(3.) Sin brought disorder and disturbance into the whole rule and government of God. It was necessary, from the infinite wisdom of God, that all things should be made in perfect order and harmony — all in a direct subordination unto his glory. There could have been no original defect in the natural or moral order of things, but it must have proceeded from a defect in wisdom ; for the disposal of all things into their proper order belonged unto the contrivance thereof. And the harmony of all things among themselves, with all their mutual relations and aspects, in a regular tendency unto their pro- per and utmost end — whereby though every individual subsistence or being hath a peculiar end of its own, yet all their actings and all their ends tend directly unto one utmost common end of them all — is the principal effect of wisdom. And thus was it at the beginning, when God himself beheld the universe, and, "lo,it was exceeding good."
All things being thus created and stated, it belonged unto the nature of God to be the rector and disposer of them all.
It was not a mere free act of his will, whereby God chose to rule and govern the creation according unto the law of the nature of all things, and their relation unto him ; but it was necessary, from his divine being and excellencies, that so he should do. Wherefore, it concerned both the wisdom and righteousness of God to take care that
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either all things should be preserved in the state wherein they were created, and no disorder be suffered to enter into the kingdom and rule of God, or that, in a way suited unto them, his glory should be re- trieved and re-established ; for God is not the God of confusion — neither the author nor approver of it — neither in his works nor in his rule. But sin actually brought disorder into the kingdom and rule of God. And this it did not in any one particular instance, but that which was universal as unto all things here below. For the original harmony and order of all things consisted in their subordination unto the glory of God. But this they all lost, as was before declared. Hence he who looked on them in their constitution, and, to manifest his complacency in them, affirmed them to be " exceeding good," immediately on the entrance of sin, pronounced a curse on the whole earth, and all things contained therein.
To suffer this disorder to continue unrectified, was not consistent with the wisdom and righteousness of God. It would make the kingdom of God to be like that of Satan — full of darkness and con- fusion. Nothing is more necessary unto the good of the universe, and without which it were better it were annihilated, than the pre- servation of the honour of God in his government. And this could no otherwise be done, but by the infliction of a punishment propor- tionable in justice unto the demerit of sin. Some think this might be done by a free dismission of sin, or a passing it over without any punishment at all. But what evidence should we then have that good and evil were not alike, and almost equal unto God in his rule — that he doth not like sin as well as uprightness ? Nor would this supposition leave any grounds of exercising justice among men. For if God, in his rule of all things, dismissed the greatest sin without any penalty inflicted, what reason have we to judge that evils among our- selves should at all be punished ? That, therefore, be far from God, that the righteous should be as the wicked : " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? "
Wherefore, the order of God's rule being broken, as it consisted in the regular obedience of the creature, and disorder with confusion being brought thereby into the kingdom and government of God ; his righteousness, as it is the rectorial virtue and power of the divine nature, required that his glory should be restored, by reducing the sinning creature again into order by punishment. Justice, therefore, must be answered and complied withal herein, according unto its eternal and unanswerable law, in a way suited unto the glory of God, or the sinning creature must perish eternally.
Herein the righteousness of God, as the rectorial virtue of the divine nature, was concerned in the sin and apostasy of men. The vindica- tion and glory of it — to provide that in nothing it were eclipsed or
SUBJECTION OF MAN TO THE POWER OF THE DEVIL. 187
diminished — was incumbent on infinite wisdom, according unto the rule before laid down. That must direct and dispose of all things anew unto the glory of the righteousness of God, or there is no reco- very of mankind. And in our inquiry after the impressions of divine wisdom on the great and glorious means of our restoration under con- sideration, this provision made thereby for the righteousness of God, in his rule and government of all, is greatly to be attended to.
(4.) Man by sin put himself into the power of the devil, God's greatest adversary. The devil had newly, by rebellion and apostasy from his first condition, cast himself under the eternal displeasure and wrath of God. God had righteously purposed in himself not to spare him, nor contrive any way for his deliverance unto eternity. He, on the other side, was become obdurate in his malice and hatred of God, designing his dishonour and the impeachment of his glory with the utmost of his remauiing abilities. In this state of things, man voluntarily leaves the rule and conduct of God, with all his de- pendence upon him, and puts himself into the power of the devil ; for he believed Satan above God — that is, placed his faith and con- fidence in him, as unto the way of attaining blessedness and true happiness. And in whom we place our trust and confidence, them do we obey, whatever we profess. Herein did God's adversary seem for a season to triumph against him, as if he had defeated the great design of his goodness, wisdom, and power. So he would have con- tinued to do, if no way had been provided for his disappointment.