Ordained and Absolute Power

From Oberman's Harvest of Medieval Theology

The potentia ordinata and absoluta should not be seen as two different ways of divine acting, since all of God's works ad extra are united (Oberman 37).  God does things according to the laws he has established, potentia ordinata.  However, he can do everything that does not imply a contradiction, potentia absoluta.

de potentia ordinata:  necessity of the consequence; relates to the contingent order.  Since this is not a logical absolute, this means humans cannot predict what predestination per the contingent order will do, since it is contingent (this is a huge point in later Reformed Scholastics).

de potentia absoluta:  this does not mean that God can do anything he wants.  It means he can do anything that doesn't imply a logical contradiction.  This distinction allowed scholastics to speak of miracles in the created order without the later Humean charge of a violation of natural law.

Is this the best way to speak?  Probably not, but it does allow for helpful distinctions.  Later on it would be abused.

Reformed Scholastic Eschatology

Summarized from Richard Muller's Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms.

I suppose as good a starting point as any would be the dius novissimus, the last day, the adventus Christi.  Here the Reformed Scholastics (excepting men like William Twisse) would also place the resurrection and Last Judgment.  As a historic premillennialist myself, I would have a few questions, but moving on...

While speculation of the last times is fruitless, the Bible does urge the wise steward to be ready, which implies some awareness of the times.  Thus, the Reformed Scholastics would speak of the signa dei novissimi, signs of the last day.  These signs can be further delineated:

• signa remota:  opening of the first six of the seven seals of Revelation 6:1-17: wars, famine, conflicts, pestilence, earthquakes.
• signa propinqua:  signs nearer the end; the Great Apostasy; worldliness in the church.  Covenanted church members forsaking the church as the center of the kingdom.
• signa propinquiora:  political unrest; regathering the nation of Israel; increased lawlessness.
• signa proxima:  political disruption from the full manifestation of the Beast (Revelation 13-17); fulfillment of mission to the gentiles.

A note on Antichrist

Antichristus:  arises from within the church and is against the church.

1.  he will sit in templo Dei
2. he will rule as head of the church
3. he will exalt himself above the True God
4. He will cause many to fall away from the church.
5. He will have "lying wonders."