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Augustine of Hippo, A Treatise On the Predestination of the Saints
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A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints,
Chapter 3 [II.]—Even the Beginning of Faith is of God’s Gift.
Chapter 4.—Continuation of the Preceding.
Chapter 5.—To Believe is to Think with Assent.
Chapter 6.—Presumption and Arrogance to Be Avoided.
Chapter 7 [III.]—Augustin Confesses that He Had Formerly Been in Error Concerning the Grace of God.
Chapter 8 [IV.]—What Augustin Wrote to Simplicianus, the Successor of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.
Chapter 9 [V.]—The Purpose of the Apostle in These Words.
Chapter 10.—It is God’s Grace Which Specially Distinguishes One Man from Another.
Chapter 11 [VI.]—That Some Men are Elected is of God’s Mercy.
Chapter 12 [VII.]—Why the Apostle Said that We are Justified by Faith and Not by Works.
Chapter 13 [VIII.]—The Effect of Divine Grace.
Chapter 14.—Why the Father Does Not Teach All that They May Come to Christ.
Chapter 15.—It is Believers that are Taught of God.
Chapter 16.—Why the Gift of Faith is Not Given to All.
Chapter 18.—The Preceding Argument Applied to the Present Time.
Chapter 19 [X]—In What Respects Predestination and Grace Differ.
Chapter 20.—Did God Promise the Good Works of the Nations and Not Their Faith, to Abraham?
Chapter 22.—God’s Promise is Sure.
Chapter 23 [XII.]—Remarkable Illustrations of Grace and Predestination in Infants, and in Christ.
Chapter 24.—That No One is Judged According to What He Would Have Done If He Had Lived Longer.
Chapter 26 [XIV]—Reference to Cyprian’s Treatise “On the Mortality.”
Chapter 27.—The Book of Wisdom Obtains in the Church the Authority of Canonical Scripture.
Chapter 28.—Cyprian’s Treatise “On the Mortality.”
Chapter 29.—God’s Dealing Does Not Depend Upon Any Contingent Merits of Men.
Chapter 30 [XV.]—The Most Illustrious Instance of Predestination is Christ Jesus.
Chapter 31.—Christ Predestinated to Be the Son of God.
Chapter 32 [XVI.]—The Twofold Calling.
Chapter 35 [XVIII.]—Election is for the Purpose of Holiness.
Chapter 39—The Beginning of Faith is God’s Gift.
Chapter 40 [XX.]—Apostolic Testimony to the Beginning of Faith Being God’s Gift.
Chapter 41.—Further Apostolic Testimonies.
Chapter 21.—It is to Be Wondered at that Men Should Rather Trust to Their Own Weakness Than to God’s Strength.
Certainly, when the apostle says, “Therefore it is of faith that the promise may be sure according to grace,”81 Rom. iv. 16. I marvel that men would rather entrust themselves to their own weakness, than to the strength of God’s promise. But sayest thou, God’s will concerning myself is to me uncertain? What then? Is thine own will concerning thyself certain to thee? and dost thou not fear,—“Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”?82 1 Cor. x. 12. Since, then, both are uncertain, why does not man commit his faith, hope, and love to the stronger will rather than to the weaker?
CAPUT XI.
21. Sane cum Apostolus dicat, Ideo ex fide, ut secundum gratiam firma sit promissio; miror homines infirmitati suae se malle committere, quam firmitati promissionis Dei. «Sed incerta est mihi,» inquit, «de me ipso voluntas Dei.» Quid ergo? tuane tibi voluntas de te ipso certa est, nec times, Qui videtur stare, videat ne cadat (I Cor. X, 12)? Cum igitur utraque incerta sit, cur non homo firmiori quam infirmiori fidem suam, spem, charitatemque committit?