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Concerning Man's Perfection in Righteousness

St. Augustine of Hippo

1h 36m read
Post-Nicene

A short treatise responding to the "Definitions" attributed to Celestius, disputing the Pelagian claim that sinless righteousness is attainable by the unaided powers of fallen human nature.

Table of Contents

1Argument2The First Breviate of Cœlestius3The Second Breviate4The Third Breviate5The Fourth Breviate6The Fifth Breviate7The Sixth Breviate8The Seventh Breviate9The Eighth Breviate10The Ninth Breviate11The Tenth Breviate12The Eleventh Breviate13The Twelfth Breviate14The Thirteenth Breviate15The Fourteenth Breviate16The Fifteenth Breviate17The Sixteenth Breviate18It is One Thing to Depart from the Body, Another Thing to Be Liberated from the Body of This Death19The Righteousness of This Life Comprehended in Three Parts,—Fasting, Almsgiving, and Prayer20The Commandment of Love Shall Be Perfectly Fulfilled in the Life to Come21Who May Be Said to Walk Without Spot; Damnable and Venial Sins22To Whom God’s Commandments are Grievous; And to Whom, Not. Why Scripture Says that God’s Commandments are Not Grievous; A Commandment is a Proof of the Freedom Of Man’s Will; Prayer is a Proof of Grace23Passages to Show that God’s Commandments are Not Grievous24Passages of Scripture Which, When Objected Against Him by the Catholics, Cœlestius Endeavours to Elude by Other Passages: the First Passage25To Be Without Sin, and to Be Without Blame—How Differing26Section 2527Why Job Was So Great a Sufferer28Who May Be Said to Keep the Ways of the Lord; What It is to Decline and Depart from the Ways of the Lord29When Our Heart May Be Said Not to Reproach Us; When Good is to Be Perfected30The Second Passage. Who May Be Said to Abstain from Every Evil Thing31'Every Man is a Liar,' Owing to Himself Alone; But 'Every Man is True,' By Help Only of the Grace of God32The Third Passage. It is One Thing to Depart, and Another Thing to Have Departed, from All Sin. ‘There is None that Doeth Good,’—Of Whom This is to Be Understood33The Fourth Passage. In What Sense God Only is Good. With God to Be Good and to Be Himself are the Same Thing34The Fifth Passage35The Opposing Passages36The Church Will Be Without Spot and Wrinkle After the Resurrection37The Difference Between the Upright in Heart and the Clean in Heart38The Sixth Passage39The Seventh Passage. Who May Be Called Immaculate. How It is that in God’s Sight No Man is Justified40The Eighth Passage. In What Sense He is Said Not to Sin Who is Born of God. In What Way He Who Sins Shall Not See Nor Know God41The Ninth Passage42Specimens of Pelagian Exegesis43God’s Promises Conditional. Saints of the Old Testament Were Saved by the Grace of Christ44No Man is Assisted Unless He Does Himself Also Work. Our Course is a Constant Progress45Conclusion of the Work. In the Regenerate It is Not Concupiscence, But Consent, Which is Sin