desires and his outward conduct and thus renders him acceptable to God, it is evident that in this way believers in Christ are freed from the chain of sin and from the domination of Satan. This is explained in the sixth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. So also the Lord Jesus Christ Himself says, 'Verily, ¹ verily, I say unto you, Everyone that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.' In another place the Apostle John writes: ' He ² that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' The meaning of this passage is that the Lord Jesus Christ, by His suffering and death upon the cross, which He took upon Himself on behalf of sinners, has delivered those who truly believe in Him from Satan's power to such an extent that, though the devil still tempts them, yet he no longer possesses that rule and authority over them which he had formerly and which he still exercises over unbelievers. This is clear from Christ's own words in St. John's Gospel: 'Now ³ is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.' So in St. Luke's Gospel He says: ' I ⁴ beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.' In

the Epistle to the Hebrews it is written: 'Since ¹ then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.' In another Epistle it is written thus: 'Giving ² thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.'

In short, all those objects and benefits which have been already mentioned, beside eternal happiness and the hope of the glory of which we purpose soon to speak, proceed from that remission of sins which results from the atonement made by the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation which He has purchased for us. For, in this way all the believer's sins are forgiven, God's approval is obtained, and the Christian feels such love to God and gains from Him such strength that he comes to hate all evil, every unseemly act, every unworthy thought and desire, and love of the world. He loves God with all his heart and desires nothing so much as to live and act in full accordance with the divine will. By means of this inward love of God