For it was fitting
that the people, of whom Christ was to be born, should be signalized
by a special sanctification, according to the words of Lev. 19:2: "Be
ye holy, because I . . . am holy." Nor again was it on account of the
merit of Abraham himself that this promise was made to him, viz. that
Christ should be born of his seed: but of gratuitous election and
vocation. Hence it is written (Isa. 41:2): "Who hath raised up the
just one form the east, hath called him to follow him?"

It is therefore evident that it was merely from gratuitous election
that the patriarchs received the promise, and that the people sprung
from them received the law; according to Deut. 4:36, 37: "Ye did
[Vulg.: 'Thou didst'] hear His words out of the midst of the fire,
because He loved thy fathers, and chose their seed after them." And
if again it asked why He chose this people, and not another, that
Christ might be born thereof; a fitting answer is given by Augustine
(Tract. super Joan. xxvi): "Why He draweth one and draweth not
another, seek not thou to judge, if thou wish not to err."

Reply Obj. 1: Although the salvation, which was to come through
Christ, was prepared for all nations, yet it was necessary that
Christ should be born of one people, which, for this reason, was
privileged above other peoples; according to Rom. 9:4: "To whom,"
namely the Jews, "belongeth the adoption as of children (of God)
. . . and the testament, and the giving of the Law . . . whose are
the fathers, and of whom is Christ according to the flesh."

Reply Obj. 2: Respect of persons takes place in those things which
are given according to due; but it has no place in those things which
are bestowed gratuitously. Because he who, out of generosity, gives
of his own to one and not to another, is not a respecter of persons:
but if he were a dispenser of goods held in common, and were not to
distribute them according to personal merits, he would be a respecter
of persons. Now God bestows the benefits of salvation on the human
race gratuitously: wherefore He is not a respecter of persons, if He
gives them to some rather than to others. Hence Augustine says (De
Praedest. Sanct. viii): "All whom God teaches, he teaches out of
pity; but whom He teaches not, out of justice He teaches not": for
this is due to the condemnation of the human race for the sin of the
first parent.

Reply Obj. 3: The benefits of grace are forfeited by man on account
of sin: but not the bene