Cap. VIII Resp.: same consequence fails for election and reprobation; negative reprobation is denial of unowed benefit
We already dissolved this same reason of Gregory's in the predestination question. There he tried to prove predestination is from foresight of works because few are elect relative to the rejected. Now he contends reprobation hangs on foresight of final demerits because many are reprobate compared with the few elect. I answer: the consequence holds in neither place. As for reprobation — since it is not punishment but denial of a gratuitous not owededed benefit — nothing forces us to say God, acting from his own good will, cannot grant that benefit to fewer and deny it to more.e see in the angels that this benefit of election was denied to many, and without regard to foresighted demerits; whether denied to more than granted, I scarce dare say. Yet if anything in the thing itself were incongruous or unworthy of God, he could not deny election's benefit even to one without regard to foresighted sin — let alone to many. That single instance breaks the argument's force.
Latin
Hanc eandem rationem a Gregorio propositam in quaestione Praedestinationis antea dissolvimus. Nam in illa controversia conatus est probare, praedestinationem esse ex praescientia operum, quia pauci electi sunt respectu rejectorum. Jam etiam contendit, reprobationem pendere ex praevisione finalium demeritorum, quia multi sunt reprobati in comparatione ad eos paucos qui eliguntur. Respondeo igitur, consequentiam neutrobi valere. Ad reprobationem quod spectat, cum sit (ut ante dictum est) non punitio, sed gratuiti et indebiti beneficii negatio, nihil cogit nos fateri Deum, ex mero suo beneplacito agentem, non posse tale beneficium paucioribus concedere, et pluribus denegare. Videmus in angelis hoc beneficium electionis fuisse multis negatum, idque absque respectu ad praevisa demerita: an fuerit pluribus denegatum quam indultum, haud ausim definire. Si tamen in ipsa re aliquid esset incongruum, aut Deo indignum, non modo pluribus, sed nec paucioribus, imo nec uni posset hoc beneficium electionis denegare absque consideratione praevisi peccati. Hac igitur sola instantia vis argumenti eliditur.