Chapter 15. Of Election, and of Jesus Christ the foundation of it.
WILLIAM PERKINS
Chapter 15. Of Election, and of Jesus Christ the foundation of it.
Predestination has two parts:
Election and Reprobation. 1Th 5.9, God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by the means of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Election is God's decree by which, on His own free will, He has ordained certain men to salvation, to the praise of the glory of His grace. Eph 1.4-6, He has chosen us in him before the foundations of the world, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
This decree is that Book of Life in which are written the names of the Elect. Rev 20.12, Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life, and the dead were judged by those things that were written in the books, according to their works. 2Tim 2.19, The foundation of God remains sure, and has this seal: The Lord knows who are His.
The execution of this decree is an action by which God, even as He purposed with himself, works all those things which he decreed for the salvation of the Elect.
For those whom God elected to this end, that they should inherit eternal life, were also elected to those subordinate means by which, as by steps, they might attain this end; and without which it would be impossible to obtain it. Rom 8.29-30, Those whom He knew before, he also predestined to be made like the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, He called; whom He called, He justified; and whom He justified, He also glorified.
A GOLDEN CHAIN
Three things pertain to the execution of this decree.
First, the foundation. Secondly, the means. Thirdly, the degrees.
The foundation is Christ Jesus, called by his father from all eternity, to perform the office of the Mediator, that in him all those who would be saved, might be chosen. Heb 5.5, Christ did not take to himself this honour to be made the High Priest; but the one who said to him, 'You are my Son this day I begat you,' gave it to him, etc. Isa 42.1, Behold my servant: I will stay upon him, my elect, in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him — he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Eph 1.4, He has chosen us in him, meaning in Christ.
Question. How can Christ be subordinate to God's election, seeing that he, together with the Father, decreed all things?
Ans. Christ, as he is Mediator, is not subordinate to the very decree of election itself, but only to the execution of that decree. 1Pet 1.20, Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world. Augustine, in his book on the Predestination of the Saints, chap. 5, says, "Christ was predestined that he might be our
Head."
In Christ we must especially observe two things: his Incarnation, and his Office.
Three things concur in the working of his Incarnation: First, both his Natures. Secondly, their
Union. Thirdly, their Distinction.
Christ's first nature is the Godhead, inasmuch as it belongs to the Son, and by which he is God. Phi 2.6,
Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God. Joh 1.1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and that Word was
God.
It was requisite for the Mediator to be God,
WILLIAM PERKINS
1. That he might better sustain that great misery with which mankind was overwhelmed; the greatness of which these four things declare:
I. The grievousness of sin, with which God's majesty was infinitely offended.
II. God's infinite anger against this sin.
III. The fearful power of death.
IV. The devil's tyranny, who is the prince of this world.
2. That he might make his human nature both of plentiful merit, and also of sufficient efficacy, for the work of man's redemption.
3. That he might instill into all the elect, eternal life and holiness. Isa 43.11-12, I am the Lord, and besides me, there is no Saviour. I have declared, and I have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you. Therefore, you are my witnesses, says the Lord, that I am God.
I say, the Godhead, inasmuch as it is the Godhead of the Son, is Christ's divine Nature — not as it is the Godhead of the Father, or of the Holy Ghost — for it is the Office of the Son to have the administration of every outward action of the Trinity, from the Father, to the Holy Ghost. 1Cor 6.8, And he, being by nature the Son of the Father, bestows this privilege on those who believe, that they are the sons of God by adoption. Joh
1.12, As many as received him, to them he gave to be the sons of God.
If either the Father or the Holy Ghost had been incarnate, the title of Son would have been given to one of them — who was not the son by eternal generation; and so there would be more sons than one.
Christ's other nature is his Humanity, by which he, the Mediator, is truly man. 1Tim 2.5, One God and one
Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
It was necessary that Christ be a man. First, that God might be pacified in that nature in which He was offended. Secondly, that he might undergo punishment
A GOLDEN CHAIN
due to sin, which the Godhead could not, being void and free from all passion.
Furthermore, Christ, as he is man, is like us in all things, sin alone excepted. Heb 2.17, In all things, it became him [lit., it was owed] to be made like his brethren.
Christ, therefore, is a perfect man, consisting of an essential and true soul and body, to which are joined those faculties and properties which are essential to both. In his soul is understanding, memory, will, and such things. In his body is length, breadth, and thickness. Indeed, it is comprehended in only one place,
visible, and subject to feeling. Nor is there anything lacking in him, which may either adorn or comprise man's nature.
Again, Christ in his humanity was subject to the infirmities of man's nature, which are these:
1. To be tempted. Mat 4.1, Jesus was carried by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the Devil.
2. To fear. Heb 5.7, Who in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, to Him that was able to save him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared.
3. To be angry. Mar 3.5, Then he looked round about on them angrily, mourning also for the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man, Stretch out your hand.
4. Forgetfulness of his office imposed upon him, by reason of the agony shocking his senses. Mat 26.39, He went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.
We must hold these things concerning Christ's infirmities:
1. They were such qualities that they only affected his human nature, and did not at all constitute the same; and therefore might be left by Christ.
2. They were such as were common to all men — such as to thirst, to be weary, and to die — and not
WILLIAM PERKINS
personal, as are fevers, consumptions, leprosy, blindness, etc.
3. He was subject to these infirmities, not by necessity of his human nature, but by his freewill and pleasure, pitying mankind. Therefore, such infirmities in him were not the punishment of his own sin, as they are in us, but part of his humiliation which he willingly underwent for our sakes.