the good make a good use of death, which is an ill._
The apostle, wishing to show how hurtful a thing sin is, when grace
does not aid us, has not hesitated to say that the strength of sin
is that very law by which sin is prohibited. "The sting of death
is sin, and the strength of sin is the law."[578] Most certainly
true; for prohibition increases the desire of illicit action, if
righteousness is not so loved that the desire of sin is conquered
by that love. But unless divine grace aid us, we cannot love nor
delight in true righteousness. But lest the law should be thought to
be an evil, since it is called the strength of sin, the apostle, when
treating a similar question in another place, says, "The law indeed
is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that
which is holy made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might
appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by
the commandment might become exceeding sinful."[579] _Exceeding_,
he says, because the transgression is more heinous when through the
increasing lust of sin the law itself also is despised. Why have we
thought it worth while to mention this? For this reason, because, as
the law is not an evil when it increases the lust of those who sin,
so neither is death a good thing when it increases the glory of those
who suffer it, since either the former is abandoned wickedly, and
makes transgressors, or the latter is embraced for the truth's sake,
and makes martyrs. And thus the law is indeed good, because it is
prohibition of sin, and death is evil because it is the wages of sin;
but as wicked men make an evil use not only of evil, but also of good
things, so the righteous make a good use not only of good, but also
of evil things. Whence it comes to pass that the wicked make an ill
use of the law, though the law is good; and that the good die well,
though death is an evil.