Chapter 6 [IV.]—The Teaching of Law Without the Life-Giving Spirit is “The Letter that Killeth.”

For that teaching which brings to us the command to live in chastity and righteousness is “the letter that killeth,” unless accompanied with “the spirit that giveth life.” For that is not the sole meaning of the passage, “The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life,”11    2 Cor. iii. 6. which merely prescribes that we should not take in the literal sense any figurative phrase which in the proper meaning of its words would produce only nonsense, but should consider what else it signifies, nourishing the inner man by our spiritual intelligence, since “being carnally-minded is death, whilst to be spiritually-minded is life and peace.”12    Rom. viii. 6. If, for instance, a man were to take in a literal and carnal sense much that is written in the Song of Solomon, he would minister not to the fruit of a luminous charity, but to the feeling of a libidinous desire. Therefore, the apostle is not to be confined to the limited application just mentioned, when he says, “The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life;”13    2 Cor. iii. 6. but this is also (and indeed especially) equivalent to what he says elsewhere in the plainest words: “I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet;”14    Rom. vii. 7. and again, immediately after: “Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.”15    Rom. vii. 11. Now from this you may see what is meant by “the letter that killeth.” There is, of course, nothing said figuratively which is not to be accepted in its plain sense, when it is said, “Thou shall not covet;” but this is a very plain and salutary precept, and any man who shall fulfil it will have no sin at all. The apostle, indeed, purposely selected this general precept, in which he embraced everything, as if this were the voice of the law, prohibiting us from all sin, when he says, “Thou shalt not covet;” for there is no sin committed except by evil concupiscence; so that the law which prohibits this is a good and praiseworthy law. But, when the Holy Ghost withholds His help, which inspires us with a good desire instead of this evil desire (in other words, diffuses love in our hearts), that law, however good in itself, only augments the evil desire by forbidding it. Just as the rush of water which flows incessantly in a particular direction, becomes more violent when it meets with any impediment, and when it has overcome the stoppage, falls in a greater bulk, and with increased impetuosity hurries forward in its downward course. In some strange way the very object which we covet becomes all the more pleasant when it is forbidden. And this is the sin which by the commandment deceives and by it slays, whenever transgression is actually added, which occurs not where there is no law.16    Rom. iv. 15.

CAPUT IV.

6. Doctrina legis sine vivificante spiritu, littera est occidens. Doctrina quippe illa, qua mandatum accipimus continenter recteque vivendi, littera est occidens, nisi adsit vivificans spiritus. Neque enim solo illo modo intelligendum est quod legimus, Littera occidit, spiritus autem vivificat (II Cor. III, 6); ut aliquid figurate scriptum, cujus est absurda proprietas, non accipiamus sicut littera sonat, sed aliud quod significat intuentes, interiorem hominem spirituali intelligentia nutriamus: quoniam sapere secundum carnem mors est, sapere autem secundum spiritum vita et pax (Rom. VIII, 6). Velut si quisquam multa quae scripta sunt in Cantico canticorum carnaliter accipiat, non ad luminosae charitatis fructum, sed ad libidinosae cupiditatis affectum. Non ergo solo illo modo intelligendum est quod ait Apostolus, Littera occidit, spiritus autem vivificat: sed etiam illo, eoque vel maxime, quo apertissime alio loco dicit, Concupiscentiam nesciebam, nisi lex diceret, Non concupisces. Et paulo post ait: Occasione accepta peccatum per mandatum fefellit me, et per illud occidit (Id. VII, 7, 11). Ecce quid est, Littera occidit. Et utique non figurate aliquid dicitur , quod accipiendum non sit secundum litterae sonum, cum dicitur, Non concupisces: sed apertissimum saluberrimumque praeceptum est, quod si quis impleverit, nullum habebit omnino peccatum. Nam hoc ideo elegit Apostolus generale quiddam, quo cuncta complexus est, tanquam haec esset vox legis ab omni peccato prohibentis, 0204 quod ait, Non concupisces; neque enim ullum peccatum nisi concupiscendo committitur: proinde quae hoc praecipit, bona et laudabilis lex est. Sed ubi sanctus non adjuvat Spiritus, inspirans pro concupiscentia mala concupiscentiam bonam, hoc est, charitatem diffundens in cordibus nostris; profecto illa lex, quamvis bona, auget prohibendo desiderium malum: sicut aquae impetus, si in eam partem non cesset influere, vehementior fit obice opposito, cujus molem cum evicerit, majore cumulo praecipitatus violentius per prona provolvitur. Nescio quo enim modo, hoc ipsum quod concupiscitur, fit jucundius dum vetatur. Et hoc est quod fallit peccatum per mandatum, et per illud occidit, cum accedit etiam praevaricatio, quae nulla est ubi lex non est (Rom. IV, 15).