Marlorate:

17 And loe, there came a voyce from heauen, saying: This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased.

{And loe, there came a voyce.} M. Math. does not say simply that a voice was heard from heaven, but that a voice cam from heaven. C. For out of that division and opening of the heavens (which we touched even now) cam this voice, whereby he might have greater majesty.

{This is my beloued sonne.}

M. This testimony of the Father being brought from the heavens to the earth, as concerning his son, has a declaration of his will towards mankind, with a declaration also of Christ, the only begotten son of God. C. For the title of (son) does only pertain unto Christ, truly and naturally: but yet the son of God was made manifest in our flesh, that by the same right that God was Father unto him, he might make him our Father also. Wherefore God bringing unto us a mediator, in the title and commendation of his Son, does show himself to be a Father to us all. The Greek word does signify more then my beloved Son, in the superlative degree, my best beloved Son. For Christ is so called, because when we were hateful and odious unto God, it was necessary that his Fatherly love should flow from Christ unto us.  M. As if the Father should have said: “He whom I have sent unto you, and caused to come in your flesh, is my only beloved Son: In whom you may see how greatly I love mankind, and his salvation, wherefore see that you cleave unto him by faith.” But S. Paul does very well interpret this place saying: “By his grace he made us accepted through the beloved, [Eph. 1.].

{In whom I am well pleased.}

The Greek word does signify a mind so inclined, that it has a singular and ready good will and affection, separated from all anger and displeasure.

Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospel after S. Iohn, trans., Thomas Timme (Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe, Anno Domini. 1575), 56. [Some spelling modernized.] [Key: B=Bucer; C=Calvin; E=Erasmus; M=Musculus; P=Melanchthon; S=Sarcerius; R=Brentius; BV=Bullinger; Z=Zwingli; V=Theodorus; A=Marlorate.] [See also Musculus on the love of God to mankind.]

Venema:

1) Those who hold a contrary opinion are mistaken i n their views of the nature of self-love. They do not distinguish between the love of human nature and the love of fallen human nature. It is impossible for man to divest himself of the former, without ceasing to be man ; because he cannot hate himself or his own flesh. Nay, the very fact that God loves his creatures and the works of his own hands proves, that we, who derive our being from him, should, in imitation of his example, love ourselves. In his fallen condition, man does not love himself as man–as the creature of God; but he does so for his own sake, and in order to gratify his own evil desires; he seeks salvation i n himself and not in God : and, if he worships him at all, he worships him because of some- reward whhich he hopes to receive at his hands. Hermann Venema, Institutes of Theology, trans., by  Alex W. Brown,  (Andover: W.F. Draper Brothers, 1853), 23.

2) The goodness of God, considered in its act must be distinguished into

(a) Benevolence
(b) Beneficence
(c) Complacency

(a) Benevolence is an inclination of the will to do good as far as it is possible and lawful to do so. It is called the love of God towards his creatures–the strong desire by which he is actuated to promote their happiness and perfection. It is universal in its extent, because it has for its objects creatures as such, inasmuch as they are the works of his hands. For the creator cannot hate what he he himself has made, but is naturally and necessarily led to preserve, to perfect, and to bless his own work. He is called love in the highest sense and without any restriction. “God is love,” 1 John iv. 8; “good and upright is the Lord,” Ps. xxc.8; there is none good but one, that is God,” Matt. xix.17; “he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good,” Matt. v.45. Scriptures declares that he has “no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,” because he is his creature, Ezek. xviii.32; that he “will have all men to be saved,” 1 Tim. ii.4; that is he is “not willing any should perish,” 2 Pet. iii.9. It tells us that he “so loved the world that he gave his own begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John iii.16. This love is therefore universal, and prompted him to give Christ; and hence he is said to be “the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe,” 1 Tim iv.10. His love of benevolence to all appears in the command which he gave that the Gospel should be preached to every creature without exception, Matt. xxviii.19. It is said that he “will render to ever man” without respect of persons, “according to his deeds,” Rom. ii.6; that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,” 2 Cor. v.10.

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Hyperius:

1) Furthermore comforts do not hereby only come to us, in that we are taught, that by the providence of God continual calamities are kept from us: but hereby also ought we to gather matter of consolation, that by the same are ministered unto us whatsoever good things are necessary to this life. For if God disposes all things, and with singular care favors, advances and defends us and our matters, as we have sufficiently at large and plainly before proved, when we taught that God’s providence was not only universal, but also special and peculiar: then doubtless are we to look for all good things from him also. Neither may we think, that any thing shall be wanting unto us, so long as we have him favorable that cares for us: and much less that we can procure unto ourselves, art, strength, unless he of his mercy ministers to us. For he alone is almighty, and endued with a notable philanthropy or love towards mankind: wherefore undoubtedly he both can and will give whatsoever seems good unto him, and our necessity requires. Andreas Hyperius, A special Treatise of Gods prouidence and of comforts against all kind of crosses and calamities to be drawne from the same . With an exposition of the 107. Psalm. Written in Latine by Andreas Hyperius, and Englished by I.L. Vicar of Wethersfield. (Printed at London by Iohn Wolfe. 1602). [No original pagination.]

