21. That, therefore, the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, that there dwelleth not in our flesh good, that the law in our members is opposed to the law of the mind, is not a mingling of two natures caused of contrary principles, but a division of one against itself caused through desert of sin. We were not so in Adam, before that nature, having listened to and followed its deceiver, had despised and offended its Creator: that is, not the former life of man created, but the latter punishment of man condemned. From which condemnation when set free by Grace, through Jesus Christ, being free they contend with their punishment, having received not as yet full salvation, but already a pledge of salvation: but when not set free, they are both guilty by reason of sins, and involved in punishments. But after this life for the guilty there will remain for ever punishment for their crime: for the free there will no more remain for ever either crime or punishment: but the good substances, spirit and flesh, will continue for ever, which God, Who is good, and incapable of change, created good although capable of change. But they will continue having been changed for the better, never from this time to be changed for the worse: all evil being utterly destroyed, both what man hath unjustly done, and what he hath justly suffered. And, these two kinds of evil perishing utterly, whereof the one is of iniquity going before, the other of unhappiness following after, the will of man will be upright without any depravity. There it will be clear and plain to all, what now many of the faithful believe, few understand, that evil is not a substance: but that, as a wound in a body, so in a substance, which hath made itself faulty, it hath begun to exist, when the disease hath commenced, and ceaseth to exist in it, when the healing hath been perfected. Therefore, all evil having arisen from us, and having been destroyed in us, our good also having been increased and perfected unto the height of most happy incorruption and immortality, of what kind shall either of our substances be? forasmuch as now, in this corruption and mortality, when as yet “the corruptible body weigheth down the soul;”73    Wisd. ix. 15 and, what the Apostle saith, “the body is dead by reason of sin;”74    Rom. viii. 10 yet the same himself beareth such witness unto our flesh, that is, to our lowest and earthly part, as to say, what I made mention of a little above, “No one ever hated his own flesh.”75    Eph. v. 29 And to add straightway, “but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as also Christ the Church.”

21. Quod ergo caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, quod non habitat in carne nostra bonum, quod lex in membris nostris repugnat legi mentis, non est duarum naturarum ex contrariis principiis facta commixtio, 0363 sed unius adversus se ipsam propter peccati meritum facta divisio. Non sic fuimus in Adam, antequam natura suo deceptore audito ac secuto, suum contempsisset atque offendisset auctorem: non est ista prior vita creati hominis, sed posterior poena damnati. Ex qua damnatione per Jesum Christum gratia liberati, cum poena sua dimicant liberi, nondum salute plena, sed jam pignore salutis accepto: non liberati autem, et peccatis rei sunt, et suppliciis implicati. Post hanc vero vitam reis manebit in aeternum poena pro culpa; liberis non remanebit in aeternum nec culpa, nec poena: sed permanebunt in aeternum substantiae bonae spiritus et caro; quas Deus bonus et immutabilis bonas, quamvis mutabiles, condidit. Permanebunt autem in melius commutatae, nunquam jam in deterius mutandae; consumpto penitus omni malo, et quod homo fecit injuste, et quod passus est juste. Quibus duobus mali generibus omnino pereuntibus, quorum est unum praecedentis iniquitatis, alterum consequentis infelicitatis, erit hominis sine ulla pravitate voluntas recta. Ibi omnibus erit clarum atque perspicuum, quod nunc a fidelibus multis creditur, a paucis intelligitur, malum non esse substantiam; sed sicut vulnus in corpore, ita in substantia quae se ipsam vitiavit, esse coepisse peste inchoata, atque ibi esse desinere sanitate perfecta. Omni ergo malo exorto a nobis, et perdito in nobis, bono etiam nostro usque ad culmen felicissimae incorruptionis et immortalitatis aucto atque perfecto, qualis erit utraque nostra substantia? Quandoquidem nunc in ista corruptione et mortalitate, cum adhuc corpus corruptibile aggravat animam (Sap. IX, 15), et quod Apostolus dicit, corpus mortuum est propter peccatum (Rom. VIII, 10), tale tamen testimonium perhibet idem ipse carni nostrae, id est parti nostrae infimae atque terrenae, ut dicat quod paulo ante commemoravi, Nemo unquam carnem suam odio habuit; statimque subjungat, sed nutrit eam et fovet, sicut et Christus Ecclesiam?