88 Moses' glory, as visible, commends the Law to the weak.

HOMILY VII.

2 COR. iii. 7, 8.

But if the ministration of death, in letters, engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?

He said that the tables of Moses were of stone, as [also] that they were written with letters; and that these were fleshy, I mean the hearts of the Apostles, and had been written on by the Spirit; and that the letter indeed killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. There was yet wanting to this comparison the addition of a further and not trifling particular, that of the glory of Moses; such as in the case of the New Covenant none saw with the eyes of the body. And even for this cause it appeared a great thing, in that the glory was perceived by the senses; (for it was seen by the bodily eyes, even though it might not be approached ;) but that of the New Covenant is perceived by the understanding. For to the weaker sort the apprehension of a superiority of this nature is not clear; but that other did more take them, and turn them unto itself. Having then fallen upon this comparison, and being set upon shewing the superiority [in question], which yet was exceedingly difficult because of the dulness of the hearers; see what he does, and with what us method he proceeds in it, first by arguments placing the difference before them, and constructing these out of what he had said before.

δεύει

The Law shewed, not caused, sin; nor death: yet but letters. 89

III. 8.

For if that ministration were of death, but this of life, doubt- 2 COR. less, saith he, the latter glory is also greater than the former. For since he could not exhibit it to the bodily eyes, by this logical inference he established its superiority, saying,

Ver. 8. But if the ministration of death was glorious, how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?

Now by ministration of death he means the Law. And mark too how great the caution he uses in the comparison, so as to give no handle to the heretics; for he said not, which causeth death,' but, the ministration of death; for it ministereth unto, but was not the parent of, death; for that which caused death was sin; but [the Law] brought in the punishment, and shewed the sin, not caused it. For it more distinctly revealed the evil, and punished it it did not impel unto the evil: and it ministered not to the existence of sin or death, but to the suffering of retribution by the sinner. So that in this way it was even destructive of sin. For that which sheweth it to be so fearful, it is obvious, maketh it also to be avoided. As then he that taketh the sword in his hands and cutteth off the condemned, ministers to the judge that passeth sentence, and it is not he that is his destruction, although he cutteth him off; nay, nor yet is he so, who passeth sentence and condemneth, but the wickedness of him that is punished; so truly here also it is not that destroyeth, but sin. This did both destroy and i.e. the condemn, but that by punishing undermined its strength, by the fear of the punishment holding it back. But he was not content with this consideration only in order to establish the superiority [in question]; but he addeth yet another, saying, in letters, engraven in stones. See how he again cuts at the root of the Jewish arrogancy. For the Law was nothing else but letters: a certain succour was not found leaping forth from out the letters, and inspiring them that combat, as is the case in Baptism; but pillars and writings bearing death to those who transgress the letters. Seest thou how, in correcting the Jewish contentiousness, by his very expres sions even he lessens its authority, speaking of stone, and letters, and a ministration of death, and adding that it was engraven? For hereby he declareth nothing else than this, that the Law was fixed in one place; not, as the Spirit,

Law.

VII.

90 Fixed toone place. The glory Moses', not the Tables'. Ceaseth.

HOMIL. was present in all places, breathing great might into all; or that the letters breathe much threatening, and threatening too, which can not be effaced, but remaineth for ever, as being engraved in stone. Then, even whilst seeming to praise the old things, he again mixeth up accusation of the Jews. For having said, in letters engraven in stones, was glorious, he added, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses; which was a mark of their great weakness and grovelling spirit. And again he doth not say, 'for the glory of the tables,' but, for the glory of his countenance, which was to be done away; for he sheweth that he who beareth them is made glorious, and not they. For he said not, 'because they could not stedfastly behold the tables,' but, the face of Moses; and again, not, for the glory of the tables,' but, for the glory of his countenance. Then after he had extolled it, see how again he lowers it, saying, which was to be done away. Not however that this is in accusation, but in diminution; for he did not say,' which was corrupt, which was evil,' but, which ceaseth and hath an end.'

(2.)

