this coming on earth of the Son of God by His Incarnation in harmony with what we know of God?
Yes. For we know that God is goodness itself; on the other hand, we know that goodness endeavours to communicate some of its perfection to others. Now God could not communicate Himself to His creatures in a way more marvellous than by His Incarnation (I. 1).
Was the Incarnation of the Son of God necessary?
No; considered in itself the Incarnation was in no way necessary; but given the fall of the human race by the sin of Adam, and that God wished to reinstate the human race in the most perfect way, and that above all He desired to exact the most complete satisfaction for the first sin, then it was necessary that a God-Man should take upon Himself this sin and make reparation for it (I. 2).
It is then by reason of man's sin and for the reparation thereof that the Son of God became incarnate?
Yes, it was for this precise reason (I. 3, 4).
Why then did not the Son of God become incarnate immediately after the fall of Adam?
The reason was because God wished the human race to know fully its misery, and the need it had of a God-Saviour; and also as was meet for so great a coming in order that a great line of prophets might precede and foretell the advent of the Saviour (I. 5, 6).
Next - The Catechism of the Summa - Tertia Pars - II. OF THE FITTINGNESS AND NECESSITY OF THE INCARNATION (B)
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