ntain 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.

Secondly, 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 predestinated to
be made conformable to the image of His Son."

Thirdly, 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.

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, as though the Son were not able to restore
human nature.

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."

Reply Obj. 3: To be the gift of the Father and the Son is proper to
the Holy Ghost. But the remission of sins is caused by the Holy
Ghost, 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 Ghost is.
_______________________

QUESTION 4

OF THE MODE OF UNION ON THE PART OF THE HUMAN NATURE
(In Six Articles)

We must now consider the union on the part of what was assumed. About
which we must consider first what things were assumed by the Word of
God; secondly, what were co-assumed, whether perfections or defects.

Now the Son of God assumed human nature