us neither circumcision availeth anything, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature." But the power of creation is
appropriated to the Father. Therefore it would have been more
becoming to the Father than to the Son to become incarnate.

Obj. 3: Further, the Incarnation is ordained to the remission of
sins, according to Matt. 1:21: "Thou shalt call His name Jesus. For
He shall save His people from their sins." Now the remission of sins
is attributed to the Holy Ghost according to John 20:22, 23: "Receive
ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven
them." Therefore it became the Person of the Holy Ghost rather than
the Person of the Son to become incarnate.

_On the contrary,_ Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 1): "In the
mystery of the Incarnation the wisdom and power of God are made
known: the wisdom, for He found a most suitable discharge for a most
heavy debt; the power, for He made the conquered conquer." But power
and wisdom are appropriated to the Son, according to 1 Cor. 1:24:
"Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." Therefore it was
fitting that the Person of the Son should become incarnate.

_I answer that,_ It was most fitting that the Person of the Son
should become incarnate. First, on the part of the union; for such as
are similar are fittingly united. Now the Person of the Son, Who is
the Word of God, has a certain common agreement with all creatures,
because the word of the craftsman, i.e. his concept, is an exemplar
likeness of whatever is made by him. Hence the Word of God, Who is
His eternal concept, is the exemplar likeness of all creatures. And
therefore as creatures are established in their proper species,
though movably, by the participation of this likeness, so by the
non-participated and personal union of the Word with a creature, it
was fitting that the creature should be restored in order to its
eternal and unchangeable perfection; for the craftsman by the
intelligible form of his art, whereby he fashioned his handiwork,
restores it when it has fallen into ruin. Moreover, He has a
particular agreement with human nature, since the Word is a concept
of the eternal Wisdom, from Whom all man's wisdom is derived. And
hence man is perfected in wisdom (which is his proper perfection, as
he is rational) by participating the Word of God, as the disciple is
instructed by receiving the word of his master. Hence it is said
(Ecclus. 1:5): "The Word of God on high is the fou