"The decree of God is that by which God in himself hath necessarily, and yet freely, from all eternity determined all things. . . . The same decree of God is the first and principal working cause of all things, which also is in order and time before all other causes. For with God's decree is always his will annexed, by the which he can willingly effect that he hath decreed. And it were a sign of impotency to decree anything which he could not willingly compass. And with God's will is conjoined an effectual power by which the Lord can bring to pass whatsoever he hath freely decreed.
The first and principal cause, howbeit in itself it be necessary, yet it doth not take away freedom of will in election, or the nature and property of second causes, but only brings them into a certain order; that is, it directeth them to the determinate end, whereupon the effects and events of things are contingent or necessary, as the nature of the second cause is. So Christ according to his Father's decree died necessarily, (Acts 17:3) but yet willingly (John 10:18); and if we respect the temperature of Christ's body, he might have prolonged his life; and therefore in this respect may he said to have died contingently." - William Perkins, A Golden Chain
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