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.]

Davenant:

1) THE gracious and saving will of God towards sinners is to be considered, as effectually applying to some persons, of his special mercy, the means of saving grace, according to that saying of the Apostle, “He hath mercy on whom he will;” or, as appointing sufficiently for all, of his common philanthropy, the means of saving grace, applicable to all for salvation, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, as the Evangelist has said, God so loved the world, &c. Those whom the Divine will or good pleasure embraces under the first description, on them it always confers the means of saving grace in this life, and the end of grace, that is, life eternal, or glory, in the world to come (Rom.viii. 28,29, &c.; Eph. i. 3-5, &c. Those whom the Divine will embraces only under the latter description, on them it sometimes confers the means of saving grace, and sometimes does not; but it never confers the end of grace, that is, eternal life.

In this opinion, which is said to have been that of D. Cameron, the first member of the sentence is legitimately constructed, if he understands, that particular election, mere good pleasure, and effectual calling to grace and glory, depend in such a manner on the Divine will, that it does not separate this Divine will from the foreseen acts of the human will. For he who does this, falls into the error of the Semipelagians.

The second member of the sentence is involved and perplexed with so many ambiguous forms of speaking, that it is difficult to determine its truth or falsehood, without first dividing it into portions.

PART I.

Christ died for all men individually, with some general intention.

Christ is rightly said to have died for all men, inasmuch as on his death is founded a covenant of salvation, applicable to all men while they are in this world. Nor can he be improperly said to have died for each individually, inasmuch as his death may profit each for salvation, according to the tenor of the new covenant, none being excluded. On the other hand, it cannot profit any individual, contrary to the tenor of that covenant, although he should be of the elect. If Cain or Judas had believed and repented, he would be saved through the benefit and merit of the death of Christ. If David or Peter had not believed, nor repented, he would not be saved. In this sense the death of Christ may be understood to be set equally before all men individually.

Read the rest of this entry »

Davenant:

No side affirms an absolute decree by force whereof Persons not elected are cast off from grace: for the Non-elect Angels and many millions of men not predestinated have had a great measure of grace bestowed upon them. Reprobation is not a denial of sufficient grace, but a denial of special grace as God knows would infallibly bring them to glory.

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), 20. [Some spelling modernized.]

[Note: the term “sufficient grace” was another category that underwent transformation in the 17th century and thus was generally dropped from the theological dictionary of the later 17th century Protestant Scholastics. However, even as late as he was, Turretin can still allow for it in a defined sense, which is the sense Davenant here speaks of. See Turretin, Institutes, 2:510 and 511; 15.3.1, 4-5.]

Hyperius:

1) 6. Some again have confessed that all the actions of men whatsoever are especially governed of God, but yet only of the godly sort, and so far forth as they labor to a good end. These, inasmuch as their purpose is holy, they say, are diligently helped of God, so as they may accomplish that which they have conceived in their mind, and that God turns away whatsoever might be a let or hindrance unto them. In which respect God promised in the Old Testament that he would be a God especially unto some, that is to say, their governor, patron, and defender. But this opinion seems to detract the praise of goodness from God, as though he were not alike desirous of the salvation of all men, or as though he favored some, and envied other some, besides it diminishes the power of God, as if he were not able to induce evil men unto goodness, or to use them to the performance of some good thing: to conclude, it seems to slander God with the note of injustice, as though for forth he dealt not uprightly, in that he leaves sometimes the wicker to their own perverse will, and withdraws his helping hand from them.    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; I will manually number the pages later. Spelling modernized.]

2) Chrysostom a very grave and holy author, as well in other places as also especially in that book to Stargirius the Monk, says plainly in this wise:

That God has a care not only generally of all things, but also specially of everyone, thou may hear him saying: It is not the will of my heavenly Father, that one of these little ones should perish: speaking of them that believe in him. He is indeed desirous that those also which believe not, should be saved, & be changed into a better state, & believe as Paul says: “who would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” And he himself says to the jews: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” “and I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” But now it after the fruition of so great care and providence they will not become better, nor acknowledge the truth, yet he leaves them not so for all that: but for as much as they have willingly deprived themselves of the participation of eternal life, he yet at the least gives unto them all the benefits of this life, making his Sun to shine upon the good and upon the evil, and raining upon the just and the unjust, yea and ministering other things that belong to the course of this present life. But he provides for his enemies also with so great care and providence, how shall he neglect his faithful ones, & those that serve him with their whole heart? No, no, he will not do it, but he chiefly favors and embraces these in all things. For even the hairs of your head (says he) are all numbered.

Lo he manifestly affirms and proves that God cares as well for the wicked as for the good, & that every one do receive daily large benefits from the providence of God.

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; I will manually number the pages later. Spelling modernized.]

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.]