The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Augustine: Preach Predestination with Caution!

But I do not think that manner which I have said should be
adopted in the preaching of predestination ought to be sufficient
for him who speaks to the congregation, except he adds this, or
something of this kind, saying, "You, therefore, ought also to
hope for that perseverance in obedience from the Father of
Lights, from whom cometh down every excellent gift and every
perfect gift, and to ask for it in your daily prayers; and in
doing this ought to trust that you are not aliens from the
predestination of His people, because it is He Himself who
bestows even the power of doing this. And far be it from you to
despair of yourselves, because you are bidden to have your hope
in Him, not in yourselves. For cursed is every one who has hope
in man; and it is good rather to trust in the Lord than to trust
in man, because blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.
Holding this hope, serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto Him
with trembling. Because no one can be certain of the life eternal
which God who does not lie has promised to the children of
promise before the times of eternity,--no one, unless that life
of his, which is a state of trial upon the earth, is completed.
But He will make us to persevere in Himself unto the end of that
life, since we daily say to Him, 'Lead us not into temptation.'"

When these things and things of this kind are said, whether to
few Christians or to the multitude of the Church, why do we fear
to preach the predestination of the saints and the true grace of
God,--that is, the grace which is not given according to our
merits,--as the Holy Scripture declares it? Or, indeed, must it
be feared that a man should then despair of himself when his hope
is shown to be placed in God, and should not rather despair of
himself if he should, in his excess of pride and unhappiness,
place it in himself ?

Augustine - On The Gift of Perseverance, Chp 62