Cap. VIII Resp.: old Pelagian objection; Augustine Ep. 105 — same mass; debt to damned, unowed grace to freed
This was the old Pelagian objection — we read it everywhere in Augustine. Epistle 105: those who think they make God an acceptor of persons if they believe that without preceding merits he has mercy on whom he will, calls whom he deigns, and makes religious whom he will, little notice that due punishment is rendered to the damned and not owededed grace to the freed — so neither complains as unworthy, nor the other glories as worthy. Rather there is no respect of persons where one and the same mass of damnation and offense wraps all, that the freed may learn from the not-freed that punishment would have suited him too unless grace had helped. The same objection he repels in Epistle 106 and Against two Letters of the Pelagians 2.7. Augustine's answer comes to this: it is not respect of persons where one does of his own what he wills. Mercy is given the elect; justice is not denied the reprobate. The elect is honored with a gratuitous gift; the reprobate is not cheated of any benefit owed him.
Latin
Hanc fuisse veterem Pelagianorum objectionem passim apud Augustinum legimus. Epist. 105. Quod autem personarum acceptorem Deum se credere existimant, si credant quod sine ullis praecedentibus meritis cujus vult miseretur, et quos dignatur vocat, et quem vult religiosum facit, parum attendunt quod debita reddatur poena damnato, indebita gratia liberato, ut nec ille se indignum queratur, nec dignum se iste glorietur, atque ibi potius acceptionem nullam fieri personarum, ubi una eademque massa damnationis et offensionis involvit, ut liberatus de non liberatis discat, quod etiam sibi supplicium conveniret, nisi gratia subveniret. Eandem objectionem repellit Epist. 106. et contra 2. Epist. Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 7. Huc igitur redit Augustini responsio, ut doceat non pertinere ad προσωπολημψία ubi quis de suo facit quod vult. Nam quamvis electo detur misericordia, reprobato tamen haud negatur justitia: Honoratur electus dono gratuito, non tamen fraudatur reprobatus beneficio sibi debito.