"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly 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?" Here the work of the two covenants is brought to view. Ministration means the service, or work, of a minister. Some time since, we gave an exposition of this text at some length. In this article we intend to notice only these ministrations. Why was the service under the old covenant called the ministration of death? Was there not death under both covenants? Yes, under both. And in its proper sense, there was more of death under the second than under the first. We will illustrate this point. The idea in all the offerings under the law was that of substitution. "The wages of sin is death." Life is forfeited by sin. And as "the life is in the blood," the blood of the substitute must be shed to make atonement; "for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11-14. On the day of atonement, a goat was killed and his blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat, to atone for the sins of the people. Lev. 16. But a goat is not a valuable equivalent for a man; much less for a whole nation. But might it not be that by its constant repetition it might be accepted as an equivalent? No; the lives of a thousand goats are not worth as much as the life of one man. And so Paul says: "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Heb. 10:4. Those sacrifices "offered year by year continually" could not perfect those who made the offering. "But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year." Heb. 10:1, 3. Instead of taking away sin by their yearly repetition, they were continual reminders of sin; those sacrifices were continual illustrations of the justice of God and the desert of the sinner. If a man owed to another an ounce of gold, how long would it take to pay the debt in ounces of clay, each ounce being of no value? The answer is ready: It could never be so paid. Millions of ounces might be given, but the debt would remain. But a goat is of no value whatever, as far as the great object of a sacrifice is concerned. True, debt is not crime, and crime, strictly speaking, is not debt; but we use these terms in illustration. On the other hand, if a man owed an ounce of brass, and offered in payment an ounce of gold, how quickly the payment would be accepted. It would be accepted as more than equivalent to many ounces of brass. And would not every one say there was more of real payment in one ounce of gold than in millions of ounces of worthless clay? Surely they would. And for this reason we say that there was more of death, more real sacrifice, in the offering made in the new covenant, than in all the offerings under the old. The sufferings of Christ were beyond comparison and beyond comprehension. Even so his life in value was beyond computation, or comparison, or comprehension. It is very evident, then, that it was not because of the death of many sacrifices under the old covenant that the work of its priests was called the ministration of death. Nor was it because death was ever present before the sinners; for this is the great theme of gospel preachers. Paul not only said that "we preach Christ crucified," but he said: "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 1 Cor. 1:23; 2:2. Jesus took upon him our nature, "was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, . . . that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." It was only through death that he could destroy him that had the power of death (Heb. 2:9, 14); only through his death are we reconciled to God. Rom. 5:10. Wherein, then, is the contrast? It is in the effect of the two ministrations. The priests of the first covenant were ever presenting before the people reminders of their guilt, and of its desert, death, as illustrated in the death of the victims. And they had nothing beyond this to present or to promise. The blood which they shed and which they offered, took away no sin, and made no one perfect. Their covenant was based upon, "If ye will obey." Ex. 19:5-8. But it made no promise to the sinner; it had no offering which could bring him relief. In the ark, on the tables of stone, was a complete moral law. Violation of this law was sin, odious sin, which God abhorred, and for which they will be brought into Judgment. Eccl. 12:13, 14. But that covenant contained no pardon. Now notice the difference. The blood of the new covenant, the blood of Christ, cleanses from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7, 9. It purges the conscience. Heb. 9:14. In this covenant, the Spirit of God writes the law upon the heart; and, therefore, the promises of this covenant are better—better suited to the sinner's wants—than those of the old; it promises forgiveness of sin, and everlasting life. 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:6-12. This is "the ministration of the Spirit," "the ministration of righteousness." It leads us to holiness, to life, to glory. But were not the promises of holiness, and of being a peculiar treasure unto the Lord, contained in the first covenant? They were. Ex. 19:5-8. Why, then, was it called so inferior to the new covenant? Not because holiness was not the same; for holiness under that covenant was exactly what it is in this. Compare 1 Peter 1:15, 16, with Lev. 19:2. Not because being a peculiar treasure unto God was not as great a blessing then as now, but because these rich and precious blessings were promised only on that condition, "If ye will obey." But they were a stiff-necked people (Ex. 33:5); a disobedient and gainsaying people. Rom. 10:21. They broke his covenant, and of course he could not regard them as a holy nation, for they were not holy. Jer. 31:32; Heb. 8:9. How thankful should we be that we have the privileges of the new covenant; that we may be reconciled to God by the death of the cross, and cleansed from all unrighteousness by the precious blood of the Lamb of God. Well may we glory in the cross here, and lose sight of all knowledge but that of Jesus Christ and him crucified; for the power and efficacy of that blood will raise the songs of praise in the throng of the redeemed and glorified saints: "For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Rev. 5:9. May we so strive, and may the Lord so bestow his grace, that we may be of the number who sing that song.