Chapter I.
On the reason why the Word of God ought to become incarnate, or why it was fitting.
After some things have been said above concerning the Trinity of God, the creation of the world, and the corruption of sin, it now remains to say a few things briefly about the incarnation of the Word, through which incarnate Word the salvation and restoration of the human race was accomplished—not because God could not have saved or freed the human race in another way, but because no other mode was so fitting and suitable for the restorer and the one to be restored and the restoration itself.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: since the effective principle of things could not have been, nor was it fitting to be, anything other than God; and since it is no less a thing to restore created things than to bring them into being , just as well-being is no less than simple being: it was most fitting that the restorative principle of things be the most high God, so that, just as God had created all things through the uncreated Word, so He might heal all things through the incarnate Word. Since, therefore, God made all things powerfully, wisely, and most excellently or benevolently, it was fitting that He should restore them in such a way as to display His power, wisdom, and benevolence . For what is more powerful than to unite extremes supremely distant into one person? What is more wise and more fitting than that, for the perfection of the whole universe, there should be a union of the first and the last—namely, of the Word of God, which is the principle of all things, and of human nature, which was the last of all creatures? What is more benevolent than that the Lord should take on the form of a servant for the salvation of the servant?
Indeed, this is of such great kindness that nothing more merciful, nothing more kind, nothing more loving can be conceived. - This mode was therefore most suitable for God the restorer , for the commending of the divine power, wisdom, and benevolence.
Furthermore, because man, falling into fault, had turned himself away and withdrawn from the most powerful, most wise, and most benevolent principle, he had therefore fallen into weakness, ignorance, and malice; and through this, from being spiritual he became carnal, animal, and sensual; and therefore he was unfit for imitating the divine power, for knowing the divine light, and for loving the divine goodness. Therefore, in order that man might be restored from this state, it was most fitting that the first principle should condescend to him, rendering itself knowable, lovable, and imitable to him. And because carnal, animal, and sensual man did not know, nor love, nor follow anything except what was proportionate and similar to himself, therefore, in order to rescue man from this state, the Word was made flesh, so that by man, who was flesh, it could both be known and loved and imitated, and through this, man, knowing and loving and imitating God, might be healed from the disease of sin.
Finally, because man could not be perfectly restored unless he recovered innocence of mind, friendship with God and his own excellence, by which he was subject to God alone; and this could not be accomplished except through God in the form of a servant: therefore it was fitting that the Word become incarnate.
Excellence he could not recover unless the restorer were God: because, if a mere creature, then man would be subject to that mere creature, and thus would not recover the state of excellence. - Friendship with God also he could not recover except through a fitting mediator, who could lay his hand upon both and be conformed to each party and a friend to each, and therefore, as he is like God through his Divinity, so like man through his humanity.
Innocence of mind he could not recover unless guilt were remitted: which it did not befit divine justice to remit except through condign satisfaction; and because none could make satisfaction for the whole human race except God, nor ought any except man, who had sinned: therefore it was most fitting that the human race be restored through the God-man born of the race of Adam.
Since therefore excellence could not be recovered except through a most excellent restorer, nor friendship be reformed except through a most amicable mediator, nor innocence be reacquired except through a most sufficient satisfier; but the most excellent restorer is not, unless he be God: the most amicable mediator is not, unless he be man: the most sufficient satisfier is not, unless he be equally God and man: most fitting for our restoration was the Incarnation of the Word, so that, just as the human race had come forth into being through the uncreated Word and had fallen into guilt by abandoning the inspired Word: so it might rise from guilt through the incarnate Word.