt call His name Jesus. For He shall save His people from their sins. Now the remission of sins is attributed to the Holy Spirit according to John 20:22, 23: Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them. Therefore it became the Person of the Holy Spirit rather than the Person of the Son to become incarnate. Sed contra est quod Damascenus dicit, in III libro, in mysterio incarnationis manifestata est sapientia et virtus Dei, sapientia quidem, quia invenit difficillimi solutionem pretii valde decentissimam; virtus autem, quia victum fecit rursus victorem. Sed virtus et sapientia appropriantur filio, secundum illud I Cor. I, Christum Dei virtutem et Dei sapientiam. Ergo conveniens fuit personam filii incarnari. On the contrary, Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 1): In the mystery of the Incarnation the wisdom and power of God are made known: the wisdom, for He found a most suitable discharge for a most heavy debt; the power, for He made the conquered conquer. But power and wisdom are appropriated to the Son, according to 1 Cor. 1:24: Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. Therefore it was fitting that the Person of the Son should become incarnate. Respondeo dicendum quod convenientissimum fuit personam filii incarnari. Primo quidem, ex parte unionis. Convenienter enim ea quae sunt similia, uniuntur. Ipsius autem personae filii, qui est verbum Dei, attenditur, uno quidem modo, communis convenientia ad totam creaturam. Quia verbum artificis, idest conceptus eius, est similitudo exemplaris eorum quae ab artifice fiunt. Unde verbum Dei, quod est aeternus conceptus eius, est similitudo exemplaris totius creaturae. Et ideo, sicut per participationem huius similitudinis creaturae sunt in propriis speciebus institutae, sed mobiliter; ita per unionem verbi ad creaturam non participativam sed personalem, conveniens fuit reparari creaturam in ordine ad aeternam et immobilem perfectionem, nam et artifex per formam artis conceptam qua artificiatum condidit, ipsum, si collapsum fuerit, restaurat. Alio modo, habet convenientiam specialiter cum humana natura, ex eo quod verbum est conceptus aeternae sapientiae a qua omnis sapientia hominum derivatur. Et ideo homo per hoc in sapientia proficit, quae est propria eius perfectio prout est rationalis, quod participat verbum Dei, sicut discipulus instruitur per hoc quod recipit verbum magistri. Unde et Eccli. I dicitur, fons sapientiae verbum Dei in excelsis. Et ideo, ad consummatam hominis perfectionem, conveniens fuit ut ipsum verbum Dei humanae naturae personaliter uniretur. I answer that, It was most fitting that the Person of the Son should become incarnate. First, on the part of the union; for such as are similar are fittingly united. Now the Person of the Son, Who is the Word of God, has a certain common agreement with all creatures, because the word of the craftsman, i.e., his concept, is an exemplar likeness of whatever is made by him. Hence the Word of God, Who is His eternal concept, is the exemplar likeness of all creatures. And therefore as creatures are established in their proper species, though movably, by the participation of this likeness, so by the non-participated and personal union of the Word with a creature, it was fitting that the creature should be restored in order to its eternal and unchangeable perfection; for the craftsman by the intelligible form of his art, whereby he fashioned his handiwork, restores it when it has fallen into ruin. Moreover, He has a particular agreement with human nature, since the Word is a concept of the eternal Wisdom, from Whom all man’s wisdom is derived. And hence man is perfected in wisdom (which is his proper perfection, as he is rational) by participating the Word of God, as the disciple is instructed by receiving the word of his master. Hence it is said (Sir 1:5): The Word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom. And hence for the consummate perfection of man it was fitting that the very Word of God should be personally united to human nature. Secundo potest accipi ratio huius congruentiae ex fine unionis, qui est impletio praedestinationis, eorum scilicet qui praeordinati sunt ad hereditatem caelestem, quae non debetur nisi filiis, secundum illud Rom. VIII, filii et heredes. Et ideo congruum fuit ut per eum qui est filius naturalis, homines participarent similitudinem huius filiationis secundum adoptionem, sicut apostolus ibidem dicit, quos praescivit et praedestinavit conformes fieri imagini filii eius. Second, the reason of this fitness may be taken from the end of the union, which is the fulfilling of predestination, i.e., of such as are preordained to the heavenly inheritance, which is bestowed only on sons, according to Rom. 8:17: If sons, heirs also. Hence it was fitting that by Him Who is the natural Son, men should share this likeness of sonship by adoption, as the Apostle says in the same chapter (Rom 8:29): For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be made conformable to the image of His Son. Tertio potest accipi ratio huius congruentiae ex peccato primi parentis, cui per incarnationem remedium adhibetur. Peccavit enim primus homo appetendo scientiam, ut patet ex verbis serpentis promittentis homini scientiam boni et mali. Unde conveniens fuit ut per verbum verae sapientiae homo reduceretur in Deum, qui per inordinatum appetitum scientiae recesserat a Deo. Third, the reason for this fitness may be taken from the sin of our first parent, for which the Incarnation supplied the remedy. For the first man sinned by seeking knowledge, as is plain from the words of the serpent, promising to man the knowledge of good and evil. Hence it was fitting that by the Word of true knowledge man might be led back to God, having wandered from God through an inordinate thirst for knowledge. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod nihil est quo humana malitia non posset abuti, quando etiam ipsa Dei bonitate abutitur, secundum illud Rom. II, an divitias bonitatis eius contemnis? Unde et, si persona patris fuisset incarnata, potuisset ex hoc homo alicuius erroris occasionem assumere, quasi filius sufficere non potuisset ad humanam naturam reparandam. Reply Obj. 1: There is nothing which human malice cannot abuse, since it even abuses God’s goodness, according to Rom. 2:4: Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness? Hence, even if the Person of the Father had become incarnate, men would have been capable of finding an occasion of error, just as though the Son were not able to restore human nature. Ad secundum dicendum quod prima rerum creatio facta est a potentia Dei patris per verbum. Unde et recreatio per verbum fieri debuit a potentia Dei patris, ut recreatio creationi responderet, secundum illud II Cor. V, Deus erat in Christo mundum reconcilians sibi. Reply Obj. 2: The first creation of things was made by the power of God the Father through the Word; hence the second creation ought to have been brought about through the Word, by the power of God the Father, in order that restoration should correspond to creation according to 2 Cor. 5:19: For God indeed was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Ad tertium dicendum quod spiritus sancti proprium est quod sit donum patris et filii. Remissio autem peccatorum fit per spiritum sanctum tanquam per donum Dei. Et ideo convenientius fuit ad iustificationem hominum quod incarnaretur filius, cuius Spiritus Sanctus est donum. Reply Obj. 3: To be the gift of the Father and the Son is proper to the Holy Spirit. But the remission of sins is caused by the Holy Spirit, as by the gift of God. And hence it was more fitting to man’s justification that the Son should become incarnate, Whose gift the Holy Spirit is. Quaestio 4 Question 4 De unione ex parte assumpti The Mode of Union on the Part of the Human Nature