Bullinger:

1) Paul in his second chapter to the Ephesians saith: “We were by nature the sons of wrath, even as others.” In which words he pronounceth that all men are damned. For all those that are damned, are worthy of eternal death, and all such with whom God hath good cause to be offended, he calleth the sons of wrath, after the proper phrase of the Hebrew speech. For the wrath of God doth signify the punishment which is by the just judgement of God laid upon us men. And he is called the child of death, which is adjudged or appointed to be killed. So also is the son of perdition, &c. Now mark, that he calleth us all the sons of wrath, that is, the subjects of pain and damnation, even by nature, in birth, from our mother’s womb. But whatsoever is naturally in all men, that is original: therefore original sin maketh us th sons of wrath; that is, we are all from our original corruption made subject to death and utter damnation. This place of Paul for the proof of this argument is worthy to be remembered. Decades, 3^rd Decade, Sermon 10, p., 396.

2) To this belongeth also, that God does as well afflict the good as the bad; touching which I spake at large in the third sermon of this third Decade. Now here therefore some there are which demand, why God doth with divers punishments persecute those sins which he hath already forgiven to men? For he forgave Adam his sin, and yet he laid on him both death and innumerable calamities of this life beside. To David we read that the prophet Nathan said, “The Lord hath taken thy sin away:” and yet immediately after the same prophet addeth: ‘The sword shall not depart from thy house.” To this we answer simply, that these plagues, which are laid on us before the remission of sins, are then punishments due to our sins; but that after the remission of our sins they are conflicts and exercises, wherewith the faithful do not make satisfaction for their sins, which are already remitted by grace in the death of the Son of God; but wherewith they are humbled and kept in their duty, having an occasion given of the greater glory.

And here I will not stick to recite unto you, dearly beloved, St Augustine’s judgement touch this matter in his second book De Peccatorum Meritis et Remissione, chap. 33, and 34, where he saith: “Things, the guilt whereof God is absolveth or remitteth, to the end that after this life they should do no harm, and yet he suffereth them to abide unto conflict of faith that by them men may be instructed and exercised, profiting in the conflict of righteousness,” &c. And present after: “Bore forgiveness, they are the punishments of sinners; but after remission, they are the conflicts and exercises of just men.” Decades, 3^rd Decade, Sermon 10, p., 430.

3) Now as concerning the punishments of the wicked, (if the most just God do in this world touch them with any,) let u know that they be the arguments of God’s just judgement, who in this world beginneth to punish them temporally, and in the world to come doth not cease to plague them everlastingly. Decades, 3^rd Decade, Sermon 10, p., 432.

[Note: in Systematics, wrath is normally considered as Divine ‘hatred manifested in time by way of punishment and judgement.’]

Davenant:

HITHERTO we have treated of the death of Christ as it regards the whole human race, in the universal circuit of his quickening power to be brought into act under the condition of faith, as to every man. For although, through the want of this condition, the death of Christ does not display its saving virtue in the greater part of men, yet it is not to be denied, that the Scriptures every where clearly testify, nor is it to be doubted, but God had in himself the most just and wise reasons of his counsel, while he determined that the death of his Son should be applicable to all men on condition of faith, and nevertheless did not determine to effect or procure that it should be applied to all by the gift of faith to each individual. We ought not, therefore, to oppose to each other and clash together these Divine decrees, “I will that my Son should so offer himself on the cross for the sins of the human race, that all men individually may be saved by believing in him;–and–I will so dispense my efficacious grace that not all, but the elect only, may receive this saving faith, whereby they may be saved.” If these two decrees seem to any one to oppose each other, he ought rather to acknowledge the weakness of his own understanding, than to deny any of those things which are so plainly contained in the holy Scriptures. Let this, then, be fixed and established, That according to the decree of God himself, Christ was so offered on the cross for all men, that his death is a kind of universal remedy appointed for all men individually, in order to obtain remission of sins and eternal life, to be applied by faith. But now, lest under this universal virtue of the death of Christ, which extends to all rational creatures, we should destroy its special efficacy, which actually pertains to the predestinated alone, we shall enter upon the other part of the discussion we undertook, which will explain and defend the special prerogative of the elect in the death of Christ, both from the will of God the Father in giving his Son to death, and that of the Son in offering himself. For we ought not so to contend that Christ died for all, as to believe with the Pelagians, that the quickening efficacy of his death is at the same time common to all, from the intention of the Divine will, but in its event becomes saving to some and not to others, no otherwise than from the contingent use of human liberty. Nor are we to fancy with the Arminians, that God gave his Son to death absolutely intending nothing more than that from that that he might haw a mere power of saving some sinners, notwithstanding his justice, and that any sinners might have a way or means by which they might be saved, notwithstanding their own sin.” Hence arises that celebrated corollary of Grevinchovius, in his dissertation on the death of Christ (p. 9,) “That the dignity, necessity, and usefulness of, redemption might abundantly appear by its being obtained, even though it should never be actually applied to any individual.” Again (p. 14,) “That the redemption might be obtained for all, and yet applied to none on account of their unbelief.” But we by no means think that the death of Christ was like the cast of dice, but that it was decreed from eternity by God the Father and Christ, through the merit of his death, infallibly to save some certain persons whom the Scripture marks by the name of the elect; and therefore, that, according to the will of God, the death of Christ was, by some special mode and counsel, offered and accepted for their redemption.

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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.]