Cap. VIII Arg. 3 Resp.: hardening is nolle misereri; foresight of final persistence not its cause
We answer: the will to harden Paul names there designates a peculiar act of the divine will by which he denies certain persons that singular grace by which their hearts would be softened. God, as Augustine truly says, does not harden by imparting malice, but by not imparting mercy — as the setting sun, drawing back its rays, is said to darken the air not by an influx that begets darkness, but by denying the influx whose presence would remove the dark. Since this hardening is done by permitting and denying special mercy, no one can be considered and foresighted by God as finally hardened in sin and dying unless the decree of that permissive hardening — or that denial of special mercy — precedes, by which God knows final remaining in sin would be blocked if the mercy were granted. So the argument's assumption — that this hardening will (which is reprobation) presupposes the reprobate's sins as cause of that reprobation or hardening — is not only false but alien to reason and common sense. Cause precedes effect: yet the reprobate's final remaining in sin follows the decree of not-having-mercy or of hardening. If God has mercy, man is not hardened; that special mercy's work is to soften. So Augustine: If God willed to have mercy on them, he could so call (as apt for them) that they would be moved, understand, and follow. A little later: God has mercy on no one in vain. At length: God's hardening is nothing but not willing to have mercy — namely by withholding the grace that infallibly and efficaciously softens and converts. Since no final obstinacy in contracted or committed sins can be supposed unless God's will not to soften precedes it, foresighted perseverance of the reprobate in their sins cannot be the cause of that denied mercy or softening. True: in daily life the reprobate, by quenching the light God kindles in their hearts, repelling divine motions, and basely obeying foul lusts, merit consequent blinding, desertion, and handing over to a reprobate mind. But under all that stands the divine permission — or denial of special grace — which may be called permissive hardening and flows from reprobation. Without that going before, and depending on God's freest will, the reprobate would not have fallen into that final contumacy, but by special not owededed mercy would have been freed from that rebellion and hardness.
Latin
Respondemus, hanc voluntatem indurandi, ab Apostolo eo in loco commemoratam, designare peculiarem actum Divinae voluntatis, secundum quem negat quibusdam personis singularem illam gratiam, qua corda illorum emollirentur. Deus enim, ut vere Augustinus, non obdurat impertundo malitiam, sed non impertundo misericordiam: sicut sol occidens radiosque suos retrahens dicatur aerem obtenebrare, non per influxum aliquem quo obtenebratio gignatur, sed per negationem ejus influxus, quo posito tenebrae tollerentur. Cum itaque haec obduratio fiat permittendo, et negando specialem misericordiam, manifestum est, non posse aliquem a Deo considerari et praevideri ut finaliter in peccatis suis obduratum et morientem, nisi praecedente decreto hujus permissivae obdurationis, vel hac negatione specialis misericordiae, qua novit Deus hanc in peccatis permansionem finalem impediendam fore, si concederetur. Quod igitur in argumento assumptum fuit, voluntatem hanc indurandi, quae reprobatio est, peccata reprobi praesupponere ut causam hujus reprobationis vel indurationis, non modo falsum est, sed a ratione et sensu communi alienum. Causa enim praecedit effectum suum: at haec finalis permansio reproborum in peccatis suis sequitur decretum illud non-miserendi sive indurandi. Nam si Deus miseretur, homo non induratur; ad hanc enim specialem misericordiam pertinet efficere ut emolliatur. Unde Augustinus: Si vellet Deus ipsorum misereri, posset ita vocare (quemadmodum illis aptum esset) ut et moverentur, et intelligerent, et sequerentur. Paulo post, Nullius Deus frustra miseretur. Tandem adjungit, Obdurationem Dei nihil aliud esse quam nolle misereri; scilicet appositione hujus gratiae infallibiliter et efficaciter hominem emollientis et convertentis. Cum igitur nulla finalis pertinacia cujusquam in peccatis contractis vel commissis supponi possit quam non praecedat voluntas Dei de non-emolliendo, praevisa reproborum perseverantia in peccatis suis non potest esse causa negatae hujus misericordiae aut emollitionis. Est illud quidem verum, in cursu vitae suae quotidiano, reprobos, extinguendo illud lumen quod Deus in illorum cordibus accendit, et repellendo motiones Divinas, atque turpiter parendo foedis libidinibus, mereri illam consequentem excaecationem, desertionem, et in reprobum sensum traditionem; Sed hisce omnibus praesupponitur permissio illa Divina, sive negatio gratiae specialis, quae induratio permissiva vocari potest, et a reprobatione dimanat, absque qua praeeunte, et ex liberrima Dei voluntate dependente, reprobi in praedictam finalem contumaciam non incidissent, sed specialis et indebitae misericordiae beneficio ab illa rebellione et duritia fuissent liberati.