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THE HOLY TRINITY Introduction and Statement of the Problem Studies

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THE HOLY TRINITY Introduction and Statement of the Problem Studies CHAPTER ELEVEN THE HOLY TRINITY Introduction and Statement of the Problem Studies on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity of the post-Reformation era are limited.1 Despite the fact that this doctrine is surveyed in major Reformed dogmatics2 and history of doctrine,3 only a few monographs examine this doctrine.4 Nevertheless, seventeenth century post-Reforma- tion systems of theology attest to the importance of the doctrine of 1 F. W. Huisman, Bibliografi e van het gereformeerde Piëtisme in Nederland tot 1800 (Wouden- berg: Uitgeverij Op Hoope, 2001). This bibliography (1,000+ publications) does not list one publication devoted to a study of the Holy Trinity. An exception is B. Loonstra, “De Leer van God en Christus in de Nadere Reformatie,” in Theologische Aspecten van de Nadere Reformatie, ed. T. Brienen et al. (Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum, 1993), 107–10. 2 Eduard Böhl, Dogmatik, Darstellung der Christichen Glaubenslehre auf Reformiert-Kirchlicher Grundlage (Amsterdam: Von Scheffer & Co., 1887); E. C. Gravemeijer, Leesboek over de Gereformeerde Geloofsleer (Utrecht: H. Ten Hove, 1896); Herman Bavinck, Gereformeerde Dogmatiek (Kampen: Kok, 1921); Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, with a new preface by Richard A. Muller (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996); J. T. Mueller, La Doctrine Chrétienne (La Petite Pierre: Éditions “Le Luthérien” Église Évangélique Luthérienne, 1956); Herman Hoeksema, Reformed Dogmatics (Grand Rapids: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 1966); Karl Barth, Die Kirchliche Dogmatik (Zürich: EVZ-Verlag, 1970). 3 Reinhold Seeberg, Lehrbuch der Dogmengeschichte (Leipzig: Erlangen, 1923); Heinrich Heppe, Reformed Dogmatics, trans. G. T. Thomson (London: Allen & Unwin, 1950); Ber- nard Sesboüé and Joseph Wolinski, Histoire des Dogmes: Le Dieu du Salut (Paris: Desclée, 1994). See for additional literature Robert D. Preus, The Theology of Post-Reformation Lutheranism (St. Louis: CPH, 1972), 2:113; Richard A. Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003), 4:22, 23. 4 W. J. van Asselt, Amicitia Dei: een onderzoek naar de structuur van de theologie van Johannes Coccejus (1603–1669) (Ede: Grafi sche vormgeving: ADC, 1988): idem, The Federal Theology of Johannes Cocceius (Leiden-New York: Brill, 2001), 175–93; Carl Trueman, The Claims of Truth: John Owen’s Trinitarian Theology (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1998), 129–33; Gregory D. Schuringa, Embracing Leer and Leven: The Theology of Simon Oomius in the Context of Nadere Reformatie Orthodoxy (Ph.D. diss., Calvin Theological Seminary, 2003). See also studies on Jonathan Edwards’s doctrine of the Trinity, rooted in the seventeenth-century Reformed theology, Bruce M. Stephens, God’s Last Metaphor: The Doctrine of the Trinity in New England Theology (Chico: Scholars Press, 1981); Amy Plantinga Pauw, The Supreme Harmony of All. The Trinitarian Theology of Jonathan Edwards (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., 2002); Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 4. 246 chapter eleven the Holy Trinity.5 Furthermore, these systems attest that this doctrine is based on Scripture and has polemical and practical implications. The former was forced by the rise of Socinianism,6 and the latter as a result of the fundamental character of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity for the life of faith and obedience.7 In summary, the Reformed theology of the seventeenth century paid attention to the teachings of the Trinity in several ways, namely, exegetical, doctrinal, polemical, and practical. Mastricht offers a combined treatment of the doctrine in the Theoretico- practica theologia (TPT ) in his characteristic fourfold manner. The aim of this chapter is, in response to the limited attention to the post-Reformation Reformed doctrine of the Holy Trinity, to illumine Mastricht’s thoughts on this doctrine in structure and content and, second, to pursue the main quest of our study: the relationship, if any, of exegesis, doctrine, elenctic, and praxis. The following questions will be considered: (1) To what degree is the formulation of doctrine and praxis the result of the exegesis of the biblical text? (2) Do the doctrinal and practical formulations differ or agree with the results of exegesis? (3) Is the constructed doctrine of the Trinity related to other parts of Mastricht’s theology? Our examination of Mastricht’s 5 J. Polyander, A. Rivetus, A. Walaeus, A. Thysius, Synopsis purioris theologiæ (Leiden: Elsevier, 1625); William Ames, Marrow of Sacred Divinity, drawne out of the holy Scriptures, and the Interpreters thereof, and brought into Method (London: Edward Griffi n, 1642); Samuel Maresius, Collegium Theologicum sive Systema Breve Universæ Theologiæ (Groningen: Franciscus Bronchorstius, 1656); Simon Oomius, Institutiones theologiæ practicæ (Bolsward: Wed. Samuel Haringhouk, 1676); Theodor Undereyck, Halleluja, das ist, Gott in dem Sünder verkläret oder Des sünders Wanderstab zur Erkäntnüs, Geniessung und Verklärung Gottes, alß des höchsten Gutes (Bremen: H. Brauer, 1678); Johannes Hoornbeeck, Theologiæ practicæ (Frankfurt: Ernst Claudium Bailliar, 1680); Johannes Cloppenburgh, Theologica Opera Omnia (Amsterdam: Gerardus Borstius, 1684); Abraham Heidanus, Corpus theologiæ christianæ in quindecim locos (Leiden: Johannes de Vivie & Jordanus Luchtmans, 1686); Franciscus Burmannus, Synopsis Theologiæ & speciatim Oeconomiæ Foederum Dei (Utrecht: Cornelius Jacobi Noe- nardus, 1671); idem, Synopsis, dat is Kort Begrip der Heilige God-geleerdheit, en insonderheit van de Huishouding der Verbonden Gods, trans. Dirk Smout (Utrecht: Franscois Halma, 1688); Herman Witsius, De oeconomia Foederum Dei cum hominibus (Herborne, Nassau: Johannes N. Andreas, 1712); idem, Oefeningen over de Grondstukken van het Algemeyne Christelyke Geloove en het Gebed des Heeren (Rotterdam: Daniel Beman, 1699); Wilhelmus à Brakel, ΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΛΑΤΡΕΙΑ, dat is Redelyke Godtsdienst in welken de Goddelijke Waerheden des Genade-Verbondts worden verklaert, tegen partyen beschermt, en tot de practyke aengedrongen (Rotterdam: Reynier van Doesburgh, 1700); Johann Heinrich Heidegger, Corpus theologiæ christianæ (Zürich: David Gessner, 1700). 6 John Owen, The Works of John Owen (London: Johnstone and Hunter, 1850–1855), vol. 12; Johannes Hoornbeeck, Summa controversiarum religionis cum infi delibus, hæreticis, schismaticis: id. Est, Gentilibus, Judæis, Muhammedanis; Papistis, Anabaptistis . ed. secunda (Utrecht: J. à Waesberge, 1658). 7 Cf. Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, 4:154–56..
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