John Davenant and Hypothetical Universalism Part 4

In this post, continuing an exposition of Davenant's history of the controversy (Part 1, 2, 3), we will look at Davenant's reading of the medieval and reformation theologians on the extent of the atonement.

Exposition of Davenant's Dissertation:
One of the most important contributors regarding the extent of the atonement was Gottschalk of Orbais in the 9th century. Some historical theologians have suggested that Gottschalk was the first theologian to explicitly teach limited atonement (i.e., Christ died only for the sins of the elect).

According to Davenant, Gottschalk taught

that our Lord Jesus was not crucified and put to death for the redemption of the whole world, that is, not for the salvation and redemption of all mankind, but only for those who are saved. (334)

However, Hincmar, archbishop of Rheims, assembled a synod which responded by stating that

Our Lord Jesus Christ, as no man is, was, or will be, whose nature was not assumed by Him, so no man is, was, or will be, for whom He did not suffer, although all are not redeemed by the mystery of his passion. (334)

The Church of Leyden (including Remigius of Lyon), however, was dissatisfied with both Hincmar and Gottschalk's formulations. Leyden was more unhappy with Hincmar's understanding of the atonement than Gottschalk's, though they still took a mediated position where the death of Christ was "not confined to the predestinate alone."

The immediate history following the Gottschalk controversy is described by Davenant as:

At length theological questions came into the hands of the Schoolmen, who, although they were fruitful artificers of disputes, yet were unwilling to renew this subject [which was debated during Gottschalk's time-period]. To them [i.e. the Schoolmen] it seemed sufficient to teach that Christ died for all sufficiently, for the predestinated effectually; which, since no one could deny, no handle was given for using the saw of contention. (336)

Next, Davenant moves into the Reformation period, surveying "the Doctors of the Reformed Church" and their views of the atonement. Davenant begins by stating that

they taught that [the death of Christ] was proposed and offered to all, but apprehended and applied to the obtaining of eternal life only by those that believe. At the same time, they judged it improper to mingle the hidden mystery of Election and Preterition with this doctrine of the Redemption of the human race through Christ, in such a manner as to exclude any one, before he should exclude himself by his own unbelief. (336)

Davenant appeals to Melanchthon (Loci Communes, Preus translation, 84), Calvin (Comm on Jn. 3:16, Rom. 5:18), Bullinger (A Hvndred Sermons Vpon the Apocalipse of Iesu Christ, printed by Iohn Daye in 1573, 79-80), Benedict Aretius, Musculus (Common Places of Christian Religion, London in 1578, 304-315) and Zanchi.

For instance, Davenant quotes Calvin on Rom 5:18:

[God] makes grace common to all, because it is set before all, not because it is actually extended to all. For although Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and through the goodness of God is offered to all indifferently, yet all do not apprehend him.

Another example of Davenant's use of the Reformers in support of his thesis appears with a quote he finds in Bullinger on Revelation chapter five.

The Lord died for all: but all are not partakers of this redemption, through their own fault. Otherwise the Lord excludes no one but him who excludes himself by his own unbelief and faithlessness.

The main point Davenant would have his readers discern by his quoting the different Reformers is "that our orthodox Doctors so explained the doctrines of election and reprobation...[so that it] might not infringe the universality of the redemption accomplished by the death of Christ."

This ends Davenant's discussion of the history of the controversy. In the next post we will consider Davenant's first of four propositions respecting the universality of the atonement which he wishes to defend. The four propositions are:

1. The death of Christ is represented in holy Scripture as an universal remedy, by the ordinance of God, and the nature of the thing itself, applicable for salvation to all and every individual of mankind.

2. The death of Christ is the universal cause of the salvation of mankind, and Christ himself is acknowledged to have died for all men sufficiently, not by reason of the mere sufficiency or of the intrinsic value, according to which the death of God is a price more than sufficient for redeeming a thousand worlds; but by reason of the Evangelical covenant confirmed with the whole human race through the merit of this death, and of the Divine ordination depending upon it, according to which, under the possible condition of faith, remission of sins and eternal life is decreed to be set before every mortal man who will believe it, on account of the merits of Christ.

3. The death or passion of Christ, as the universal cause of the salvation of mankind, hath, by the act of its oblation, so far rendered God the Father pacified and reconciled to the human race, that he can be truly said to be ready to receive into favour any man whatever, as soon as he shall believe in Christ; yet the aforesaid death of Christ does not place any one, at least of adults, in a state of grace, of actual reconciliation, or of salvation, before he believes.

4. The death of Christ being granted to be applicable to all men on condition of faith, it is consistent with the goodness and justice of God to supply or to deny, either to nations or to individuals, the means of application, and that according to the good pleasure of his own will, not according to the disparity of human wills.

As to the particularity of God's intention, Davenant will also defend in the course of the book this proposition:

The death of Christ, from the special design of God the Father, who from eternity ordained and accepted that sacrifice; and of Christ, who offered it in the fulness of time to God the Father; was destined for some certain persons, whom the Scripture calls the elect, and for them alone, so as to be effectually and infallibly applied to the obtaining of eternal life.