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Objection 1: It would seem that the grace of union was not natural
to the man Christ. For the union of the Incarnation did not take
place in the nature, but in the Person, as was said above (Article
2). Now a thing is denominated from its terminus. Therefore this
grace ought rather to be called personal than natural.
Objection 2: Further, grace is divided against nature, even as
gratuitous things, which are from God, are distinguished from natural
things, which are from an intrinsic principle. But if things are
divided in opposition to one another, one is not denominated by the
other. Therefore the grace of Christ was not natural to Him.
Objection 3: Further, natural is that which is according to
nature. But the grace of union is not natural to Christ in regard to
the Divine Nature, otherwise it would belong to the other Persons;
nor is it natural to Him according to the human nature, otherwise it
would belong to all men, since they are of the same nature as He.
Therefore it would seem that the grace of union is nowise natural to
Christ.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Enchiridion xl): "In the
assumption of human nature, grace itself became somewhat natural to
that man, so as to leave no room for sin in Him."
I answer that, According to the Philosopher (Metaph. v, 5),
nature designates, in one way, nativity; in another, the essence of
a thing. Hence natural may be taken in two ways: first, for what is
only from the essential principles of a thing, as it is natural to fire
to mount; secondly, we call natural to man what he has had from his
birth, according to Eph. 2:3: "We were by nature children of
wrath"; and Wis. 12:10: "They were a wicked generation, and
their malice natural." Therefore the grace of Christ, whether of
union or habitual, cannot be called natural as if caused by the
principles of the human nature of Christ, although it may be called
natural, as if coming to the human nature of Christ by the causality
of His Divine Nature. But these two kinds of grace are said to be
natural to Christ, inasmuch as He had them from His nativity, since
from the beginning of His conception the human nature was united to the
Divine Person, and His soul was filled with the gift of grace.
Reply to Objection 1: Although the union did not take place in the
nature, yet it was caused by the power of the Divine Nature, which
is truly the nature of Christ, and it, moreover, belonged to Christ
from the beginning of His nativity.
Reply to Objection 2: The union is not said to be grace and natural
in the same respect; for it is called grace inasmuch as it is not from
merit; and it is said to be natural inasmuch as by the power of the
Divine Nature it was in the humanity of Christ from His nativity.
Reply to Objection 3: The grace of union is not natural to Christ
according to His human nature, as if it were caused by the principles
of the human nature, and hence it need not belong to all men.
Nevertheless, it is natural to Him in regard to the human nature on
account of the "property" of His birth, seeing that He was
conceived by the Holy Ghost, so that He might be the natural Son of
God and of man. But it is natural to Him in regard to the Divine
Nature, inasmuch as the Divine Nature is the active principle of
this grace; and this belongs to the whole Trinity---to wit, to be
the active principle of this grace.
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