[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.
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Unto rational creatures, whether they be Angels or men, God hath given a law, requiring duty and perfect obedience towards Himself.
Gomarus saith: Verily, from the creature endowed with understanding, true and due religion is owed unto God (as the most excellent, most wise, and most great Creator and Lord). This religion consisteth herein, that the creature rightly knoweth Him, and with sincere faith and reverent love doth worship and obey Him, according to Psalm 148:1-14; 136:1-10; 146:5-6; Isaiah 57:13; Psalm 33:8-9; 95:1-9; Acts 14:15; Romans 1:20-21,25; Revelation 4:10-11; 14:7.
Junius saith: A law is an ordinance of reason, established for the common good, proceeding from him who hath the care of the community.
Ames saith: A law is set forth by commanding and forbidding, and is established by promising and threatening.
From whence also floweth the covenant of God with them.
Ames saith: From that special and proper reason of governing rational creatures ariseth that covenant which is between God and them. For this covenant is, as it were, a certain transaction of God with the creature, whereby God commandeth, promiseth, threateneth, and fulfilleth, and the creature bindeth its obedience unto God who stipulateth, as it is written in Deuteronomy 26:16-19, “This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee,” etc., “Thou hast avouched the LORD this day,” etc., “And the LORD hath avouched thee this day,” both that He may make thee high, etc., and that thou mayest be an holy people. But because this manner of entering into covenant is not between those who are of equal right, but between a Lord and His servant, therefore it pertaineth unto governance. Whence also it is most properly called, not the covenant of man, but of God, who is the author thereof and the primary executor, as it is said in Deuteronomy 8:17-18, “That He may establish His covenant.”
Junius saith: Man had received all manner of virtues and so great perfection, not only for himself, but also to be transmitted unto his own by the natural order, according to the command and blessing of the Lord, namely, unto those who were to arise from the loins of Adam and Eve, if he had persisted in the state of that original grace. But if he should decline from the right way wherein he was created, he would bring death upon himself and thrust his own with him into the same precipice.
The good works of the intelligent creature are those which agree with the law prescribed unto it by God; but those which deviate therefrom are evil.
Walaeus saith: Sin is defined in Scripture, as it is written, 1 John 3:4, “Sin is the transgression of the law.” And in Romans 5:14, it is called parabasis, that is, transgression, and in verses 15, 16, and 17, it is sometimes called paraptoma, a fall, to wit, from the divine command; for where there is no law, as Paul speaketh there, there is no transgression. Therefore, sin is whatsoever resisteth the law, namely, in its formal nature; whether it be the acting principle, that is, the habit, or the action itself proceeding thence. But by law here, we understand not the law of man, but the law of God.