Cap. VIII Resp. Primo: slippery consequence — cause of the permitted thing is not cause of the permission
First: the argument — sins of the reprobate cause all reprobation's effects; therefore also divine reprobation itself as regards those effects — is a slippery, weak consequence if every evil that follows is called an effect. What causes the permitted thing need not cause the permission of that thing. Example: I see two drunken men wandering rashly about; I foresee both will fall into a pit and starve there unless helped. I resolve to warn one, draw him back, and free him from the peril; the other I will not warn or draw back — or at least not so as actually to free him. That latter falls into the pit, lies long, wastes, and at last starves.
Latin
Primo, quod arguitur, Peccata reprobi sunt causa omnium effectorum reprobationis: Ergo etiam et ipsius rei, scilicet reprobationis Divinae, ut respicit illos effectus, haec prorsus consequentia lubrica est et infirma, si ea omnia mala vocentur effecta quae eam consequuntur. Nam illud potest esse causa rei permissae quod non sit causa permissionis relatae ad rem permissam. Verbi gratia, video duos ebrios homines temere hac illuc errantes; praevideo utrumque in foveam lapsurum, et fame ibi periturum, nisi inde illis prospiciatur. Decerno apud animum alterum eorum monere, retrahere, et ab hoc periculo efficaciter liberare; alterum non monere, non retrahere; aut saltem non ita monere et retrahere ut de facto liberetur. Decidit jam iste posterior in foveam, ibi diu jacet, maceratur, et tandem fame exstinguitur.