Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manichæans 37
37 God Makes Good Use of the Evil Deeds of Sinners PL 42, 563
Accordingly, if all natures should guard their own proper measure and form and order, there would be no evil: but if any one should wish to misuse these good things, not even thus does he vanquish the will of God, who knows how to order righteously even the unrighteous; so that if they themselves through the iniquity of their will should misuse His good things, He through the righteousness of His power may use their evil deeds, rightly ordaining to punishment those who have perversely ordained themselves to sins.
Malis peccantium Deus bene utitur. Proinde si custodiant omnes naturae modum, et speciem, et ordinem proprium, nullum erit malum: si autem his bonis quisque male uti voluerit, nec sic vincit voluntatem Dei, qui etiam injustos juste ordinare novit; ut si ipsi per iniquitatem voluntatis suae male usi fuerint bonis illius, ille per justitiam potestatis suae bene utatur malis ipsorum, recte ordinans in poenis, qui se perverse ordinaverint in peccatis.