Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

CHAP. vii. of Final Perseverance. 193
the books De Dono Perseverantice 1 and De Correptione
et Gratia 2 is devoted to proving that the gift of final
perseverance is not given according to merit ; that is to
say, in consideration of any previous acts or efforts of the
man himself. And the whole of the beginning of the
former book is occupied with proving that final perse
verance must be God s gift, inasmuch as we ask God for it,
both in our own behalf and that of others, and what we
ask God for we necessarily confess to be in His power to
give or to withhold.
With respect to the law upon which the gift of perse
verance is given to one man and not to another, he says,
4 If any one asks me why God does not give perseverance
to those who by His grace lead a Christian life and have
love, I reply, that I do not know, I recognise my measure
"
in that text, man, who art thou that repliest against
Gol? the depth of the riches botn of the wisdom and
knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are His judgments,
and His ways past finding out." So far as He deigns to
reveal His judgments, let us be thankful; so far as He
hides them, let us not murmur. Say you, who oppose
yourself to Divine grace, you are a Christian, a Catholic,
and boast of being one, do you admit or deny that final
perseverance is the gift of God ? If you allow it to be,
then you and I are alike ignorant why one receives it, and
another does not ; then you and I are alike unable to pene
trate the unsearchable judgments of God. 3
Again: Of
two children, why one is taken and the other left (i.e.
baptized and not baptized), of two adults, why one is so
called, that he follows the caller, and the other either not
called at all or not so called, belongs to the inscrutable
judgments of God. Of two pious men, why final perseve
rance is given to one and not to the other, belongs to His
4
still more inscrutable :
judgments.
It is evident
Again
that both the grace of the beginning and the grace of per
severing to the end is not given according to our merits,
but according to a most secret, most just, most wise, most
1 De Dono Pers. c. viii. et se([.
2 De Corr. et Grat. c. xii.
3 Ibid- c. viii.
* De Dono Pers. c. ix.