power of death, the devil; and so as
meritoriously purchasing this redemption from the slavery of sin and
Satan, and particularly from the slavery of that body of death, and of
the law of sin and death; for the apostle tells us, Rom. viii. 2, "That
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth make us free from the
law of sin and death," and that because, as he saith further, ver. 3, 4,
"what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin
condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us." So 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.