Jonathan Edwards on Turretin and van Mastricht

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Stephen L Smith

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In both Iain Murray's and George Marsden's biography's, it is stated that Jonathan Edwards regarded van Mastricht's work as superior to that of Turretin. Does any one know why?

Also, given that Bavinck was a later theologian than Edwards, van Mastricht, or Turretin, was Bavinck aware of this and did he offer a superior theological formulation consistent with van Mastricht?
 
Unfortunately, until we have the works of van Mastricht in a volume or two that most can read (i.e. not in Dutch - and they working to translate this), I'm not sure we can answer that adequately.

Currently, van Mastricht's available works comprise "Regeneration", a volume Soli Deo Gloria did some time back, and "The Best Method of Preaching."

However, reading those, it does not take much to consider why he is so excellent.

I know Edwards did say that about van Mastricht, and its generally regarded like this, "Jonathan Edwards reportedly thought it was the finest work ever written in Reformed theology. Its significant impact on Edwards’ thought has made its appearance in English a much anticipated event by scholars of Edwards’ life and thought." (See the link above.)
 
I just read this in Murray's biography of the Rev. Mr. Edwards a few days ago, and I was researching this myself.
 
Unfortunately, until we have the works of van Mastricht in a volume or two that most can read (i.e. not in Dutch - and they working to translate this), I'm not sure we can answer that adequately.

Currently, van Mastricht's available works comprise "Regeneration", a volume Soli Deo Gloria did some time back, and "The Best Method of Preaching."

However, reading those, it does not take much to consider why he is so excellent.

I know Edwards did say that about van Mastricht, and its generally regarded like this, "Jonathan Edwards reportedly thought it was the finest work ever written in Reformed theology. Its significant impact on Edwards’ thought has made its appearance in English a much anticipated event by scholars of Edwards’ life and thought." (See the link above.)
Very interesting! Do you know if they are translating it from the original Latin or from the Dutch translation (I ask because they are the Dutch Reformed Translation Society)?
 
Let me add that it's wonderful to live in an age in which so many sound theological works are being reprinted or translated into English for the first time. We have richer mines to dig in than many of our fathers who were better men than we.
 
Here is the original quotation.

From a letter to Joseph Bellamy, January 15, 1747:
They are both excellent. Turretine is on Polemical divinity; on the 5 Points, & all other Controversial Points; & is much larger in these than Mastricht; & is better for one that desires only to be thoroughly versed in Controversies. But take Mastricht for divinity in General, doctrine Practice & Controversie; or as an universal system of divinity; & it is much better than Turretine or any other Book in the world, excepting the Bible, in my opinion.
 
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