1 Peter 1:20
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world; but was manifest in these last times for you.
Of all those considerations (and there are many) that may move men to obedience, there is none that persuades both more sweetly, and strongly than the sense of God's goodness, and mercy towards men, and among all the evidences of that, there is none like the sending, and giving of his Son for man's redemption, therefore the Apostle having mentioned that, insists further in it, and in these words expresses the performance, and the application of it.
1. The purpose, or decree foreknown, but it is well rendered, foreordained, for this knowing is decreeing, and there is little either solid truth or profit in the distinguishing them,
We say usually, that where there is little wisdom there is much chance, and comparatively among men, some are far more foresighted, and of further reach than others, yet the wisest, and most provident men, both wanting skill to design all things aright, and power to act as they contrive, meet with many unexpected casualties, and often disappointments in their undertakings, but with God, where both wisdom, and power are infinite, there can be neither any chance, nor resistance from without, nor any imperfection at all in the contrivance of things neither himself can give that cause to add or abate or alter any thing in the frame of his purposes. The model of the whole world, and of all the course of time was with him one and the same from all eternity, and whatever is brought to pass, is exactly answerable to that pattern, for with him there is no change, nor shadow of turning (James 1:17). There is nothing dark to the father of lights, he sets at one view through all things, and all ages, from the beginning of time to the end of it, indeed, from Eternity to Eternity. And this incomprehensible wisdom is too wonderful for us, we do but childishly stammer, when we offer to speak of it.
It is no wonder that men beat their own brains, and knock their heads one against another, in the contest of their opinions to little purpose, in their several moldings of God's decree. Is not this to cut, and square God's thoughts to ours, and examine his sovereign purposes, by the low principles of human wisdom, how much more learned, than all such knowledge; is the Apostle's ignorance, when he cries out, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out (Romans 11:33). Why then should any man debate what place, in the series of God's decree, is to be assigned to this purpose of sending his Son in the flesh, let us rather (seeing it is manifest that it was for the redemption of lost mankind) admire that same love of God to mankind that appears in that purpose of our recovery by the word made flesh, that before man had made himself miserable, indeed, before either he or the world was made this thought of boundless love was in the bosom of God to send his Son forth from there, to bring fallen man out of misery and restore him to happiness and to do this not only by taking on his nature but the curse, to shift it off from us, that were sunk under it, and to bear it himself, and by bearing it to take it away, he laid on him the iniquity of us all, and to this he was appointed says the Apostle (Hebrews 3:2).
Before the foundation of the world] This we understand by faith, that the world was framed by the word of God; although the learned probably think it evincible by human reason, yet some of those that have gloried most in that, and are reputed generally masters of reason, have not seen it by that light, therefore, that we may have a divine belief of it, we must learn it from the word of God and be persuaded of its truth by the Spirit of God, that the whole world, and all things in it, were drawn out of nothing by his almighty power, that is the only eternal, and uncreated being, and therefore the fountain and source of being to all things.
Foundation] In this word is clear the resemblance of the world to a building, and such a building it is, as does evidence the greatness of him that framed it, so spacious, rich, and comely, so firm a foundation and raised to so high, and stately a roof, and set it with variety of stars as with jewels, therefore called, as some conceive it (Psalm 8), the work of his fingers, to express the curious artifice that appears in them. Though naturalists can give the reason of the earth's stability from its heaviness, which stays it necessarily in the lowest part of the world, yet that abates nothing our admiring the wisdom, and power of God, in laying its foundation so, and establishing it for it is his will that is the first cause of that its nature, and has appointed that to be the property of its heaviness to fix it there, and therefore Job alleges this among the wonderful works of God, and evidences of his power that he hangs the earth upon nothing.
Before there was time, or place, or any creature, God, the blessed Trinity, was in himself (and as the Prophet speaks) inhabiting eternity, completely happy in himself; but intending to manifest, and communicate his goodness, he gave beginning to the world, and to time with it, made all to set forth his goodness, and the most excellent of his creatures to contemplate, and enjoy it. But among all the works that he intended before time, and in time effected, this is the masterpiece, that is here said to be foreordained — the manifesting of God in the flesh, for man's redemption; and that by his Son Jesus Christ, as the firstborn among many brothers. That those appointed for salvation should be rescued from the common misery, and be made one mystical body whereof Christ is the head, and so entitled to that everlasting glory and happiness that he has purchased for them.
This, I say, is the great work, wherein all those glorious attributes shine jointly, the wisdom, and power, and goodness, and justice, and mercy of God; as in great maps, or pictures, you will see the border decorated with meadows, and fountains, and flowers, etc., represented in it; but in the middle you have the main design — thus is this foreordained redemption among the works of God. All his other works in the world, all the beauty of the creatures, and the succession of ages, and things that come to pass in them, are but as the border to this as the main piece. But as a foolish, unskillful beholder, not discerning the excellency of the principal piece in such maps, or pictures, gazes only on the fair border, and goes no further, thus do the greatest part of us; our eyes are taken with the goodly show of the world and appearance of earthly things, but this great work of God, Christ foreordained, in time sent for our redemption, though it most deserves our attentive regard, yet we do not view and consider it as we ought.
Was manifested in those last times for you.] This is the performance of that purpose — he was manifested, both by his incarnation, according to that word of the Apostle Paul, manifested in the flesh, etc.; manifested by his marvelous works, and doctrine, and by his sufferings, and death, and resurrection, and ascension; by the sending down of the Holy Ghost according to his promise, and by the preaching of the Gospel, in the fullness of time that God had appointed, wherein all the prophecies that foretold his coming, and all the types, and ceremonies that prefigured him had their accomplishment.
The times of the Gospel are called the last times often by the prophets; for the Jewish priesthood, and ceremonies being abolished, that which succeeded was appointed by God to remain the same to the end of the world. Besides this, the time of our Savior's incarnation may be called the last times, because, although it were not near the end of time by many ages, yet in all probability it is much nearer the end of time than the beginning of it. Some resemble the time of his sufferings in the end of the world, to the paschal lamb in the evening.
It was doubtless the [illegible] time, but notwithstanding the schoolmen offer reasons to prove the fitness of it, as their habit is to prove all things. None dare I think conclude, but if God had so appointed, it might have been either sooner, or later, and our safest is to rest in that — that it was the fit time, because so it pleased him, and to seek no other reason why, having promised the Messiah so quickly after man's fall, he deferred his coming about four thousand years, and a great part of that time shut up the knowledge of himself, and the true religion, within the narrow compass of that one nation of which Christ was to be born. Of these and such like things we can give no other reason but that which he teaches us in a like case: even so, Father, because it seems good to you.
For you.] The Apostle represents these things to those he writes to particularly for their use, therefore he applies it to them, but without prejudice of the believers that went before, or of those that were to follow in after ages. He that is here said to be foreappointed before the foundation of the world, is therefore called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And as the virtue of his death looks backward to all preceding ages, whose faith and sacrifices looked forward to it, so the same death is of force and perpetual value to the end of the world — after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, says the Apostle, to the Hebrews, he sat down on the right hand of God; for by one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified. The cross on which he was extended points in the length of it to heaven and earth, reconciling them together, and in the breadth of it to former and following ages, as being equally salvation to both.
If this appropriating, and peculiar interest in Jesus Christ is not happiness without which it avails not that he was ordained from eternity, and in time manifested — it is not the general contemplation, but the peculiar possession of Christ that gives both solid comfort and strong persuasion to obedience, and holiness, which is here the Apostle's particular scope.
