On the Necessity of Grace

Augustine teaches this in the passages related in the proofs. Hence innocent nature could act and persevere just as it could with the powers given to it, as a fruitful and healthy woman can beget vigorous offspring, as a strong and armed soldier can conquer a cowardly and unarmed enemy, and as a healthy man can walk and speak; although this being so, it comes about by no means without the motion of God, which our Thomists explain through physical premotion, necessary for all second agents in whatever state. But man in this state, even justified by grace, stands to good and to perseverance as a weak cause, entangled with innumerable impediments : whence it comes about that, if he were provided for only according to the usual course of things and after the manner of his own condition, no one would persevere; and therefore to all those who persevere there is granted, through God's most special help, not only motion and direction according to the usual mode, but also healing, strengthening, and directing in a most special way, and, so to speak, holding man by the hand, so that, though weak amid so many temptations, he may persevere through the power of God.

Therefore, according to these observations, the answer is easy to those things which the adversaries object from Augustine, as may be seen in my former Work.