The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

Ques. What rational ground of comfort is it that Christ has overcome the world? Ans. When we are maliciously and spitefully used by this world, it tends to make us despise its malice, to think that our Head and Husband has overcome it for us, as much as if we had done it ourselves; so that we need no more regard its malice or scorn than the malice of a conquered enemy, conquered by ourselves, [that is,] by our Head, which is all one. All the

power of the world to hurt us is taken away by Christ, which would not have been taken away if it had not been for what Christ did on earth. So likewise, what he did took away the power of death and the devil; so that neither of them [is]Ibid. able to hurt us so by worldly afflictions and likewise, what he did took away the power of death and the devil; so wicked men. It is certainly a rational ground of comfort, to think that our enemies have now no power to hurt us, and also that our Spouse has taken away this power. His resisting the temptations of the world and devil was an overcoming of them; because if he had not, the power of the world and devil would have remained unto this day, and we under their power irrecoverably.