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Reply. The grace of union precedes the habitual grace of Christ,
not in order of time but by nature and in thought, and this for three
reasons.
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1) Because of the principles of both graces. For the mission of the
Son by the Incarnation precedes by nature the mission of the Holy
Spirit by habitual grace and charity, just as in the order of nature
the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son.
2) Because of the relation of grace to its cause. For Christ's
habitual grace is caused by God's presence in Him through His
personal union with the Word just as the brightness of the sun comes
from the sun.
3) Because of the end of grace. For the purpose of grace is good
action, and actions belong to the suppositum and presuppose the
suppositum constituted in being. Therefore Christ's habitual grace,
since the purpose of it is good action, presupposes the union of the
human nature with the Word.
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Reply to second objection. "Habitual grace is not understood to have
preceded the union but to have followed it, as a natural property";
however, as already stated, the degree of this habitual grace does not
flow of necessity from the Word, but "the measure of grace is
sufficient to this union by the purpose of divine
Wisdom."[1009]
This terminates the question of Christ's grace inasmuch as He is a
certain individual man. This question presents to us a sublime
illustration of the definition of grace, inasmuch as now we see more
clearly that there cannot be a nobler species of habitual grace than
ours, or a more exalted species of the beatific vision than that which
the blessed possess.
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