A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

2. Because it hath the Promise of the Spirit's Assistance. Rom. 1.16. the Gospel is said to be the Power of God unto Salvation, not only because it is a powerful Instrument which God hath appropriated to this Work, but this is the Honour God puts upon the Gospel, that he will join and associate the Operation of his Spirit with no other Doctrine but this. And therefore the Apostle saith, Gal. 3.2. Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? How come you to receive the Spirit? either by endeavouring to get Acceptance with God according to the Terms of the Law, or by the Doctrine of the Gospel? The Assistance of the Spirit is joined with no other Doctrine. This is the Authentic Proof of the Excellency of that Doctrine, that God hath reserved the Power of his Grace to go along with it, he will not associate and join his Spirit with any other Doctrine. The Law, as it is contra-distinguished from the Gospel, it is called the Ministration of Condemnation, 2 Cor. 3.9. and the Ministration of Death to fallen Man, ver. 7. It is the Office of the Law to condemn a Man, not to save him: Not as if preaching of the Law did make us guilty, but shows us to be guilty; to him that is guilty of Death, it puts the Guilt before their Eyes, that knowing it, and feeling it, he may be terrified, and despair in himself, and beg for Deliverance. To this end the Apostle gives us an account of his own Experience, Rom. 7.9. I was alive without the Law once; that is, I thought I was alive, and did not know my self, or feel my self guilty of Death; I thought my self to be in as good a condition towards God as any Man; but when the Commandment came, Sin revived, and I died, then I counted my self to be lost and utterly undone. A Sinner before the Law comes, is like a Beggar that dreams he is a King, and that he wallows in Ease and Plenty; but when he awakes, his Soul is empty, and he feeleth his Poverty, and his hungry Belly, and his Rags confute all his Dreams and false Surmises: So we thought our selves to be alive, in a good condition towards God; but when the Law comes, then we see our selves to be dead and lost. Therefore the Law, as it is opposed to the Gospel, is not the Means of Salvation, so it is only the Law of Sin and Death;