For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Ver. 17. For the flesh lusteth] Every new man is two men. What can a man see in the Shulamite, but as the appearance of two armies? Song of Solomon 6:13. These maintain civil broils within her, as the two babes did in Rebecea's womb. All was jolly quiet at Ephesus, till Paul came thither; but then there arose no small stir about that way,Acts 19:23. So is there in the good soul.
So that ye cannot do the things, &c.] As ye cannot do the good that ye would, because of the flesh, Romans 7:21 , something lay at the fountain head, and stop it so neither can ye do the evil that ye would, because of the Spirit. In which respect, setting the ingratitude aside, the sins of godly men are less than others, because the flesh cannot carry it without some counterbuffs.