I’ve always wanted to know why the Church of England started with a firm commitment to moderate Calvinism, but after Edward VI, Elizabeth I, and James I the colors of our flag changed to Arminian (called “Pelagian” in Article 9, and by the anti-Arminians of that century).

Perkins passionately believed that Scripture can be best understood and preached from a reference of law & gospel: the law (the Bible’s commandments and imperatives) show us God’s standard for living and our failure to live up to it, and it then leads to our need for a righteousness beyond our own self-righteousness. The gospel is the word of Scripture about God’s solution for human sinfulness: Jesus who lived the life we failed to live in our good efforts, and who died the death that we deserve because of our sin.