the first place,
those moralists fail to observe that Scripture commends the raven for
not leaving the ark of his own will. He went out at the bidding of
Noah, to ascertain if the waters had ceased and if God's wrath was
ended. The raven, however, did not return, neither did he become a
messenger of happy omen. He remained without the ark, and, though he
came and went, yet he did not suffer himself to be taken by Noah.

102. In all these points the allegory fittingly typifies the ministry
of the Law. Black, the color of the bird, is a token of sadness, and
the sound of his voice is unpleasant. This is true of the teachers of
the Law, who teach justification by works. They are the ministers of
death and sin, Paul calling the ministry of the Law a ministry of
death, (2 Cor 3, 6). The Law is unto death (Rom 7, 10). The Law
worketh wrath. (Rom 4, 15.) The Law entered that trespass might
abound. (Rom 5, 20).

103. And yet, Moses was sent forth by God with the Law, just as the
raven was sent out by Noah. It is God's will that mankind be taught
morality and holiness of life, and that wrath and sure punishments be
announced to all who transgress the Law. Nevertheless, such teachers
are naught but ravens wandering aimlessly about the ark; nor do they
have the certain assurance that God is pacified.

104. For, the Law is a teaching of such character that it cannot
assure, strengthen and console an uneasy conscience, but rather
terrifies it, since it only teaches what God requires of us, what he
wishes to be performed by us. Our consciences bear witness against us
that we not only have failed to carry out the will of God as set forth
in the Law, but that we have done the very contrary.

105. With all justice, therefore, we may say of the teachers of the
Law, in the words of Psalms 5, 9: "There is no certainty in their
mouth." Our translation has it "There is no faithfulness in their
mouth." Their teaching at its best can only say: If you do this, if
you do that, you will be saved. Christ speaks ironically when he
answers the scribe who had grandly set forth the doctrine of the Law,
by saying, "This do, and thou shalt live" (Lk 10, 28). He shows the
scribe that the doctrine is holy and good, but since we are corrupt,
it follows that we are guilty, since we do not, and cannot, fulfil the
Law.

106. Hence, we declare rightly that we are not justified by the works
of the Law. By the works of the Law we mean, not the ceremonial