1. I propose, therefore, in the first place, to offer a few remarks for establishing your faith of the important doctrine contained in my text.

2. Secondly, I fhall give you some account of the principal means by which the Son of God hath hitherto conducted his falutary undertaking, and shall finally destroy the works of the devil.-And then direct you to the practical improvement of the subject.

I. First, then, that you may fee the evidence by which the doctrine here asserted is confirmed and illuftrated, in the clearest and most satisfying light, I fhall lay before you the several parts of it, in the fame method and order of time in which the Spirit of God hath placed them in the facred Scrip

tures.

If we look back to the Old-Teftament writings, we fhall find this doctrine published in paradife immediately after the apoftafy of our firft parents, when Satan's ufurped domination commenced. Then it was, that God faid unto the ferpent, " Be"cause thou haft done this, I will put en

amity between thee and the woman, and "between thy feed and her feed: It shall "bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his " heel." This was an early intimation of a Saviour, who fhould defeat the malice of Satan, the grand adversary, and prevent the total ruin of mankind.

To prefigure the manner in which he was to atchieve this great deliverance, it deferves our notice, that expiatory facrifices were very early appointed. Thus we read, that "Abel offered unto the Lord the firstlings " of his flock;" and when we confider that it was not till after the deluge that the use of animal food was permitted to man, we can hardly doubt, that the "coats of skins" which God is faid to have made for Adam and Eve, must have been the skins of animals offered in facrifice by his own direction and appointment. These were fignificant emblems, or types, of that great atonement which Chrift was to make in due time by the facrifice of himself; in allufion to which, he is styled, in the New-Testament writings, a lamb," the lamb of God,"

"the lamb flain from the foundation of the "world."

But left thefe typical representations of the promised feed fhould prove too thick and obscure a vail, it pleafed God gradually to unfold the purposes of his grace, by raising up prophets at different periods of time; who, though they feparately bare witness to this illuftrious perfon, yet they perfectly agreed in the report they gave of him; reprefenting him as an irresistible conqueror, "who fhould divide the fpoil with the "ftrong," -as "the King whom God had " fet upon his holy hill of Zion," as "the "Lord strong in battle," " and mighty to "fave;"-who fhould "proclaim liberty to "the captives, and the opening of the prison

to them that were bound ;"—who should “finish tranfgreffion, and make an end of

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fins," or offerings for fin," and make "reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in "everlasting righteoufnefs."

Accordingly, when the fulness of time was come, the Son of God made his entrance into the world in the declared character of a Saviour and Reedemer. A heavenly herald

was

was employed to announce his appearance, and to appoint him a name expreffive of his office: "Thou fhalt call his name Jefus," faid the angel to Jofeph; "for he fhall fave "his people from their fins." A special meffenger was raifed up to prepare the way before him, to bid Satan defiance, and to call upon men to repent, because the "kingdom of God was at hand. This was John, who foon after had the honour to introduce Chrift by baptifm into the field of battle, and to point him out to the men of that age as "the Lamb of God which ta"keth away the fin of the world."

And now let us review his perfonal conduct, and trace him through the course of his public miniftry, where we shall behold the most striking proofs of the Apostle's affertion, that for this purpose the Son of God was manifefted, that he might destroy the works of the devil. No fooner is he baptised, and confecrated to his office by the vifible defcent of the Holy Ghost, than he suffers himfelf to be "led by the fpirit into the wil"dernefs," and continued there for the fpace of forty days" tempted of the devil."

The circumftances of this combat, and the happy iffue of it, are recorded by three Evangelifts, and are fo generally known, that I need not stay to repeat them. This was the first fignal defeat of the adversary: in the wilderness was the ferpent's head broken as tempter, which on Calvary was afterwards bruised as tormentor.

Having thus vanquished the devil in. fingle fight, our Lord forthwith invites men to fight under his banner. He choofeth twelve apostles, whom he appoints to be the stated attendants upon his person, and the principal leaders of the army under him. With thefe he joins feventy of a subordinate rank, to whom he gives orders to attack the enemy, and to exercife the power of his word and spirit against him, against him. In obedience to his command, and relying upon his aid, they refolutely go forth two by two, into every city and place whither he himself was to come; and after a rapid and most fuccessful progress, like young foldiers flushed with their firft profperous adventure, they return again with joy, faying, "Lord, even

"the