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.

14. So that the believer, renouncing that jurisdiction under which he
was formerly, and being under a new husband, and under a new law, even
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, is to look upon all the
motions of sin as illegal, and as treasonable acts of a tyrant. "The old
man being crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, the believer is not any more to serve sin," Rom. vi. 6; "and
being now dead, they are freed from sin," ver. 7; "and are married to
another, even to him who is raised from the dead, and so they should not
serve sin, but bring forth fruit unto God," Rom. vii. 4; and therefore,
look upon all motions of the flesh, and all the inclinations and
stirrings of the old law of sin, as acts of treachery and rebellion
against the right and jurisdiction of the believer's new Lord and
husband; and are therefore obliged to lay hold on this old man, this
body of death, and all the members of it, as traitors to the rightful
king and husband, and to take them prisoners to the king, that he may
give out sentence, and execute the same against them, as enemies to his
kingdom and interest in the soul;--they being now no more "servants of
sin, but of righteousness, they ought no more to yield their members
servants to uncleanness, and iniquity unto iniquity," Rom. vi. 18, 19;
"and being debtors no more to the flesh, to live after the flesh," Rom.