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The text is a distinct doctrine, viz., that the Son of God was manifested for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

I. TO OFFER SOME THINGS WITH RELATION TO THIS RENOWNED CHAMPION.

1. He is a person of a noble extract and pedigree; He is the Son of God by eternal generation, His Father's first born, and therefore higher than the kings of the earth.

2. This renowned person, the Son of God, had an ancient kindness for our family; for He from eternity "rejoiced in the habitable parts of the earth, and His delights were with the sons of men."

3. That He might be in a capacity to help and relieve us from the hand of the enemy, He marries our nature into a personal union with Himself. Law and justice required that the same nature that sinned should suffer.

4. This renowned Champion is one of a very martial and heroic spirit; He fears no enemy that stands in His way (Isaiah 59:16-18).

5. He is one that is successful in all His enterprises: He never lost a battle, victory follows Him in His train.

6. He is incomparable for power and wisdom; hence His name is "Christ the power of God, and Christ the wisdom of God."

II. TO OFFER A FEW THOUGHTS CONCERNING THE GRAND ENEMY OF MANKIND, THAT THE SON OF GOD HAD IN HIS EYE WHEN HE APPEARED UPON THE STAGE, AND THAT IS THE DEVIL.

1. That he was once an angel of light, and had his habitation at first in glory.

2. Pride and ambition was the sin of the devil.

3. Being cast out of heaven, he was filled with the madness of revenge and enmity against God.

4. By virtue of the curse of the broken law, the devil comes to have a legal title to, and dominion over, every son of Adam by nature.

5. The enemy into whose hands we are fallen is of all others the most dangerous and terrible.

(1)  He is a very powerful enemy.

(2)  He is a subtle and cunning enemy.

(3)  He is an experienced enemy.

(4)  A most vigilant enemy.

(5)  He is a most fierce and raging enemy.

(6)  He is a numerous enemy. His name is legion.I will tell you of some works of the devil brought about by sin.

1. The dishonour of God.

2. The disturbing of the creation.

3. The ruin of man.

4. The erection of his own kingdom of sin and darkness.

III. THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SON OF GOD IN ORDER, TO HIS DESTROYING THESE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.

1. He was manifested initially in the first promise (Genesis 3:15).

2. He was manifested typically to the children of Israel in the Mosaic economy. The tabernacle, the temple, the passover, the manna, the rock that followed them, the sacrifices and ceremonies of that dispensation — what else were they but the "shadows of good things to come"?

3. To this there was added a prophetical manifestation of the Son of God.

4. He was manifested personally in the fulness of time by the assumption of the nature of man (Galatians 4:4).

5. There is a declarative manifestation of the Son of God in the dispensation of the gospel.

6. He is manifested sacramentally.

7. Christ is manifested in a spiritual and efficacious way in the day of conversion.

8. There is the public and solemn manifestation of the Son of God at the last day (Revelation 1:7). Thus you see how it is that the Son of God is manifested; and in every one of these manifestations He had in view the destruction of Satan and his works.

IV. TO SPEAK OF THE SON OF GOD DESTROYING THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.

1. The first thing is, to prove that it was the great business of the Son of God to destroy the works of the devil.

(1) Was it the plot of hell to have God dishonoured in all His attributes and perfections by the sin of man? Well, Christ counteracts the devil in this; for He brings a great revenue of glory to the crown of heaven by the work of redemption.

(2) It was the work of the devil to disgrace the holy law of God, by breaking it himself, and teaching man to break in upon it; but the work of Christ is, to "magnify the law, and to make it honourable."(3) Was it the work of the devil to disturb God's government in the world, and to cast all into disorder? Well, God the Father lays the government upon Christ's shoulders on purpose that He may restore everything into the order wherein He had set them at first (Romans 8:19, etc.).

(4) Was it the devil's work to establish his own kingdom of darkness in this lower world, by establishing error, ignorance, unbelief, atheism, pride, carnality, profanity, and all manner of sin and wickedness? Well, it is the work of Christ to pull down these strongholds of Satan's kingdom.

