[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.

Table of Contents:

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Chapter VI. On the Providence of God

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I. Creation Immediately Followed by Providence

Creation is immediately followed by the providence of God over the things created.

Calvin saith: Moreover, it would be a cold and jejune thing for God to be a momentary Creator, who only once completed His work, and in this it especially behooveth us to differ from profane men, that not less in the perpetual state of the world, than in its first origin, the presence of divine power may shine forth unto us.

II. Providence Governs All Things

That all things are governed by the providence of God, both He Himself sufficiently, and the Holy Scriptures, do approve.

Piscator saith: This is enough in general to know, that there have been chiefly three opinions of the philosophers concerning the providence of God. The first is of those who simply denied that there is any providence concerning those things which are and are done in these inferior parts of the world. Of this number are Protagoras, Melius, Democritus, Epicurus. The second is of the Stoics, who instead of providence feigned a certain absolute necessity of all things and motions, existing in the very nature of things; unto which not only all these things, but also God Himself is bound and subject: which necessity they called fate. The third is of those who, affirming that God indeed seeth and understandeth all things, yet denied that He governeth and moderateth all things; but only exciteth the celestial motions, through which He giveth the power of acting and operating unto the inferior parts of nature, as are Averroes, and other Peripatetics.

Walaeus saith: But that there is this divine providence, and that through it all things are sustained and governed, even against the Epicureans, the saner philosophers have acknowledged, although they have gone astray into certain other errors; as is to be seen in Cicero, book 2, De Natura Deorum. But the arguments demonstrating this are chiefly these:

1. It is taken from the creation of the world. For if God created this world, as was demonstrated before, therefore He also conserveth and governeth the same. For neither the wisdom, power, and goodness of God permitteth that there should be one creator of the world, another governor: for so both would labor under infirmity, this of making, that of not providing, and there would be given two Gods, of whom neither would be omnipotent. Nor could the Creator of the world permit the world unto chance or fortune, for then He would be neither wise, nor good, nor powerful: not wise, because He would not attain the end of the world created by Himself: not good, because He would neglect the world made by Himself: not powerful, because He could not care for and govern what He made. All which are blasphemous.
2. It is taken from the constancy and perpetual order in things, both celestial and elementary. For those also in their mutability are constant. For it is of wisdom to order all things unto a certain end. So the course of the heavens is constant, and the variation of the elements and of these natural things hath constant orbs and vicissitudes, as is manifest unto all. Which argument in Holy Scripture is sometimes amplified: as in the last chapters of Job, Psalm 19; 104, and elsewhere throughout.
3. It is sought from the perpetual supply or restitution of flowing and perishing things. For nothing which perisheth can be restored or again supplied by itself. As a house, of which some part is collapsed, cannot restore itself, which yet in herbs, trees, animals, etc., we see done daily, and now for almost 6000 years we have seen it done perpetually.
4. It is sought from the erection of monarchies and republics, and from the raising up of diverse excellent men and heroes, who not seldom are singularly raised up for the conservation of the human race.
5. Scripture here is manifest. For the Apostle saith, Romans 11:36, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things.” And Colossians 1:17, “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” And Hebrews 1:3,“Upholding all things by the word of His power.”

III. Providence Defined

But providence is that action of God, whereby He hath care of all things, sustaineth and moderateth them.

Calvin saith: Therefore, let the readers hold first that providence is called, not that whereby God idly beholdeth from heaven what is done in the world, but whereby as it were holding the helm, He moderateth all events. So it pertaineth no less unto the hands, than unto the eyes.

Trelcatius saith: But this providence is an external and temporal action of God, whereby He conserveth all and singular things which are, and disposeth all and singular things which are done unto the end which He hath determined, according to the liberty of His will, and that so that in all and singular things He may be glorified.

Ames saith: The providence of God is that efficiency, whereby He provideth for creatures now existing in all things, according to the counsel of His will.

IV. Providence Consists of Conservation and Governance