Dist. 1, Art. 2, Q. 4
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/3/d/1/q/bon-sent-III-d1-a2-q4
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### Question IV. *At what time it was more fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate.*

Fourthly and lastly it is asked, at what time it was more fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate. And it seems that it was at the beginning of the ages:

**On the opposite side:**
1. First, through that which is said in Genesis 2: *God completed his work on the sixth day;* but the completion of works belongs most of all to the work of the Incarnation, as was touched upon above: therefore it seems that he ought to have become incarnate on one of those six days.

2. Likewise, the greatness of love makes gifts not only to be multiplied, but also to be hastened; but God, on account of his exceeding charity, sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh: therefore it seems that it was fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate at once, when man was in need. But man was in need at once, as soon as he had fallen: therefore, etc.

3. Likewise, if Christ had come at the beginning of time, many would have come to the way of truth, as is said in Matthew 11: *If of old [these mighty works had been done] in Tyre and Sidon,* etc.; but it pertains to the greatness of the divine kindness that he wills all men to be saved: therefore it seems all the more that it was fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate at the beginning of the ages.

4. Likewise, one who is sick and in danger of death ought to be helped without delay; but when man sinned, he fell most dangerously ill: if therefore the sick man is helped through the Incarnation of the Son, it seems that he ought to have become incarnate at once.

**On the contrary:**
1. Ecclesiastes 3: *All things have their time;* and this same thing is said in Ecclesiasticus 39: *All things shall be approved in their time:* therefore, if no time is so fitting for the fullest benefit as the time of fullness; it seems that the Son of God ought to have become incarnate then, when the fullness of time came: therefore not at the beginning of time.

2. Likewise, God in all his works most of all preserves order; and just as there is order and gradation in the advance of age, so there is gradation and order in the advance of the world: therefore, just as man is more disposed to wisdom in advanced age than in youthful age,

quia *with the ancient is wisdom, and in length of time prudence*, it seems that there is a greater fittingness that the divine Wisdom should be incarnate and sent down from the heavens by a perfect mission in the fullness of times than at the beginning.

3. Likewise, the work of the Incarnation and of redemption have more in common with the work of glorification than with the work of the first founding; but the work of glorification is to be at the end of time, the work of founding is to be at the beginning: therefore it seems that the work of the Incarnation ought rather to have been accomplished near the end of the ages than at the beginning.

4. Likewise, the benefit of the Incarnation is useful to none but to him who recognizes it and is grateful for it; but the postponement of a benefit conduces to the knowledge and acceptance of it: therefore it seems that the Son of God ought not to have become incarnate at once from the beginning of the ages, but after long ages, in which he could be awaited and desired.

### Conclusion.

> It was more fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate, as it were, at the end of the ages than at the beginning.

**I respond:** It must be said that, as the reasons show, and the divine operation itself proves, it was more fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate, as it were, at the end of the ages than at the beginning. And a fourfold reason can be assigned for this, why he so long put off becoming incarnate.

*Reason 1.* The first is for the sake of *punishing the sin of man.* For in this is made manifest the severity of the divine vengeance, which endured so many cries and laments of men for so long a time before it willed to descend; and Adam himself with his posterity waited so long a time in limbo, an exile from paradise; and this for the manifestation of the divine justice, which lets nothing go unavenged.

*Reason 2.* The second reason was for the sake of *better curing the disease.* For a spiritual disease is not duly cured unless the sick man first recognizes it and is grateful for its cure. For man is more sick through ingratitude for the cure than through the commission of the fault; and therefore God had to defer the benefit of the Incarnation, so that man might be convinced of his impotence and ignorance — before he became incarnate — both under the Law innate and under the Law written; and thus, being convinced, he might flee to the divine grace, and fleeing might be cured efficaciously.

*Reason 3.* The third reason is for the sake of *preserving the order of the universe.* For since this was a full and most great benefit, it had to be deferred until the fullness of days. And on account of this the Apostle says in Galatians 4: *But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son,* etc.

*Reason 4.* The fourth reason was for the sake of *commending more highly the benefit of the Incarnation.* For what is the more deferred and the longer desired is reckoned the more precious; and therefore the benefit of the Incarnation, which is the most precious among the benefits of God, had first to be desired and awaited rather than bestowed.

And on this account it was more fitting for the Son of God to become incarnate at the end of the ages. — And the reasons which show this are to be granted.

**Solution of the opposing arguments.**
*To 1.* But to that which is objected first on the contrary side, concerning the completion of the divine works, it must be said that in the work of the Incarnation there is not regarded that completion which indeed pertains to the first work of the universe, but a completion exceeding all completion; and therefore it does not pertain to the works of the six days, in which the universe was founded and fashioned, as regards those things which pertain to its primary complement.

*To 2.* To that which is objected, that the greatness of love makes benefits to be hastened; it must be said that this is true when the hastening of the gift profits him whom one loves; but when delay profits more than hastening, then love rather makes one defer than hasten. — *Another reason.* Moreover, divine love does not operate according to impulse, but according to the disposition and rule of wisdom; and therefore it does not hasten gifts except with the due and fitting order preserved. And on account of this, because the fittingness of order demanded a delay, therefore the immensity of love did not bring about a hastening.

*To 3.* To that which is objected, that many would have been saved if God had come sooner; it must be said that God prefers the common good to the private good, and prefers the good of the whole totality to the good of a single person; and therefore, since the exigency of order required this, that God become incarnate at the end of the ages, the benefit was deferred until the sixth age. Nor on account of the usefulness of some persons existing in the earlier ages ought the divine benefit to have been hastened. For it pleased the Founder of the totality to preserve in some the severity of justice, and in others to manifest the kindness of mercy.

*To 4.* To that which is objected concerning the sick man, that he ought to be helped at once; it must be said that the divine help was never lacking. For the very expectation and faith of the future advent was for them a saving remedy and a sustenance, until he should come who would consummate; whence in every age there were certain Sacraments, which brought to the sick a saving remedy, although different ones were instituted at different times, as is shown more expressly in the fourth book.

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