Franciscan Studies

THE PROBLEM OF 17TH CENTURY SOTERIOLOGY IN REFERENCE TO MILTON Milton's De Doctrina Christiana can hardly be dismissed as a "minor Latin work"1. Even though the twentieth century fails to value it as Milton did — as his "best and richest possession2" — we must still recognize it as "another, and oftentimes clearer, statement of what Milton considered the basic argument of his poem (Paradise Lost)"8. The De Doctrina Christiana "reads like a doctrinal commentary on that work"4 and as such, stands as an invaluable and indispensable aid to our comprehension of his two epics of paradise. To present here even the main features of Milton's system of theology as found in the treatise, along with its influences and possible sources, and how these features are represented in the Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained is manifestly impossible for a study of this limited size. Consequently , I have limited the analysis to one specific doctrine, the doctrine of Soteriology, giving first the traditional orthodox concept, and the Renaissance heresies concerning the problem, and finally its literal interpretation as found in Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. There remains, then, to indicate the general outline of the chapters to follow. The material of Chapter I treats the Renaissance concept of Soteriology with references to Lutheranism, Calvinism (Perkins and Ames), Socinianism (Ochino and Servetus), Arminianism and Anglicanism . This chapter does not concern itself with parallel passages, verbal echoes, or the attempt to prove specific borrowings from particular theologians and commentaries on the part of Milton for his treatment of the problem of Soteriology. The purpose is not to establish what may strictly be called indebtedness, but rather to suggest that the doctrines of certain Renaissance theologians furnished the milieu for Milton's view of Soteriology. Chapter II treats of Milton's doctrine of Soteriology as found in chapters xiv, xv, and xvi of the De Doctrina 1 A. M. Witherspoon, "Milton Complete," The Saturday Review of Literature, VIII (1931). 33· 8 John Milton, Christian Doctrine, trans. Charles Sumner (London, 1825). 8 Maurice Kelley, This Great Argument (Princeton, 1941), P- 1994 James Hanford, A Milton Handbook (New York, 1947). P- 122. 48 Soteriology in Reference to Milton49 Christiana5. The concluding chapter presents the more important elements of Milton's Soteriology and their literal interpretation as paralleled in Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. Concerning the parallels, I make no claim to exhaustiveness. I have set down those parallels which I feel are most pertinent, and a number proportionate to a thesis of this limited size. All references to the De Doctrina Christiana in this concluding chapter are from the Sumner translation for the purpose of indicating more clearly the close relationship existing between the treatise and the epics. CHAPTER I ERRONEOUS CONCEPTS OF SOTERIOLOGY IN THE RENAISSANCE During the Reformation, the harmony of the mystery of Soteriology had become obscured. In many cases the penal element had received undue emphasis and importance. Catholic preachers made use of expressions which were Lutheran in origin, and justly deserving of the strictures which they have received from Catholic theologians. Bossuet speaks of a vengeful God who wages an open war against Christ. "Je vois au contraire un Dieu qui se venge et qui exige ce qui lui est dû de son propre Fils"1, and again, "Dieu montre à son Fils ce visage, il lui montre cet oeil enflammé. . . Le visage de Dieu sur ceux qui font mal: c'est le visage de la justice"2. Bourdaloue imagines a sort of conflict between God's justice and mercy; one about to strike, the other holding back the sustaining sword. "C'est sous cette lèpre du péché que la justice de Dieu l'envisage comme un objet digne de toutes ses vengences. Voilà pourquoi elle s'arme contre lui, pourquoi elle le poursuit le glaive à la main. . ."8 Luther briefly designates as the office and work of Jesus Christ "Our Redemption" (Erlösung). This is the deliverance from sin, death, hell and all misery — from the entire state into which we have been brought by the sin of Adam4. Justification is conferred upon man by God's grace. 8 AU references to these three chapters are...