Theoretical-Practical Theology, Volume 1: Prolegomena

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REVIEW OF PETRUS VAN MASTRICHT, THEORETICAL-PRACTICAL THEOLOGY VOL. 1: PROLEGOMENA: REFORMATION HERITAGE BOOKS, pp. 238 Translated by Todd M. Rester; Edited by Joel Beeke By common consent, Petrus Van Mastricht was one of the greatest post-Reformation Reformed scholastics. The blurbs of appreciative by current Reformed luminaries reads like a who’s who of contemporary Reformed Scholarship. He is thought to be better than Turretin on careful distinctions and better than A Brakel on application. Like most of our Reformers, he was a pastor-theologian. And this is reflected in his aim and method. Van Mastricht’s work was written for pastors laboring in Christ’s churches. It was not written for the universities nor for theologians per se. It was written for faithful pastors who studied and prayed and preached. As David Wells once described Old Princeton’s Charles Hodge as the epitome of a kneeling theologian rather than a sitting theologian, the same might be said of Van Mastricht. Like every good pastor-theologian he is concerned that his readers (or hearers in the church) might know the truth, believe the truth and live the truth, worshipping God all along the time line. I am privileged to shepherd students at an institution that wants its current students and future graduates to have more than well-filled heads. They want students to be men of God and to graduate with a greater knowledge of God both theologically and experientially. Van Mastricht had the same aim. This first of a projected 9 volume series begins with a biographical sketch of the author and the oration delivered at his funeral. Van Mastricht’s work, THE BEST METHOD OF PREACHING actually begins the work before jumping into theological prolegomena. Let’s look at the TABLE OF CONTENTS: CHAPTER 1—THE NATURE OF THEOLOGY The Exegetical Part The Dogmatic Part The Elenctic Part The Practical Part CHAPTER 2—HOLY SCRIPTURE The Exegetical Part The Dogmatic Part The Elenctic Part The Practical Part CHAPTER 3—THE DISTRIBUTION OF THEOLOGY The Exegetical Part The Dogmatic Part The Elenctic Part The Practical Part Each chapter and subsection is broken down into further questions and careful examinations of the biblical and historical theological data. It is a goldmine of biblical and theological edification. Let me conclude with a quote by Jonathan Edwards: “for divinity in general, doctrine, practice and controversy; or as a universal system of divinity [Van Mastricht’s THEOLOGICAL-PRACTICAL THEOLOGY] is much better than [Francis] Turretin or any other book in the world, excepting the Bible, in my opinion” (p. vii). What more can I say, as a mouse, when the lion has already roared? For many years now in the Reformed faith I have wanted more material with a balanced perspective on knowing God and living for God. With the republication of Turretin, A Brakel, Bavinck and now Van Mastricht, I have rich stores for clearing my head and moving my heart to humble obedience of our great God. May it be so. Steve Martin Dean of Students IRBS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Mansfield, Texas