How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? for henceforth with confidence he extolleth the things of the New [Covenant] as indisputable. And observe what he doth. He opposed stone' to 'heart,' and 'letter' to 'spirit.' Then having shewn the results of each, he doth not set down the results of each; but having set down the work of the letter, namely, death and condemnation, he setteth not down that of the spirit, life, namely, and righteousness; but the Spirit Itself; which added greatness to the argument. For the New Covenant not only gave life, but supplied also The Spirit' Which giveth the life, a far greater thing than the life. Wherefore he said, the ministration of the Spirit. Then he again reverts to the same thing, saying, Ver. 9. For if the ministration of condemnation be glory. Also, he interprets more clearly the meaning of the words, The letter killeth, declaring it to be that which we have said above, namely, that the Law shewed sin, not caused it.

Much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

For those Tables indeed shewed the sinners, and pu

Has glory, yet no glory compared with the New Covenant's. 91

III.

nished them, but this not only did not punish the sinners, 2 COR. but even made them righteous: for this did Baptism confer. 10-12. [2.] Ver. 10. For that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

Now in what has gone before, indeed, he shewed that this also is with glory; and not simply is with glory, but even exceedeth in it: for he did not say, How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather in glory? but, exceed in glory; deriving the proof from the arguments before stated. Here he also shews the superiority, how great it is, saying, if I compare this with that, the glory of the Old Covenant is not glory at all;' not absolutely laying down that there was no glory, but in respect of the comparison. Wherefore also he added, in this respect, that is, in respect of the comparison. Not that this doth disparage the Old Covenant, yea rather it highly commendeth it: for comparisons are wont to be made between things which are the same in kind. Next, he sets on foot yet another argument to prove the superiority also from a fresh ground. What then is this argument? That based upon duration, saying,

Ver. 11. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

For the one ceased, but the other abideth continually. Ver. 12. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness1 of speech. For since, when he had heard so many and so great things concerning the New [Covenant,] the hearer would be desirous of seeing this glory manifested to the eye, mark whither he hurleth him, [even] to the world to come. Wherefore also he brought forward the hope, saying, Seeing then that we have such hope. Such? Of what nature? That we have been counted worthy of greater things than Moses; not we the Apostles only, but also all the faithful. We use great plainness of speech. Towards whom? tell me. Towards God, or towards the disciples? Towards you who are being instructed, he saith; that is, we speak every where with freedom, hiding nothing, withholding nothing, mistrusting nothing, but speaking openly; and we have not feared lest we should wound your eyesight, as Moses did that of the Jews. For that he alluded to this, hear what follows; or

'Marg. Or bold

ness

92 Moses forced to veil his; the greater glory unveiled.

HOMIL. rather, it is necessary first of all to relate the history, for he VII. himself keeps dwelling upon it. What then is the history? When, having received the Tables a second time, Moses came down, a certain glory darting from his countenance shone so much, that the Jews were not able to approach and talk with him, until he put a vail over his face. And thus it Ex. 34, is written in Exodus, When Moses came down from the 29-34. Mount, the two Tables [were] in his hands. And Moses wist not that the skin of his countenance was made glorious to behold. And they were afraid to come nigh him. And 1 Brudn, Moses called them, and spake unto them. And when' Moses LXX. had done speaking with them, he put a vail over his face. But when he went in before the Lord, to speak [with Him], he took the vail off until he came out.

so also

E. V.

"till."

Putting them in mind then of this history, he says,

Ver. 13. And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.

Now what he says is of this nature. There is no need for us to cover ourselves as Moses did; for ye are able to look upon this glory which we are encircled with, although it is far greater and brighter than the other. Seest thou their 1 Cor. advance? For he that in the former Epistle said, I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; saith here, We use much plainness of speech. And he produces Moses before them, carrying forward the discourse by means of comparison, and thus leading his hearer upwards.

3, 2.

2 i. e.

Moses.

And for the present he sets them above the Jews, saying that we have no need of a vail, as he had with those he governed; but in what comes afterwards he advances them even to the dignity itself of the Lawgiver, or even to a much greater.

Mean time, however, let us hear what follows next.

Ver. 14. But their minds were blinded, for until this day remaineth the same vail in the reading of the Old Testament, 3 So he [it] not being revealed to them3, that it is done away in Christ.

reads;

see next page.

See what he establisheth by this. For what happened then, once, in the case of Moses, the same happeneth continually in the case of the Law. What is said, therefore, is no accusation of the Law, as neither is it of Moses that he