after he has ceased to be a belligerant; because the effect and accomplishment of this bringing into captivity is joined to the act of waging war, and that indeed immediately. But these two are properly joined together, and in a manner that is agreeable to the nature of parties fighting against each other, if " the law of the mind," that is, the conscience, convinced of the equity and justice of the law, be said to contend with "the law of the members:" For the former is conquered while fighting and in the very midst of the conflict, because it is too weak to be capable of withstanding the impetuosity of the shock against "the law of the members," that is, the lusts of the flesh and the desires of sin, though it earnestly strives to bear away, by every exertion and with all its powers, the palm of victory from the field of battle.

2. BUT matter of fact teaches, that this opinion is inimical and hurtful to good morals. For nothing can be imagined more noxious to true morality than to assert, that "it is a property of the regenerate not to do the good which they would, and to do the evil which they would not:" Because it necessarily follows from this, that those persons flatter themselves in their sins, who, while sinning, feel that they do so with a reluctant conscience and with a will that offered some resistance. For they conclude themselves to be regenerate from this circumstance, because it is not one of the properties of the unregenerate to do the evil which they would not, and to omit the performance of the good which they would; the unregenerate being those who omit the good, and perpetrate the evil, with a full consent of the will and without any resistance. I truly and sacredly affirm, that this has, in more instances than one, fallen within the range of my experience: When I have admonished certain persons to exercise a degree of caution over themselves and to guard against the commission of some wickedness which they knew to be prohibited by the law, they have replied," that it was indeed their will so to refrain, but that "they must declare, with the apostle, We are unable to perform "the good which we would.”

"I speak the truth in Christ and lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost," that I have received this very answer from a certain individual, not after he had perpetrated the crime, but when he was previously admonished not to commit it.—I am also acquainted with a lady, who, on being admonished and blamed for a certain deed which she knew she had perpetrated against the law of God and her own conscience, coolly replied, "That as she had done that deed with a reluctant will and not "with a full consent, in this she experienced something similar

"to what the apostle Paul endured when he said, The evil that I "would not, that I do."-I have known both men and women, young persons and old, who, when I have explained this Seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the sense in which I defend it in this treatise, have openly confessed to me," that "they had always previously entertained the opinion, that, if "they had actually perpetrated any evil with a reluctant mind, or had omitted the performance of any good when their con"science exclaimed against such omission, it was not necessary "for them to care much about the matter or deeply to lament it, "since they considered themselves in this respect to be similar to "St. Paul." These persons, therefore, have returned me hearty thanks, as they have declared, because, by my interpretation, I had delivered them from that false opinion.

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3. But lest it might appear that I alone make this assertion; and, without any witness or supporter, declare that "the opinion which interprets this chapter as referring to actual good and evil, is adverse to good morals and to piety," let us now see what judgment some of the Ancients have formed about this matter.

AUGUSTINE.

WHEN discussing these words of the apostle, "For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do;" this Father makes the following remarks:

As often as the Divine words which have just been recited from the Epistle of the apostle Paul, are read, it is to be feared that, when they are incorrectly understood, they furnish an occasion to men who are seeking one; because they are inclined to the commission of sin, and with difficulty restrain themselves. Therefore, when they have heard the apostle declaring, "For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I hate, that I do;" they commit evil; and, as if displeased with themselves because they thus do evil, they suppose that they resemble the apostle, who said, "For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do." For this passage is sometimes read, and at present imposes on us the necessity of admonishing, that, when men take it in a wrong acceptation, they convert salutary food into poison.-On Time, Sermons 43 & 45, tom. 10.

But lest, in this battle, these Divine words when read should seem, to those who have not a good understanding of them, as the trumpet of the enemy's army and not that of our own ranks, by which we may be incited, and not by which we may be conquered,

pay attention, I beseech you, my brethren, and, you who are engaged in the contest, contend manfully. For, you who have not yet begun the combat, will not understand what I say; but you who are now contending, will easily understand my meaning. I speak openly; your words will be in silence. Recollect, in the first place, what the apostle has written to the Galatians, from which this passage may be well expounded: For, speaking to believers who had been baptized, he says,-speaking to them as those to whom all sins had been remitted in the sacred laver,-but speaking to them as to those who were still fighting, he says, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." He has not said, Ye shall not do or perform, but, Ye shall not fulfil or perfect. And why does he say this? He proceeds to say, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: For these are contrary the one to the other, that ye may not do the things that ye would. But if be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." If ye be led of the Spirit: What is "to be led of the Spirit?" To consent to the Spirit of God which commands, and not to the flesh which lusteth. Yet it lusts, and resists, and wills something, and thou willest not. Persevere in not willing [that which the flesh wills]. Yet thy desire to God should be of this description, that there may not be any concupiscence for thee to resist. Consider what I have said. I repeat it: Thy request unto God should be of this kind, that no concupiscence whatever may remain which it may be necessary for thee to resist. For thou dost resist; and, by not consenting, thou dost overcome: But it is far better to have no enemy, than to conquer one. The time will arrive when that enemy will have no existence. Apply thy mind to the notes of triumph, and see if it will be, "O death, where is thy contest?" It will not be, "O death, where is thy sting?" Thou shalt seek its place, and shalt not find it.-Ibid.