(5) Was it the devil's work to break all fellowship and friendship betwixt God and man? Well, it is the work of Christ to bring them into friendship one with another; therefore He is called a Mediator, or a Peacemaker.

(6) Was it the work of the devil to bring man under the curse and condemnation of the law, that so he might be in the same condition with himself? Well, it is the work of Christ to "redeem us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."(7) Was it the work of the devil to deface the image of God which He stamped upon man? It is the work of Christ to restore it.

2. The second thing here is, to inquire, How is it that Christ destroys the works of the devil? Christ destroys the works of the devil four ways.

(1)  By the virtue of His blood.

(2)  By the light of His Word.

(3)  By the power and efficacy of His Spirit.

(4)  By the prudence of His government and administration.

3. The third thing was, to observe upon some particular times and seasons wherein Christ destroys the works of the devil.

(1) The day of Christ's death gave a notable blow unto the devil's kingdom.

(2) The day of Christ's resurrection gave a signal blow to the works of the devil; for He "rose for our justification."(3) The day of Christ's ascension into heaven was a notable destruction unto Satan and his works; for "when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive"; He opened a passage between this world and heaven, through the territories of the prince of the power of the air, by which all His friends might follow Him to glory.

(4) In the day of Pentecost Christ gave another stroke to the devil and his works.

(5) The day of a sinner's believing in Christ is a time when Satan's works are destroyed.

(6) Times of espousals, nearness betwixt God and a soul, are times of destroying the works of the devil.

(7) When at any time an honourable testimony is given to the Lord, to the doctrine, discipline, worship and government of His Church, in a day of uncommon defection and backsliding.

(8) When a believer dies, and goes away to glory, under a guard of angels, along that road that Christ opened.

4. The fourth thing here was, to give the reasons why Christ the Son of God is manifested to destroy the works of the devil.

(1) Christ encounters this enemy, and destroys his works, because it was His Father's will and pleasure; and He did always these things that pleased His Father, rejoicing always before Him.

(2) Christ destroys the works of the devil, because it was for His own honour to engage in this expedition.

(3) Christ destroys the works of the devil, out of the ancient and wonderful love that He did bear to man upon earth.

(4) Out of regard to His own law, which the devil by his works had dishonoured.

(5) Christ destroys the works of the devil that He may "still this enemy and avenger."(6) He destroys the work of the devil, for the manifestation of all the Divine perfections.

V. THE LAST THING IN THE METHOD WAS THE USE OF THE DOCTRINE, WHICH I SHALL DESPATCH IN THE FOLLOWING INFERENCES.

1. See hence a glorious ray of the Godhead or supreme independent Deity of the glorious Redeemer.

2. See hence how the kindness and love of God hath appeared toward man upon earth.

3. See hence the evil of sin, and the folly of those that are in love with it, and give themselves up to its power and service.

4. See hence a good reason why the believer is at war with sin in himself, and wherever he finds it.

5. See hence why hell and earth took the alarm when Christ appeared in the world.

6. See one great reason why believers breathe so much after manifestations of the Lord.

7. From this doctrine we may see how much it is our concern to keep up the memorials of a Redeemer's death, and why the truly godly love to flock to a sacrament.Use second may be of trial, whether the Son of God was ever savingly manifested to thy soul.

1. If ever She Son of God was manifested in thy soul, thou wilt be for pulling down the works of the devil, and for building up the works of the Son of God.

(1) You will pull down self-righteousness, and put on the righteousness of Christ.

(2) You will be much employed in pulling down the image of the first Adam, and in setting up the image of the second Adam in your souls.

(3) You will be clear for pulling down the wisdom of the flesh, and for setting up the wisdom of God above it.

2. If ever the Son of God was manifested savingly unto thy soul, the union of the two natures in the person of Christ will be the wonder of thy soul.

3. It will be your great design, in attending ordinances, to have new manifestations of His glory, as David (Psalm 27:4, 63, 84, etc.).

4. You will be concerned to manifest His glory to others. The last inference is this, Is it so that the Son of God was manifested? See hence noble encouragement to all honest ministers and Christians to make a stand against the defections of the day we live in.

(E. Erskine, D. D.)

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KJV: He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

WEB: He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.