truth, and life. Without Christ the heart remains unchanged and
unrenewed. It has no more power to fulfil the Law than the book in
which the Ten Commandments are written, or the stones upon which
engraved.

"For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

37. Here is yet stronger condemnation of the glory of the doctrine of
the Law; yet higher exaltation of the Gospel ministry. Is the apostle
overbold in that he dares thus to assail the Law and say: "The Law is
not only a lifeless letter, but qualified merely to kill"? Surely
that is not calling the Law a good and profitable message, but one
altogether harmful. Who, unless he would be a cursed heretic in the
eyes of the world and invite execution as a blasphemer, would dare to
speak thus, except Paul himself? Even Paul must praise the Law, which
is God's command, declaring it good and not to be despised nor in any
way modified, but to be confirmed and fulfilled so completely, as
Christ says (Mt 5, 18), that not a tittle of it shall pass away. How,
then, does Paul come to speak so disparagingly, even abusively, of
the Law, actually presenting it as veritable death and poison? Well,
his is a sublime doctrine, one that reason does not understand. The
world, particularly they who would be called holy and godly, cannot
tolerate it at all; for it amounts to nothing short of pronouncing
all our works, however precious, mere death and poison.

38. Paul's purpose is to bring about the complete overthrow of the
boast of the false teachers and hypocrites, and to reveal the
weakness of their doctrine, showing how little it effects even at its
best, since it offers only the Law, Christ remaining unproclaimed and
unknown. They say in terms of vainglorious eloquence that if a man
diligently keep the commandments and do many good works, he shall be
saved. But theirs are only vain words, a pernicious doctrine. This
fact is eventually learned by him who, having heard no other
doctrine, trusts in their false one. He finds out that it holds
neither comfort nor power of life, but only doubt and anxiety,
followed by death and destruction.

TERRORS OF THE LAW.

39. When man, conscious of his failure to keep God's command, is
constantly urged by the Law to make payment of his debt and
confronted with nothing but the terrible wrath of God and eternal
condemnation, he cannot but sink into despair over his sins. Such is
the inevitable consequence where the Law alone is taught with