Archive for October 21st, 2011
Perkins:
1) The exhibiting of the Mediator is that, whereby the Son of God being born a man in the fulness of time, does pay the price of redemption to God for the sins of men. The virtue and efficacy of this price being paid, in respect of merit and operation is infinite, but yet it must be distinguished, for it is either potential or actual. The potential efficacy is, whereby the price is in itself sufficient to redeem every one without exception from his sins, albeit there were a thousand worlds of men. But if we consider that actual efficacy, the price is paid in the counsel of God, and as touching the event, only for those which are elect and predestinated. For the Son does not sacrifice for those, for whom he does not pray: because to make intercession and to sacrifice are conjoined: but he prays only for the elect and for believes, Joh. 17:9, and by praying he offers himself to his Father, vers. 19. William Perkins, “A Christian and Plaine Treatise of the Manner and Order of Predestination, and of the Largenes of Gods Grace,” in The Works of that Famous and Worthy Minister of Christ in the Universitie of Cambridge (Printed at London by Iohn Legatt, Printer to the Univeritie of Cambrdge, 1616), 2: 609[b]. [Some spelling modernized.]
2) Whereas Paul says, that all men with all that proceeds from them, is shut under sin, he teaches that all actions of men unregenerate are sins. “The wisdom of the flesh,” that is, the wisest cogitations, counsels, inclinations of the flesh, “are enemies with God,” Rom. 8:5, “To the unclean all things are unclean,” Tit. 1:15, “An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit,” Matt. 7. It may be objected, that natural men may do the works of the moral law, as to give alms, and such like, Rom. 2:14. Answ. Sins to be two sorts. One is, when anything is done flat against the commandment of God. The second is, when the act or work is done which the law prescribes, yet not in the same manner which the law prescribes, in faith, in obedience to the glory of God. In this second regard moral works performed by natural men, are sins indeed. Hence it follows, that liberty of will in the doing of that which is truly good, is lost by the fall of Adam: and that man cannot by the strength of natural will, helped by grace, apply himself to the calling of God.
Whereas Paul says, that “the promise is given to believers,” it is manifest, that the promise is not universal in respect of all mankind, but only indefinite and universal in respect of believers. Wherefore their doctrine is not sound, that teach the redemption wrought by Christ, to be as general as the sin wrought by Adam. Indeed, if we regard the value of the sufficiency of the death of Christ, it is so: but if we respect the communication and donation of this benefit, it is not. For though all be shut under sin, yet the promise is only given “to them that believe.” It is objected, that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,” 2 Cor. 5:19. Answ. The text in hand shows that by “the world,” we are to understand all believers through the whole world. And whereas Paul says, “God shut up all under unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all,” Rom. 11:32. His meaning is here set down, that he shut both Jews and Gentiles under unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all that believe, both Jews and Gentiles. William Perkins, A Commentarie or Exposition Vpon the fiue first chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians (Printed at London by Iohn Legatt, Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge, 1617), 196. [Some reformatting; some spelling modernized; footnotes mine; and underlining mine.]