Wesley Corpus

Many passages in your paraphrase on the former part of this chapter are liable to much exception; but as they do not imme diately touch the point in question, Ipass on tothe latter part: “Verse 14: I am ‘ carnal, sold under sin.” He means a willing slavery.” (Page 216.) Quite the contrary; as appears from the very next words: “For that which I do, I allow not: For what I would, I do not; but what I hate, that I do.” “What I hate;” not barely, “what my reason disapproves;” but what I really detest and abhor, yet cannot help. “Verse 17: ‘Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.’ It is my sinful propensities, my in dulged appetites and passions.” (Page 217.) True; but those propensities were antecedent to that indulgence. “But the Apostle cannot mean, that there is something in man which makes him sin whether he will or no; for then it would not be sin at all.” Experience explains his meaning. I have felt in me, a thousand times, something which made me transgress God’s law, whether I would or no. Yet I dare not say, that “transgression of the law” was “no sin at all.” Verse 18: “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh,” (not my “fleshly appetites” only, but my whole nature while unrenewed,) “dwelleth no good thing. For to will” indeed “is present with me;” not barely “that natural faculty, the will,” but an actual will to do good; as evidently appears from the following words: “But how to perform that which is good I find not :” I have the desire, but not the power. Verse 19: “For the good that I would,”--that I desire and choose, -“I do not; but the evil which I would not,”--which I hate,--“that I do.” Verse 20: “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I, but sin that dwelleth in me,” but “the prevalency of sensual affections,” (page 218,) yea, sinful tempers of every kind, “settled and ruling in my heart,” both by nature and habit. Verse 21: “I find then that when I would do good,” when I choose and earnestly desire it, I cannot; “evil is present with me;” as it were, gets in between.