e said indifferently that the human nature is united
with the Divine, or conversely. But the Divine Nature is not said to
be assumed by the human, but conversely, because the human nature is
joined to the Divine personality, so that the Divine Person subsists
in human nature.

Reply Obj. 1: Union and assumption have not the same relation to the
term, but a different relation, as was said above.

Reply Obj. 2: What unites and what assumes are not the same. For
whatsoever Person assumes unites, and not conversely. For the Person
of the Father united the human nature to the Son, but not to Himself;
and hence He is said to unite and not to assume. So likewise the
united and the assumed are not identical, for the Divine Nature is
said to be united, but not assumed.

Reply Obj. 3: Assumption determines with whom the union is made on
the part of the one assuming, inasmuch as assumption means taking
unto oneself (_ad se sumere_), whereas incarnation and humanation
(determine with whom the union is made) on the part of the thing
assumed, which is flesh or human nature. And thus assumption differs
logically both from union and from incarnation or humanation.
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NINTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 2, Art. 9]

Whether the Union of the Two Natures in Christ Is the Greatest of All
Unions?

Objection 1: It would seem that the union of the two natures in
Christ is not the greatest of all unions. For what is united falls
short of the unity of what is one, since what is united is by
participation, but one is by essence. Now in created things there are
some that are simply one, as is shown especially in unity itself,
which is the principle of number. Therefore the union of which we are
speaking does not imply the greatest of all unions.

Obj. 2: Further, the greater the distance between things united, the
less the union. Now, the things united by this union are most
distant--namely, the Divine and human natures; for they are
infinitely apart. Therefore their union is the least of all.

Obj. 3: Further, from union there results one. But from the union of
soul and body in us there arises what is one in person and nature;
whereas from the union of the Divine and human nature there results
what is one in person only. Therefore the union of soul and body is
greater than that of the Divine and human natures; and hence the
union of which we speak does not imply the greatest unity.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Trin.