that the believer may now look upon that enemy, how fearful soever it may appear, as condemned and killed in the death, of Christ; he having laid down the price of redemption, hath bought this freedom from the chains and fetters with which he was held in captivity.  Faith, then, on the death of Jesus satisfying justice for the poor captive, may, and should support and strengthen the hope and confidence of the believer, that he shall obtain the victory at length.

12.  And it will further confirm the hope and faith of the believer, to look to Christ hanging on the cross, and there vanquishing and overcoming this arch-enemy, as a public person, representing the elect who died in him, and virtually and legally did in him overcome that jailor, and break his fetters; and the soul now believing, may, yea, should reckon itself in Christ dying, as it were, upon the cross, and there overcoming all those spiritual enemies.  “Likewise,” saith the apostle, Rom. vi. 11, “Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin.”  From hence, even while fighting, the believer may account himself a conqueror, yea, “more than a conqueror, through him that loved him,” Rom. viii. 37.  Now faith acting thus on Christ, as a public person, dying and overcoming death and sin, the believer may not only infer the certainty of victory, knowing that our old man is crucified with Christ, Rom. vi. 6; but also from the cross of Christ draw strength to stand and fight against the strugglings of this vanquished and killed enemy.  “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts,” Gal. v. 24.  But how?  Even by the cross of Christ.  “For thereby is the world crucified unto me,” saith the apostle, Gal. vi. 14, “and I unto the world.”  “Your old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,” Rom. vi. 6.

13.  The believer being dead indeed unto sin, through the cross of Christ, is to look upon himself as legally freed from that yoke of bondage under sin and death.  “The law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth,” Rom. vii. 1.  “But by the body of Christ believers are become dead to the law,” ver. 4.  That law of sin and death which hath dominion over a man that liveth still in nature, and is not yet by faith planted in the likeness of Christ’s death, nor buried with him by baptism into death, Rom. vi. 4, 5, hath not that dominion over believers it had once—­“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the law of sin and death,” Rom. viii. 2; so that now the believer, is free from that tyranny; and that tyrant can exercise no lawful jurisdiction or authority over him; and therefore he may with the greater courage repel the insolencies of that tyrant, that contrary to all right and equity seeketh to lord it over him still.  They are no lawful subjects to that cruel and raging prince, or to that spiritual wickedness.