Cap. III Sol. Rat. 10: consequentia nulla — end-decree includes means; harvest analogy
Sol. That argumentation's consequence is plainly none. We rightly hold the decree to give glory gratuitous, and prior (in how we understand) to the decree to give grace or good works — because the first sets the end, the second orders means to the end — yet we deny that God's grace or the good works that are grace's effects do nothing toward obtaining glory. The reason is ready: an absolute, efficacious decree of any future event already means God wills to employ and apply the means that produce that effect. So in the antecedent decree to give glory is virtually included the consequent decree to give good works and the other means that are the way to glory's kingdom. Those means therefore work toward obtaining the end this way, even if for this particular person the end was not destined from prior foresight of them. Take an example: suppose God by an antecedent, gratuitous decree had set to give us a great harvest next year. To infer Therefore neither fair weather, nor seasonable rains, nor farmers' labor will do anything toward that abundance is ridiculous — for in that prior decree to give the fruit the will to execute through means is not shut out but included as depending on it.
Latin
Sol. Consequentia praedictae argumentationis plane nulla est. Nam quamvis recte statuamus decretum dandi gloriam esse gratuitum, atque esse etiam prius, secundum nostrum intelligendi modum, quam decretum dandi gratiam, aut bona opera, quia illud praestituit finem, hoc media ad finem ordinat; tamen recte negamus gratiam Dei aut opera bona, quae sunt effecta gratiae, nihil operari ad gloriae consecutionem. Ratio in promptu est: Quia quando ponimus absolutum et efficax Dei decretum de quocunque eventu futuro, intelligimus simul Deum propter hanc intentionem adimplendam velle adhibere et applicare illa media, quibus tale effectum producatur. In antecedente ergo decreto dandi gloriam, virtualiter includitur consequens decretum dandi bona opera caeteraque media quae via sunt ad regnum gloriae. Operantur itaque haec media ad finis consecutionem isto modo, licet huic personae singulari finis non fuerit destinatus ex antecedente illorum praevisione. Facito ut appositione exempli hoc magis illucescat: Sumatur Deum antecedente decreto, et gratuito praestituisse magnam frugum ubertatem anno insequente nobis donare: Si quis hinc inferat, Ergo nihil bona aeris temperies, nihil tempestivae pluviae, nihil labor agricolarum operabuntur ad hanc ubertatem efficiendam, ridicule concluserit; quia in illo priori decreto de dando fructu non excluditur voluntas exsequendi per media, sed ut ab eo dependens includitur.