Final answer:
Augustine contrasts himself with figures like the Manicheans and Pelagians, highlighting his internal conflict about embracing chastity due to the struggle between human desire and spiritual purity. His work reconciles human free will with the need for divine grace.
Step-by-step explanation:
St. Augustine contrasts himself with individuals such as the Manicheans and Pelagians as he wrestles with the concept of free will and divine grace in his theological works. His reflections on personal struggle for purity are evident in his confessions, where he famously pleads, "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet." This highlights Augustine's internal conflict; he recognizes the value of chastity yet admits to not being ready to embrace it immediately. His hesitation is tied to the human condition of grappling with sin and the desire for earthly pleasures.
Augustine's balance of human free will and the necessity of divine grace serves as a rebuttal to the Manichean belief in a dualistic world and the Pelagian claim that human beings can achieve salvation without God's help. Augustine sees original sin and the concept of grace as central to understanding human nature and morality within a Christian context. The influence of Augustine's thoughts extends well beyond his own era, contributing to ongoing philosophical discourse concerning agency and the nature of good and evil.