Whether the Human Nature Was Assumed Through the Medium of Grace?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Son of God assumed human nature
through the medium of grace. For by grace we are united to God. But
the human nature in Christ was most closely united to God. Therefore
the union took place by grace.
Obj. 2: Further, as the body lives by the soul, which is its
perfection, so does the soul by grace. But the human nature was
fitted for the assumption by the soul. Therefore the Son of God
assumed the soul through the medium of grace.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Trin. xv, 11) that the incarnate
Word is like our spoken word. But our word is united to our speech by
means of _breathing_ (_spiritus_). Therefore the Word of God is
united to flesh by means of the Holy Spirit, and hence by means of
grace, which is attributed to the Holy Spirit, according to 1 Cor.
12:4: "Now there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit."
_On the contrary,_ Grace is an accident in the soul, as was shown
above (I-II, Q. 110, A. 2). Now the union of the Word with human
nature took place in the subsistence, and not accidentally, as was
shown above (Q. 2, A. 6). Therefore the human nature was not assumed
by means of grace.
_I answer that,_ In Christ there was the grace of union and habitual
grace. Therefore grace cannot be taken to be the medium of the
assumption of the human nature, whether we speak of the grace of
union or of habitual grace. For the grace of union is the personal
being that is given gratis from above to the human nature in the
Person of the Word, and is the term of the assumption. Whereas the
habitual grace pertaining to the spiritual holiness of the man is an
effect following the union, according to John 1:14: "We saw His glory
. . . as it were of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth"--by which we are given to understand that because this Man
(as a result of the union) is the Only-begotten of the Father, He is
full of grace and truth. But if by grace we understand the will of
God doing or bestowing something gratis, the union took place by
grace, not as a means, but as the efficient cause.
Reply Obj. 1: Our union with God is by operation, inasmuch as we know
and love Him; and hence this union is by habitual grace, inasmuch as
a perfect operation proceeds from a habit. Now the union of the human
nature with the Word of God is in personal being, which depends not
on any habit, but on the nature itself.
Reply Obj. 2: The soul is the substantial perfection of the body;
grace is but an accidental perfection of the soul. Hence grace cannot
ordain the soul to personal union, which is not accidental, as the
soul ordains the body.
Reply Obj. 3: Our word is united to our speech, by means of breathing
(_spiritus_), not as a formal medium, but as a moving medium. For
from the word conceived within, the breathing proceeds, from which
the speech is formed. And similarly from the eternal Word proceeds
the Holy Spirit, Who formed the body of Christ, as will be shown (Q.
32, A. 1). But it does not follow from this that the grace of the
Holy Spirit is the formal medium in the aforesaid union.
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