I understand Augustine having read a great many of his works. Like you, I reserve the right to pick and choose which parts of Augustine to appreciate and which to discard. I tend to favor those writings where Augustine clearly ties his thoughts back to scripture.
Amen, Harley. Your Augustine scholarship is always appreciated.
And you seem to favor Augustine's later writings. Augustine certainly matured later than a lot of other Christians and lived a pretty wild life until he settled down to the truth which grew in him year by year. His later writings show his real beliefs and his firm and confident faith in God's perfect purpose throughout all of life.
"The nature of the Divine goodness is not only to open to those that knock, but also to cause them to knock and ask.""The grace of God does not find men fit to be elected, but makes them so..."
Sounds like Augustine acknowledges God's sovereignty above all else.
I do not reserve a right to pick and choose. It is what sets us of the Church of Christ apart from the Reformers. I accept that the Church of Christ formulates the correct theology and teaches the Word of God correctly.
Else, it is the chaos of Protestantism. The Democracy, as some have claimed. I do not believe that the Risen Lord is about diversity and about the agreement of elders. I believe that God has spoken and we must listen.
Augustine ties most of his work back to Scripture. But he has dived into heretical ponds. I pray that you separate the good from the bad.