ect is also taken
away. But if we take away Christ's predestination, ours is not taken
away; since even if the Son of God were not incarnate, our salvation
might yet have been achieved in a different manner, as Augustine says
(De Trin. xiii, 10). Therefore Christ's predestination is not the
cause of ours.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Eph. 1:5): "(Who) hath
predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ."
_I answer that,_ if we consider predestination on the part of the
very act of predestinating, then Christ's predestination is not the
cause of ours; because by one and the same act God predestinated both
Christ and us. But if we consider predestination on the part of its
term, thus Christ's predestination is the cause of ours: for God, by
predestinating from eternity, so decreed our salvation, that it
should be achieved through Jesus Christ. For eternal predestination
covers not only that which is to be accomplished in time, but also
the mode and order in which it is to be accomplished in time.
Replies Obj. 1 and 2: These arguments consider predestination on the
part of the act of predestinating.
Reply Obj. 3: If Christ were not to have been incarnate, God would
have decreed men's salvation by other means. But since He decreed the
Incarnation of Christ, He decreed at the same time that He should be
the cause of our salvation.
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QUESTION 25
OF THE ADORATION OF CHRIST
(In Six Articles)
We have now to consider things pertaining to Christ in reference to
us; and first, the adoration of Christ, by which we adore Him;
secondly, we must consider how He is our Mediator with God.
Under the first head there are six points of inquiry:
(1) Whether Christ's Godhead and humanity are to be adored with one
and the same adoration?
(2) Whether His flesh is to be adored with the adoration of _latria?_
(3) Whether the adoration of _latria_ is to be given to the image of
Christ?
(4) Whether _latria_ is to be given to the Cross of Christ?
(5) Whether to His Mother?
(6) Concerning the adoration of the relics of Saints.
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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 25, Art. 1]
Whether Christ's Humanity and Godhead Are to Be Adored with the Same
Adoration?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's humanity and Godhead are not
to be adored with the same adoration. For Christ's Godhead is to be
adored, as being common to Father and Son; wherefore it is writt
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