Augustine: Earlier Writings
they suppose to be evil. What could be more clear than what he says soon after? "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, just and good." Again they say this does not refer to the law given to the Jews, but is spoken of the Gospel. That is the unspeakably bhnd per\'ersity of the Manichees. They pay no attention to the completely frank and clear sequel; "Was that which is good made death to me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful"; that is, by a commandment that was holy, just and good, which nevertheless came that sin might abound, i.e., become exceeding sinful.
17. Why, then, if the law is good, is it called a "ministration of death"? Because "sin, that it might be shown to be sin, worked death for me through that which is good." Do not marvel when it is said of the preaching of the Gospel, "We are a sweet savour of Christ unto God, in them that are being saved and in them who perish, to the one a savour of life to life, to the other a savour of death to death" (II Cor. 2:15-16). Now the law is called a "ministration of death" to the Jews, for whom it was written on stone, to symbolize their hardness of heart. But this does not apply to those who fulfil the law in charity. For charity is the fulfilment of the law (Rom. 13:10). The law which was graven with letters of stone says, "Thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not covet," etc. That law the apostle says is fulfilled by charity.
"He that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. For, Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, all are summed up in this word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Rom. 13:8-9). For of course this, too, is written in the same law. Why, if the law is good, is it "the power of sin" (I Cor. 15:56)? Because sin wrought death by that which is good, that it might become exceeding sinful, i.e., might acquire greater powers by becoming also transgression. Why, if the law is good, are we "dead to the law by the body of Christ"? Because we are dead to the law's condemnation, being set free from the disposition which the law condemns and punishes. The more usual practice is to speak of law as something that threatens, terrifies and punishes. So the same precept, which is law to those who fear it, is grace to those who love it. Hence the saying in the Gospel: "The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). The same law, TO SIMPLIGIAN—ON VARIOUS QUESTIONS 385 that is, that was given through Moses to be feared, was made grace and truth by Jesus Christ so that it might be fulfilled. So the words, " ye are dead to the law," should be taken to mean, ye are dead to the punishment threatened by the law through the body of Christ, through which are remitted the sins which bound us to the law's punishments. If the law is good, why did "sinful passions, which were through the law, work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death" (Rom. 7:5)? Here he wants us to understood the sinful passions, of which I have already often spoken as an increase of concupiscence due to the prohibition, and as guiltily deserving punishment because of transgression. Death is wrought through that which is good that sin might become exceeding sinful by the commandment. If the law is good, why are we "set free from the law of death wherein we were holden, so that we may serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter" (Rom. 7:6)? The law is "letter" to those who do not fulfil it in the spirit of charity to which the New Testament belongs. So those who are dead to sin are freed from the letter, which holds guilty those who do not fully obey what is written. The law is nothing else than a "letter" to those who can read it but cannot fulfil it. It is not unknown to those for whom it was written. But because it is known merely in so far as it is written and not as something loved and performed, to such people it is nothing but "letter"; a "letter" which brings no aid to those who read it, but bears witness to their sins. Those who are renewed by the spirit are freed from its condemnation, so that they are no longer bound to the letter for punishment, but are joined to understanding through righteousness. Hence "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life" (II Cor. 3:6). The law, when merely read and not understood or fulfilled, killeth.
In that case it is called "the letter." But the spirit giveth life, because the fulfilment of the law is charity "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us" (Rom. 5:5).
The Second Question. Romans 9:10-29
I . Now I think it is time to turn to the second question you have propounded, which concerns the interpretation of Romans
9:10-29, from "Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived" down to "We had been made like unto Gomorrah." You ask that the whole passage be discussed, and indeed it is rather obscure. But, to be sure, I know your regard for me and am certain that you would not bid me expound that passage unless you had prayed
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