[2.] Any failure in his own person was absolutely impossible. The subsistence of the human nature in the person of the Son of God, rendered the least sin utterly impossible unto him; for all the moral operations of that nature are the acts of the person of the Son of God. And hereby not only is the inheritance secured, but also an assurance that it is so is given unto all them that do believe. This is the hfe and soul of all Gospel comforts, that the whole inhe- ritance of grace and glory is vested in Christ, where it can never suffer loss or damage. When we are sensible of the want of grace, should we go unto God, and say, " Father, give us the portion of goods that falls unto us," as the prodigal did, we should quickly con- sume it, and bring ourselves unto the utmost misery, as he did also. But in Christ the whole inheritance is secured for evermore.
[3.] He is able to preserve all those who shall be heirs of this in- heritance, that they forfeit not their own personal interest therein,
216 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
according unto the terms of the covenant whereby it is made over to them. He can and will, by the power of his grace, preserve them all unto the full enjoyment of the purchased inheritance. We hold our title by the rod — at the will of the Lord ; and many failures we are liable unto, whereon we are " in misericordia Domini," and are sub- ject unto amercements. But yet the whole inheritance being granted unto Christ is eternally secured for us, and we are by his grace pre- served from such offences against the supreme Lord, or committing any such wastes, as should cast us out of our possession. See Ps. Ixxxix. 27-32. Thus in all things infinite wisdom hath provided that no second forfeiture should be made of the inheritance of grace and glory, which as it would have been eternally ruinous unto man- kind, so it was inconsistent with the glory and honour of God.
8. The wisdom of God was gloi'iously exalted in the righteous de- struction of Satan and his interest, by the incarnation and mediation of the Son of God. He had prevailed against the first way of the manifestation of divine glory; and therein both pleased and prided himself Nothing could ever give such satisfaction unto the malicious murderer, as the breach he had occasioned between God and man, with his hopes and apprehensions that it would be eternal. He had no other thoughts but that the whole race of mankind, which God had designed unto the enjoyment of himself, should be everlastingly mined. So he had satisfied his envy against man in his eternal de- struction with himself, and his malice against God in depriving him of his glory. Hereon, upon the distance that he had made between God and man, he interposed himself, and boasted himself for a long season as " The god of this world," who had all power over it and in it. It belonged unto the honour of the wisdom of God that he should be defeated in this triumph. Neither was it meet that this should be done by a mere act of sovereign omnipotent power ; for he would yet glory in his craft and the success of it, — that there was no way to disappoint him, but by crushing him with power, without respect unto righteousness or demonstration of wisdom. Wherefore, it must be done in such a way as wherein he might see, unto his eternal shame and confusion, all his arts and subtleties defeated by infinite wisdom, and his enterprise overthro'wn in a way of right and equity. The remark that the Holy Ghost puts on the serpent, which was his instru- ment in drawing man unto apostasy from God — namely, that he was " more subtle than any beast of the field" — is only to intimate wherein Satan designed his attempt, and from whence he hoped for his success. It was not an act of power or rage ; but of craft, counsel, subtlety, and deceit. Herein he gloried and prided himself; wherefore the way to disappoint him with shame, must be a contrivance of infinite wisdom, turning all his artifices into mere folly.
DIVINE WISDOM IN THE DESTRUCTION OF SATAN. 217
This work of God, with respect unto him, is expressed in the Scrip- ture two ways: — First, it is called the spoiling of him, as unto his power and the prey that he had taken. The " strong man anned" was to be bound, and his goods spoiled. The Lord Christ, by his death, " destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil/' He " led captivity captive," spoiling principalities and powers, tri- umphing over them in his cross. So Abraham, when he smote the kings, not only delivered Lot, who was their captive, but also took all their spoils. Again, it is expressed by the destruction of his works : " For this cause was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." The spoils which he had in his own power were taken from him, and the works which he had erected in the minds of men were demolished. Tlie web which he had woven to clothe himself withal, as the god of this world, was unravelled to the last thread. And although all this seems to represent a work of power, yet was it indeed an effect of wisdom and righteousness principally.