ON THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER.

...which is so highly praised. Thus, the praise and proclamation of grace gratia: God's unmerited favor and divine assistance, which Augustine argues is the only way to fulfill the spirit of the Law. is the censure and condemnation of offenses. For it was necessary to show man the foulness of his sickness, for which the holy and good commandment was of no use against his iniquity; indeed, iniquity was increased rather than diminished. This is because the law entered in so that the offense might abound original: "lex subintrauit ut abundaret delictum"; a quotation from Romans 5:20., so that, being thus convicted and confounded, man might see that he needs not only a teacher, but truly God as a helper to direct his steps, lest any iniquity have dominion over him. By fleeing to the aid of divine mercy, he might be healed; and thus, where sin abounded, grace might superabound—not through the merit of the sinner, but through the help of the one who comes to the rescue.

Consequently, the Apostle [Paul] shows that this same medicine was mystically demonstrated in the passion and resurrection of Christ, saying: "Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that just as Christ rose from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this: that our old man uetus homo: a Pauline term for the unregenerate human nature, corrupted by sin, which must be "put off" or "crucified" in the spiritual life. was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he who is dead is justified from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more; death shall have no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he lives, he lives unto God. Likewise, reckon yourselves also to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ." Romans 6

Indeed, it is clear enough that in the mystery of the Lord's death and resurrection, the setting of our old life and the rising of the new is symbolized, demonstrating the abolition of iniquity and the renewal of righteousness. From where, then, does such a great benefit come to man through the letter of the law, if not through faith in Jesus Christ?