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He is, moreover, said to grow in wisdom and age and grace,
increasing in age indeed and through the increase in age manifesting the
wisdom that is in Him; yea, further, making men's progress in
wisdom and grace, and the fulfilment of the Father's goodwill, that
is to say, men's knowledge of God and men's salvation, His own
increase, and everywhere taking as His own that which is ours. But
those who hold that He progressed in wisdom and grace in the sense of
receiving some addition to these attributes, do not say that the union
took place at the first origin of the flesh, nor yet do they give
precedence to the union in subsistence, but giving heed to the foolish
Nestorius they imagine some strange relative union and mere
indwelling, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they
affirm. For if in truth the flesh was united with God the Word from
its first origin, or rather if it existed in Him and was identical in
subsistence with Him, how was it that it was not endowed completely
with all wisdom and grace? not that it might itself participate in the
grace, nor share by grace in what belonged to the Word, but rather by
reason of the union in subsistence, since both what is human and what
is divine belong to the one Christ, and that He Who was Himself at
once God and man should pour forth like a fountain over the universe
His grace and wisdom and plenitude of every blessing.
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