2) “Because he is good.”) The reason why and wherefore God ought to be praised of us and[?] it contains the sum of this whole Psalm. Neither in very deed is any other thing handled throughout this Psalm, then that it is showed that the mercy and providence of God may be sensibly seen & perceived in all things. Further tob is all one with good, fair, comely: whence also comes the name tob, signifying many excellent virtues worthy of God. Wherefore the Greek interpreter translated it Krestos, that is to say, good, profitable, peaceful, gentle, sweet: and after which also Augustine reads it Suaus, Sweet. The mind therefore hearing that the Lord is good, ought to immediately to conceive many things of God, which may commend and set forth his dignity, and especially his notable love towards mankind. And this is which the Prophet means, when as not contented to have God called good, he adds also: “For his mercy endures forever.” By this addition, he beseems all men to be the more inflamed to the praising and lauding of God. For if so be we have aftertimes heretofore had experience of his mercy and goodness, and besides do we covet still and feel and taste of them hereafter, then have we great occasion of praising and magnifying him, especially since we can no other way deserve his favor, and goodwill, nor do any thing more pleasing and acceptable unto him. And if in case his mercy shows itself to be seen at all times and in all ages, then also ought our confession of praise and thanks giving to be heard at all times and without ceasing. After which manner also Christ taught us to pray without intermission, and to crave this especially, that the name of his heavenly might be sanctified. Andreas Hyperius, A special Treatise of Gods prouidence and of comforts against all kind of crosses and calamities to be drawne from the same . With an exposition of the 107. Psalm. Written in Latine by Andreas Hyperius, and Englished by I.L. Vicar of Wethersfield. (Printed at London by Iohn Wolfe. 1602), 293-295. [Original pagination, stated as 293, 304, 305 is incorrect.]

Richard Muller says of Hyperius:

Andreas Gerardus Hyperius (1511-1564); studied at Tournai and Paris; visited England (1537-1541) and in 1542 was appointed professor of theology at Marburg, a post he held to the end of his life. His theology mediates between Lutheran and Reformed and is important to the develop ment of both traditions. Major works: De theologo, seu de ratione studii theologici, libri IIII (1556); Elementa christianae religionis (1563); Methodi theologiae, sive praecipuorum christianae religionis locorum conmunium, libri tres (1568). Richard Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, 1:40-41. [First edition.]

Davenant:

1) The general love of God towards mankind is so clearly testified in Holy Scripture, and so demonstrated by the manifold effects of God’s goodness and mercy extended to every particular man in this world, that to doubt thereof were infidelity, and to deny it, plain blasphemy: yet for all this, if any man shall go about to magnify the common love of God extended promiscuously to all men, that thereby he obscured the special love and mercy of God prepared for all eternity, and bestowed in due time upon elect men, this may lead the ignorant and unlearned into a dangerous error: And therefore obliquely to oppose the eternal free and absolute decree of Predestination or Election under the color of disproving an absolute decree for any man’s Damnation, befits not any Divine who acknowledges the truth of that doctrine which the Scriptures have delivered, St. Augustine cleared, and the Church of England established in the xvii Article.  John Davenant, Animadversions Written By the Right Reverend Father in God, John, Lord Bishop of Sarisbury, upon a Treatise intitled “God’s love to Mankind,” (London: Printed for Iohn Partridge, 1641), 3. [Some spelling modernized.]

2) Now, to come to his Testimonies of Scripture. The question being, “Whether God’s eternal decree whereby men stand distinguished in Electos & Non-electos, or in Praedestinatos & negative Reprobatos, be an absolute prime decree, or a subsequent decree built upon men’s foreseen goodness and badness, all such testimonies as confound the judicial decree of man’s Damnation with the negative Reprobation, will be impertinent: For though the former be absolute, yet the latter is respective unto man’s sins. Again, all such men under this condition, “If they believe and persevere,” and of Damning of no man but for his inequity or infidelity, prove sufficiently that the temporal bringing of men unto eternal life, stands upon conditional decrees; and so likewise temporal adjudging of men unto eternal death: but they are of no force at all to prove that Election and Non-election are conditional decrees, or to disprove an absolute decree of negative Reprobation. Last of all, such places as prove a general love or a general mercy extending to every singular man in the world, do not overthrow the decree of absolute Non-election; because love and mercy may be shown even to the Non-elect. This is general.    John Davenant, Animadversions Written By the Right Reverend Father in God, John, Lord Bishop of Sarisbury, upon a Treatise intitled “God’s love to Mankind,” (London: Printed for Iohn Partridge, 1641), 165. [Some spelling modernized.]

3) Minist[er]. It is true, that God hates nothing which himself created; and yet it is most true, that he hates sin in any creature of his, and hates the creature infected with sin in such a manner as Hatred may be attributed unto God. But for all this he so generally loves mankind fallen in Adam that he has given his only-begotten Son, that what sinner soever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life. And this everlasting life or heavenly Kingdom is so provided for men by God, that no decrees of his can bring any man thither without faith and repentance, nor no decrees of his can keep any man out who repents and believes. As for the measure of God’s love exhibited in he external effects unto men, it must not be denied that God pours out his graces more abundantly upon some men then upon others, and works more powerfully and effectually in the hearts of some men then of others; and that out of his alone will and pleasure: But yet where this more special love is not extended, his less special love is not restrained to outward and temporal blessings only, (as you falsely imagine) but it reaches to internal and spiritual blessings, even such as will bring men to an eternal blessedness if their voluntary wickedness hinder not. John Davenant, Animadversions Written By the Right Reverend Father in God, John, Lord Bishop of Sarisbury, upon a Treatise intitled “God’s love to Mankind,” (London: Printed for Iohn Partridge, 1641), 357-358. [Some spelling modernized.]