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;”69    Rom. vii. 18 the other, where he says, “Walk in the Spirit, and perfect not the lusts of the flesh.”70    Gal. v. 16 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,71    Sæculo 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,72    Indulgentiam 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.

20. Sunt ergo in nobis desideria mala, quibus non consentiendo non vivimus male: sunt in nobis concupiscentiae peccatorum, quibus non obediendo non perficimus malum, sed eas habendo nondum perficimus bonum. Utrumque ostendit Apostolus, nec bonum hic perfici, ubi malum sic concupiscitur; nec malum hic perfici, quando tali concupiscentiae non obeditur. Illud quippe ostendit ubi ait, Velle adjacet mihi, perficere autem bonum non (Rom. VII, 18, 25): hoc vero, ubi ait, Spiritu ambulate, et concupiscentias carnis ne perfeceritis. Neque ibi enim dicit non sibi adjacere facere bonum; sed, perficere: neque hic dicit, Concupiscentias carnis ne habueritis; sed, ne perfeceritis. Fiunt itaque in nobis concupiscentiae malae, quando id quod non licet libet: sed non perficiuntur, cum legi Dei mente serviente libidines continentur. Et bonum fit, cum id quod male libet, vincente bona delectatione non fit: sed boni perfectio non impletur, quamdiu legi peccati carne serviente libido illicit, et quamvis contineatur, tamen movetur. Non enim opus esset ut contineretur, nisi moveretur. Erit quandoque etiam perfectio boni, quando consumptio mali: illud summum, hoc erit nullum. Quod si in ista mortalitate sperandum putamus, fallimur. Tunc enim erit, quando mors non erit; et ibi erit, ubi vita aeterna erit. In illo enim saeculo et in illo regno erit bonum summum, malum nullum; quando erit et ubi erit sapientiae amor summus, continentiae labor nullus. Non igitur mala est caro, si malo careat, id est, vitio quo vitiatus est homo, non factus male, sed ipse faciens. Ex utraque enim parte, id est, et anima et corpore a bono Deo factus bonus, ipse fecit malum quo factus est malus. A cujus mali reatu jam etiam solutus per indulgentiam, ne leve existimet esse quod fecit, adhuc cum suo vitio pugnat per continentiam Absit autem ut insint ulla vitia in illa quae futura est pace regnantibus; quandoquidem in isto bello quotidie minuuntur in proficientibus, non peccata solum, sed ipsae quoque concupiscentiae, cum quibus non consentiendo confligitur, et quibus consentiendo peccatur.