Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

CHAP. vr. Doctrine of Grace. 177
of the human race to everlasting life, there must be an
instrument for putting this decree into effect. The grace
of which the discussion has occupied this chapter is this
instrument. It imparts absolutely to the predestinated
persons those acts and dispositions which are the condi
tions of this final reward. The Divine decree, in ensuring
this end to certain persons, ensures them the means to it ;
but piety and virtue are the necessary means for attaining
this end ; this decree therefore necessarily involves, as its
supplement, a grace which ensures the possession of piety
and virtue.
In the next place I will guard the reader against a
mistake which is not unlikely to arise with respect to
this doctrine. For it may be asked whether the assertion
of an efficacious or irresistible grace involves more than
maintaining that there is such a grace which Gfod chooses
to give to certain select and privileged persons, without
maintaining that it is the only grace by which holiness
and salvation can be obtained ? Whether it cannot be
held that God gives an irresistible grace to some, and also
gives a sufficient grace to the rest? Whether the higher
gift to a select number, which ensures holiness, is not com
patible with the lower one to the rest, which gives them
the power to attain it ?
But, indeed, if we consider the matter, such a question
as this will be seen to proceed from a confusion of thought
on this subject. For upon what ground does any one hold
that there is this irresistible grace, except on the ground
that human nature needs it, and cannot do without it ?
but if human nature cannot do without it, nothing short
of it is sufficient. This is the ground on which Augustine
raises the doctrine, and on which all who do maintain it
do maintain it. Indeed, on what other ground can it be
seriously maintained ? For whether or not it might
attach as a superfluity to a nature able to do without it, its
existence could not be other than a mere conjecture in
such a case. For asserting its existence there must be an
adequate reason given ; and what adequate reason can
be pretended, except that which is given, viz. that it is
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