20. There are therefore in us
evil desires, by consenting not unto which we live not ill: there
are in us lusts of sins, by obeying not which we perfect not evil,
but by having them do not as yet perfect good. The Apostle shows
both, that neither is good here perfected, where evil is so lusted
after, nor evil here perfected, whereas such lust is not obeyed.
The one forsooth he shows, where he says, “To will is present
with me, but to perfect good is not;”1875
the other, where he says, “
Walk
in the Spirit, and
perfect not the
lusts of the
flesh.”
1876
For
neither in the former place doth he say that to do good is not with
him, but “to
perfect,” nor here doth he say, Have not “
lusts
of the
flesh,” but “
perfect not.” Therefore there take place
in us
evil lusts, when that pleases which is not
lawful; but they
are not perfected, when
evil lusts are restrained by the
mind
serving the
Law of
God. And good takes place, when that, which
wrongly pleases, takes not place through the good
delight
prevailing. But the
perfection of good is not fulfilled, so long as
by the
flesh serving the
law of
sin,
evil lust entices, and,
although it be restrained, is yet moved. For there would be no need
for it to be restrained, were it not moved. There will be at some
time also the
perfection of good, when the
destruction of
evil: the
one will be highest, the other will be no more. And if we think
that this is to be hoped for in this
mortal state, we are
deceived.
For it shall be then, when
death shall not be; and it shall be
there, where shall be
life eternal. For in that
world,
1877
and in
that
kingdom, there shall be highest good, no
evil: when there
shall be, and where there shall be, highest
love of
wisdom, no
labor of continence. Therefore the
flesh is not
evil, if it be
void
of
evil, that is, of fault, whereby man was rendered faulty, not
made
ill, but himself making. For on either part, that is, both
soul and body, being made good by the good
God, himself made the
evil, whereby he was made
evil. From the guilt of which
evil being
already also set free through
forgiveness,
1878
that he may not think what he hath
done to be
light, he yet
wars with his own fault through
continence. But
far be it that there be any faults in such as
reign
in that
peace which shall be hereafter; since in this
state of
war
there are lessened
daily in such as make progress, not sins only,
but the very lusts also, with which, by not consenting, we strive,
and by consenting unto which we sin.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
