Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

314 Conclusion. CHAP. XL
The latter is the more large and reasonable view; but
whichever of the two opinions he adopts, if he only does
his duty, that is the great thing. The object for which
this present life is given us, is not philosophy and reasoning,
and the arrival at speculative truth respecting even our
own wills, and how they are moved ; but it is self-discipline
and moral action, growth in piety and virtue. So long as
this practical object is attained, mistakes of mere specula
tion may well be passed over. Those who give these mis
takes a practical direction, indeed, and from thinking
erroneously proceed to act viciously, are responsible for
such an application of a speculative tenet ; but those who
do not so apply it, are not so responsible. Numbers of
pious and earnest Christians who have laboured for the
welfare and salvation of their brethren, enduring thank
fully fatigue and pain, and despising the riches and honours
of the world, have thought that they did all this by an irre
sistible Divine influence in con sequence of which they could
not act otherwise than they did. And what if they did
think so ? They took a one-sided view ; but if we wait
till men are perfectly fair, clear, and large in their judg
ment before we acknowledge them as brethren, in the
case of the great majority of mankind we may wait for
ever.
Such is the imperfection even of the human mind, that,
under Providence, a certain narrowness of judgment often
works for good, and seems to favour practical energy and
zeal. How universal is that disposition in men of religious
ardour, enthusiasm, and activity, to over-value some one or
two particular tenets, which are either true, or which they
suppose to be true ; appearing to think almost more about
them than they do about the whole of the rest of their
religious creed, containing all the broad and fundamental
truths of the I religion they profess How do they cherish
and foster this tendency in their minds, as if it were the
most sacred and highest characteristic of their religious
life ! How do they idolise these special tenets, as if to
part with them were to bid farewell altogether to piety
and religion ! And doubtless in their particular case this