Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

Augustinian
CHAP. vr.
in s Augustine
use of it right action, does the same. Again,
6
Grace is given,
that the faults both of nature and will
may be conquered; for that which is impossible with man
is easy to God. But those to whom the grace of God is
not given become sinners, unrighteous men. Though these
too live for the advantage of the children of mercy, that
the sight
of them may subdue their pride ; reminding them
that what has been given to them is God s free
gift, and
1
not of their own deserving. The test of the effect is
here ; the of sin and continuance
clearly adopted
conquest
in it being respectively attached to the bestowal of grace
and the withholding of it. 2
A general body of language to the same effect must be
noticed, in which a holy disposition and conduct is put for
ward as a Divine gift and a Divine creation. It is certain
from revelation, that God is the Giver of every good thing ;
and this truth is applied absolutely by Augustine to the
subject of human action, which, when good, is described
as being a Divine gift. Conversion is a Divine gift
donurn Dei etiam ipsa ad Deum nostra conversion : so is
obedience donum obedientice ; a good life bene vivere
donum divinum; merit or deserving action Dei dona
sunt, et Dei gratia conferuntur universa merita justorum
4
; perseverance donum Dei perseverantia 5 ; faith
4
in its beginning gratuito munere nobis datur6 ; even
the very beginning, when men begin to have faith which
they had not incipiunt habere fidem quam non habebc/nt
7
; faith in its increase augmentum, incrementum,
supplement-urn fidei donum Dei. 8
1
Op. Imp., Contra Jul. 1. iv. c. dicatur gratiam tanquam causam,
129. et operationem voluntatis bonam
-
Nulla omnino medicinalis relut effectum, esse, tit philosophi
Christi gratia effectu suo caret sed ; loquuntur, convertibiles, et a se
omnis efficit ut voluntas velit, et mutuo inseparabiles. Jansen. De
a.liquid operetur. . . . Primo igitur Gratia Christi Salvatoris, 1. 2. c. 25.
hoe probat, quod apud Augustinum De Grat. et Lib. Arb. c. v.
gratia et opus bonum ita recipro- De Dono Pers. c. ii.
centur, ut quemadmodum ex gratia Ibid. c. i.
data mox effectum operis conse- Ep. 194. n. 12.
cutum inferre solet; ita vice versa, Ibid. 217. n. 29.
ex defoctu operis gratiam non esse 8 De Prsed. c. ii.
datam. Quo ratiocinandi modo in-