Reformation Heritage Books (along with the Dutch Reformed Translation Society) has done the church a great service by taking on a translation project that will place Petrus van Mastricht’s works on the bookshelves of English-speaking Christians. It is called Theoretical-Practical Theology, and it will (God-willing) consist of seven total volumes that will be published by Reformation Heritage Books (RHB). This review is of the introductory volume in the series, entitled Prolegomena. This work was translated by Todd Rester, and it was edited by Joel Beeke. Van Mastricht (1630-1706) was a Dutch Reformed theologian and pastor who served the Lord and His church in the Netherlands. A student of Gisbertus Voetius, he is known as one who has produced one of the greatest systematic theologies for the church. Originally written in Latin and then translated into Dutch, this is the first time Mastricht’s work has been translated into English! If one has any familiarity with other Dutch Reformed authors (i.e. a Brakel, Witsius, Vandergroe, Bavnick, etc.) Mastricht’s work will have some similar pleasing aromas to you. He definitely shares some similarity with Turretin due to his incorporation of elenctic theology in his approach. Mastricht has his own system of theology that flows from an exegesis of 1 Timothy 6:2-3. This system will be applied to every topic that is discussed in his seven volumes. The Exegetical Part The Dogmatic Part The Elenctic Part The Practical Part Some may say that Mastricht isn’t quite as devotional as Brakel or as precise as Turretin, but it must be noted that Mastricht is extremely precise and wonderfully devotional, and he provides an exegetical part to very doctrine that certainly can be said to surpass Brakel and possibly at times surpass Turretin (that may be up for debate). Regardless, every author has their strengths and weaknesses. I believe that where Mastricht’s weaknesses show up, his strengths overshadow them. The way in which he applies this 4-part system (a theoretical and practical theology) seems to be done so well that it makes up for any deficiencies in one area or another. For this reason and many more, we can be extremely thankful for this gift to the church! There is a reason that Jonathan Edwards said that Theoretical-Practical Theology is “much better than...any other book in the world, excepting the Bible, in my opinion.” That’s high praise! Almost one half of this introductory volume is Mastricht’s work on prolegomena, with the other half including sections on: Editor’s preface; translator’s preface; van Mastricht’s life and work (a very nice biography); funeral oration for Van Mastricht by Henricus Pontanus, and then Mastricht’s The Best Method for Preaching. Following that part of the book, the reader then gets into the prolegomena. Mastricht has three chapters: (1) The Nature of Theology, (2) Holy Scripture), and (3) The Distribution of Theology. I was constantly amazed at how Mastricht’s work stirred me up to worship the living God! I was challenged, encouraged, and often brought to a place of thanksgiving and fear of the Lord. I asked myself quite a few times why Mastricht included a “practical” section considering his ability to incorporate the practical into the other three sections so seamlessly. This work is Dutch Reformed theology at its finest! Let me provide just one quote to demonstrate how Mastricht writes: “So then, first, it is not true theology, and a person is not a true theologian-and thus not a genuine Christian-(1) who either in speech or in deed, makes theology and the Christian religion the art of knowing and disputing, while at the same time he ignores and neglects the practical knowledge of living and is one who has merely the words of the saints, but not their life, as Bernard of Clairvaux said somewhere. Even Seneca calls this a fatal itch of clever men, that they prefer disputing rather than living; (2) who passes himself off as a theologian and a Christian, but in the meantime does not live for God through Christ, but rather lives-be it for the world, or the flesh, or leisure-fundamentally, for himself; or (3) who though perhaps he even strives to live for God, does not live for God so much through Christ as through his own strength.” This volume is a great addition (I would even say a necessary addition) to the bookshelves of any pastor, seminarian, or serious Bible student (which all Christians should be)! Allow Mastricht to guide you through the beauties of God’s Word and how it relates to our lives. As Mastricht notes, “This theoretical-practical Christian theology is nothing less than the doctrine of living for God through Christ, in other words, the doctrine that is according to godliness, and the likewise the knowledge of the truth that is according to godliness.” I am thankful that RHB and the Dutch Reformed Translation Society have taken on the giant task of translating and publishing this most excellent work that has been written by Petrus Van Mastricht. Tolle lege, take up and read! Disclaimer: My thanks to Reformation Heritage Books for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.

I don't have the time or energy to write an in-depth review of the first volume of Van Mastricht's systematic theology, but I do want to note that it is absolutely outstanding. If you appreciate historic Reformed systematic theology that is steeped in Scripture and outlined in an understandable way, you will like Van Mastricht! The first volume has a summary of Van Mastricht's life along with Van Mastricht's essay called, "The Best Method of Preaching." The rest of the volume - page 39 and following - contains the Prolegomena section of theology. This volume talks about the nature of theology, the method of theology, and the definition of theology. Volume one also talks about Scripture and the "distribution of theology," which is expounded from 2 Tim. 1:13 (hold the pattern of sound words...). One aspect of this book that I very much appreciated was how Van Mastricht often emphasized that theology is not just theoretical (intellectual) but also practical (e.g. it affects how we live the Christian life). This maybe isn't the best analogy, but Van Mastricht is something like Louis Berkhof's systematics meshed with Thomas Watson's "Body of Divinity" and Turrettin's "Institutes." And, of course, ultimately Van Mastricht is drawing from Scripture throughout his work. The translation is well done, the editing is good, and the layout of the book makes it easier to read. There are some more "thick" or detailed theological arguments in this volume, but for the most part, anyone who has read some systematic theology should be able to benefit from this book. I highly recommend it - it's good for the Christian's mind and heart!