On the Reasons of the Holy Spirit, Book II

On Christ. Chapter 2.

A decorative woodcut initial letter 'M' featuring intertwining foliate patterns and floral motifs within a square frame.

Greater effort is now needed than when we treated of God. For the insane world, together with insane philosophers, more grudgingly admitted that God became man in one subject than that God exists. Yet, it will become most clear that whatever is believed regarding Christ and has been sanctioned against heresies is also in accordance with nature, provided those things that have been handed down in the two books of the sacrae apodixeis sacred demonstrations are diligently noted. Truly, a few things must be repeated here and reinforced by others. Since God is most perfect, it has been handed down that He acts most perfectly. His excellence lies in the fact that He is most powerful, most prudent or most wise, most just, and at the same time most merciful. For even these philosophers concede all these things, just as our own do. Since things exist to act and not to rest, it is necessary to exercise all these parts, properties, or virtues of God. Nor can one be acted upon without all acting equally, just as in creation, government, and conservation His power always acts equally through wisdom in love. Thus, just as He acts most powerfully, so He also acts most prudently or wisely and most mercifully, and likewise most justly. For if He lacked any of these things, or any of these good qualities were vacant in Him, He would not be most perfect. Therefore, all things that are from the most perfect are such, and were made for the sake of an optimal end. Thus, whatever is evil and depraved in matter, such as a demon or a man who has necessarily fallen from his natural perfection, is that very thing