CHAP, vin Saint Paul on the Letter and Spirit. 133 



The passage which contains the words quoted 

 above, has even more than Saint Paul's usual involu- 

 tion of thought ; and it may be a help to the under- 

 standing of it if we state its complex contrasts, 

 retaining its words as nearly as possible, but in 

 parallel columns, as follows : 



The Old Covenant, or 

 Testament, is written on 

 tables of stone, and is a 

 ministration of the letter. 



The letter killeth, and 

 its ministration is a minis- 

 tration of death and of 

 condemnation, and passeth 

 away. 



This ministration of the 

 letter, of death and of 

 condemnation, is glorious, 

 but has no glory in com- 

 parison with the glory that 

 surpasseth. 



The New Covenant, or 

 Testament, is written with 

 the Spirit of the living 

 God on tables that are 

 hearts of flesh, 1 and is a 

 ministration of the Spirit. 



The Spirit giveth life, 

 and its ministration is a 

 ministration of righteous- 

 ness, and remaineth. 



The surpassing glory of 

 the ministration of the 

 Spirit, of life, and of right- 

 eousness, makes the minis- 

 tration of the letter, of 

 death, and of condemna- 

 tion, appear no longer 

 glorious. 



1 An allusion to Jeremiah xxxi. 31, 33, " 1 will make a new 

 covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of 

 Judah. ... I will put My law in their inward parts, and in 

 their heart will I write it;" and to Ezekiel xi. 19, "I will 

 take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a 

 heart of flesh. "XT' 