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In a subsequent passage in the same Treatise, when explaining still more plainly the meaning of the apostle, lest his words should prove hurtful to those who seek occasion, St. Augustine writes in the following manner :—

The apostle, therefore, does not what he would, because he wills not to lust or indulge in concupiscence; yet he lusts, therefore he does the evil which he wills not. Did this evil concupiscence draw the apostle into subjection to lust for fornication? By no means. Let not such thoughts as these ascend into thy heart. He contended against it, he was not subdued. But because he willed not, and had this against which he might contend, therefore he said, "What I would, that do I not:" I will not to lust,

or to indulge in concupiscence, and yet I do lust. "Therefore, what I would, that.do I not;" but yet I consent not to concupiscence. For, otherwise, he would not have said, "Ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh," if he fulfilled them himself. But he has placed for thee, before thy eyes, the combat in which he was engaged, that thou mayest not be afraid concerning thine own. For if the blessed apostle had not said this, when thou hast perceived concupiscence in motion within thy members to which thou wouldst not yield thy consent; yet, since thou hast perceived it to be in motion, perhaps thou mightest despair concerning thyself and say, If I belonged unto God, I should not have such motions. Look at the apostle engaged in the battle, and be unwilling to fill thyself with despair. He says, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind:" And because I am unwilling that it should wage war,for it is my own flesh, I am myself the person, it is a part of myself," that which I would, I do not; but the evil which I hate, that do I," because I lust. Therefore, the good which I do in not giving consent to my evil concupiscence, I perform it, but I do not perfect it. And concupiscence, which is my enemy, performs evil, and does not perfect it. In what way do I perform good and not perfect it? I perform good when I do not consent to evil concupiscence, but I do not perfect good so as not to indulge the least concupiscence. Again, therefore, in what way does my enemy perform evil, and not perfect evil? It performs evil, because it puts evil desires in motion. It does not perfect evil, because it does not draw me to evil.-Ibid.

VENERABLE BEDE.

BUT the thing which I do or perform is to lust, not to consent to lust; lest any one should now seek in the apostle an example for himself, and should himself afford a bad one. "That which I would, I do not." For what saith the law? "Thou shalt not covet." And it is not my will to lust, and yet I lust, though I give no consent to my lust,—and though I go not after it.-On Romans 7.

II. VARIOUS OBJECTIONS IN FAVOUR OF THE COMMON INTERPRETATION ANSWERED.

1. AN Objection for the Common Interpretation: It is possible for this to be the Meaning of Romans vii, "that the Regenerate do not so frequently and so perfectly perform what is good, and omit what is evil, as they wish."-Reply: The Gloss is contrary to the Text, because this

Chapter describes the continuous State of the Man about whom it treats. 2. The Manner in which St. Paul would have spoken, if he had intended to convey the Meaning that generally obtains; and this in Conformity with the Style and Modes of Speaking which he usually adopts in other Passages when writing concerning himself. An Argument against the usually-received Opinion, taken from those Things which have been previously spoken, and which are here reduced into the Form of a Syllogism.-3. Another Objection in Favour of the Common Interpretation, and this in two Members. An Answer to the First Member. An Answer to the Second," that when the Regenerate sin, they sin with Reluctance." Every inward Struggle against Sin is not a Sign that the Man is Regenerate.-4. Another Objection and a Reply to it. Remarks on a complete and an incomplete Will. The Regenerate will not, with a complete Will, more Good than they perform; neither perpetrate more Evil than they will.-5. Each of us must institute a serious Examination into himself and into all the Motions of his Will.

1. But some one will say, in defence of this modern opinion, and in order to wipe away this double stain," By this interpreta❝tion no injury is inflicted on Divine Grace, and no harm is done "to good morals."-Some other man, possessed of still greater vehemence in defending the opinion which he has once conceived, will bring against me the charge of calumny, [and will say,]" It " is a well-known fact, that they who give this interpretation to the chapter do not take away from the regenerate the performance "of all actual good, and the omission of what is evil, and, conse“quently, [the work of] the grace of regeneration; but this is all "that they affirm, Sometimes, nay very often, those men who are "regenerated by the Spirit of Christ do the evil which they would “not, and, far more frequently, omit or do not perform the good "which they would; and the same regenerate persons never per"form so perfectly the good which they do as they will to perform it, "and they never omit evil so perfectly as they will to omit it. But "neither of these assertions can be denied by those who acknow"ledge the imperfection of righteousness in this life, and who "accurately consider the examples of the most holy of mortals "which are depicted in the Holy Scriptures."

I reply, this subterfuge affords no defence or excuse for the modern explanation of Rom. vii. For, (as the phrase is,) in this instance the gloss is contrary to the text. For that chapter does not treat about that which occasionally befals the man who is the subject of discussion, but about what generally and for the most part is accustomed to happen to him; and it contains a description of the continuous state of the man about whom it treats: