stination
is not befitting either to Christ or to any other man, by reason of
human nature. This is the sense of the objection. Secondly, a thing
may be befitting to someone by reason of human nature, because human
nature is susceptible of it. And in this sense we say that Christ was
predestinated by reason of human nature; because predestination
refers to the exaltation of human nature in Him, as stated above.

Reply Obj. 3: As Augustine says (Praedest. Sanct. xv): "The Word of
God assumed Man to Himself in such a singular and ineffable manner
that at the same time He may be truly and correctly called the Son of
Man, because He assumed Man to Himself; and the Son of God, because
it was the Only-begotten of God Who assumed human nature."
Consequently, since this assumption comes under predestination by
reason of its being gratuitous, we can say both that the Son of God
was predestinated to be man, and that the Son of Man was
predestinated to be the Son of God. But because grace was not
bestowed on the Son of God that He might be man, but rather on human
nature, that it might be united to the Son of God; it is more proper
to say that "Christ, as Man, was predestinated to be the Son of God,"
than that, "Christ, as Son of God, was predestinated to be Man."
_______________________

THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 24, Art. 3]

Whether Christ's Predestination Is the Exemplar of Ours?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's predestination is not the
exemplar of ours. For the exemplar exists before the exemplate. But
nothing exists before the eternal. Since, therefore, our
predestination is eternal, it seems that Christ's predestination is
not the exemplar of ours.

Obj. 2: Further, the exemplar leads us to knowledge of the exemplate.
But there was no need for God to be led from something else to
knowledge of our predestination; since it is written (Rom. 8:29):
"Whom He foreknew, He also predestinated." Therefore Christ's
predestination is not the exemplar of ours.

Obj. 3: Further, the exemplar is conformed to the exemplate. But
Christ's predestination seems to be of a different nature from ours:
because we are predestinated to the sonship of adoption, whereas
Christ was predestinated "Son of God in power," as is written (Rom.
1:4). Therefore His predestination is not the exemplar of ours.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Praedest. Sanct. xv): "The
Saviour Himself, the Mediator of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus is