[Institutiones Theologicae Ex Optimis Autoribus Concinatae (ex officinâ Francisci Moyardi, 1658)]

Johannes Hoornbeek (4 November 1617, Haarlem – 23 August 1666, Leiden), was a Dutch Reformed theologian. He was a student and a follower of Gisbertus Voetius, writing with him on spiritual desertion. Like his teacher Voetieus, he was also later a professor of theology at the University of Leiden and University of Utrecht. The two universities were closely related in the 17th century, and both the teacher and his students participated in the intellectual “Utrecht Circle.” Another member of the circle was Hornbeek's student colleague Andreas Essenius. The circle was also known as De Voetiaanse Kring (The Voetian Circle), and it was one of the most influential intellectual circles of the Dutch second Reformation.

Johannes Hoornbeek (4 November 1617, Haarlem – 23 August 1666, Leiden), was a Dutch Reformed theologian. He was a student and a follower of Gisbertus Voetius, writing with him on spiritual desertion. Like his teacher Voetieus, he was also later a professor of theology at the University of Leiden and University of Utrecht. The two universities were closely related in the 17th century, and both the teacher and his students participated in the intellectual “Utrecht Circle.” Another member of the circle was Hornbeek's student colleague Andreas Essenius. The circle was also known as De Voetiaanse Kring (The Voetian Circle), and it was one of the most influential intellectual circles of the Dutch second Reformation.

Table of Contents:

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Chapter X. On the Calling of Man to Salvation

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I. The Benefits Following from Christ’s Offices

After the offices of Christ, there follow the benefits which, through the mediation of calling (as the first among them in execution), He confers, as it is written, Romans 8:30, “Whom He did predestinate, them He also called.”

Calvin saith: Now it is to be seen how those good things which the Father bestowed upon His only begotten Son come unto us, not for private use, but that He might enrich the poor and needy. And first it is to be held that as long as Christ is outside us, and we are separated from Him, whatsoever He suffered and did for the salvation of the human race is useless and of no moment unto us. Therefore, that He may communicate with us what He hath received from the Father, He must become ours and dwell in us. Therefore, He is also called our Head, and the firstborn among many brethren; we also in turn are said to be ingrafted into Him, and to put Him on; because nothing of all that He possesseth pertaineth unto us (as I have said) until we grow together with Him into one. And although it is true that we obtain this by faith, yet since we see that not all promiscuously embrace the communion of Christ which is offered through the Gospel, reason itself teacheth us to ascend higher and to inquire concerning the secret efficacy of the Spirit, by which it is that we enjoy Christ and all His benefits. And that this matter, most worthy of knowledge, may be more certainly clear, it is to be held that Christ came peculiarly furnished with the Holy Spirit, namely, that He might separate us from the world and gather us into the hope of eternal inheritance.

Junius saith: The first step and manner of God’s actions in the execution of predestination and the manifestation of that grace is Calling: therefore called by Augustine the entrance unto salvation and the first approach unto faith, in Book 1, Ad Simplicium, Question 2.

Ames saith: Thus was redemption; the application of the same redemption followeth. This application is that whereby all those things which Christ as Mediator did and doth are made actually efficacious in certain men. This application is attributed by singular appropriation unto the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” Yet it dependeth:

  1. Upon the decree and donation of the Father, whereby He gave certain men unto Christ to be redeemed and saved, John 6:39, “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing.” For all and only those whom the Father gave unto Christ come unto Him, verse 37.
  2. Upon the intention of Christ, whereby He destined His satisfaction for the good of those who were destined unto Him by the Father, John 17:9, 11-12, 19, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.”
  3. Upon the acceptation of the Father, whereby He accepted and ratified that satisfaction for the reconciliation and salvation of the same, 2 Corinthians 5:19, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.”

This transaction between God and Christ was a certain previous application of our redemption and liberation unto our Sponsor, and unto us in Him; which hath the reason of a certain efficacious exemplar for the accomplishing of that secondary application in us, so that that is the representation of this, and this is produced by the power of that. Hence our liberation from sin and death was not only established in the decree of God, but also granted and communicated unto Christ, and unto us in Him, before it is perceived by us, Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

II. The Nature of Calling

That calling is the action of God whereby He inviteth man out of the state of sin and misery, through the preaching of the Gospel, unto the kingdom of His Son and of salvation.

Junius saith: But this calling is the gracious action of God in Christ Jesus, whereby according to His good will He calleth certain men outwardly in common, or inwardly singularly, unto the knowledge and communion of adoption and of eternal life in heaven, for the declaration of His glory.

III. External and Internal Calling

One calling is only external, another also internal; one only illuminating, the other also converting; one common to many, the other singular; one not efficacious, the other efficacious.

Trelcatius saith: Of this calling, the notion is wont to be various, according as either from the manner of calling it is distinguished into internal and external, or from the diverse condition of the efficient cause into common and singular, or finally from the effect of calling into efficacious and not efficacious. The efficacy of calling is one external, another internal. External is when the external senses and corporeal things are touched and moved by the external ministry. Internal is when the intellect and will are touched and moved. Each efficacy again is double: one saving, proper to the elect; the other not saving, but previous according to the common order and respecting the called in common.

Junius saith: And so the form is double: one common, and the other particular and singular. Common calling is that whereby God outwardly calleth the common of the human race by the Word, the Sacraments, and the common ministry of the Church and of its pious members, according to the common and public manner of calling, and commandeth them to be converted from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto Himself, as Paul speaketh, Acts 26:18, according to the pleasure of His providence. Singular calling is that whereby God inwardly calleth the common of His elect, and each of them, not only by the Word, the Sacraments, and the singular ministry of the Church and of its pious members, but also by the internal testimony and allocution of the Spirit of sanctification in their minds, and teacheth and giveth them to be converted from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His predestination in Christ Jesus. This same calling is not unfitly called particular, as opposed unto the common, because through this internal calling God excepteth from the common of men or of the world a certain part or particular body, according to the election of grace; as Christ said, Matthew 20:16; 22:14, “Many are called, but few are chosen,” that is, gifted with singular calling according to His eternal and singular election. These two kinds of callings differ in that this is from singular grace, that from common grace; this is of the pious, namely, the elect, that is of many, namely, of men promiscuously; this hath the internal efficacy of the Spirit of sanctification, that hath the external or common, or certainly not so acting in the hearers that they attain saving sanctification from it; this is of mere salvation and perfection, that is of inchoation and only previous to salvation; finally, this calling is of the Church, whereby the invisible living inwardly in the body of Christ from the Spirit of Christ; that is of the Church in common, whereby it is visible, having in the body of Christ also adnascent and not living members from the Spirit of Christ.