Synopsis of Polanus’ Syntagma (10)

Wow, this is getting quite technical now.  The linguistic resources that I have at my disposal aren’t helping me much with some of the key vocabulary.  I have Muller’s dictionary of Latin and Greek theological terms on order, but haven’t received it yet.  I think that would probably help a lot.  Some of this I’m just guessing at and so I think here’s where I throw in the towel and admit that this is getting way over my ability.  Anyway, here’s the next part of Book V and if anyone has any suggestions on improving the translation, please let me know.

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The efficient cause of humanity can be considered thus:  whether you look at the first humans, or at their posterity.

The efficient cause of humanity is first the primitive (principalis), and then the handmaid (administra).

The handmaid, if you look at the body, is first remote, then near, then in the middle.

The material of humanity is first remote, then near.

The near materials are the parts of the body, the humors, and the spirit.

The internal and substantial form of a human being is his soul.

The soul of a human is to be observed thus:  definition, origin, purpose, power, and so on.

The origin of the soul includes the efficient cause of the soul, material, time, and place.

The purpose (finis) of the human soul is either natural or supernatural.

The powers of the human soul are three:  quickening, sensitizing, and intellectual.

The sensitizing powers are two:  apprehensions and motives.

The force of apprehensions includes external senses and then internal senses.

The external senses are: vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch.

The internal senses are:  common sense, imagination, and memory.

The different frames of mind are:  wakefulness, sleep, and dreaming.

Dreams are either natural (physica) or supernatural (hyperphysica).

The force of motives of the sensitivities is threefold:  vital, enjoining, and accompanying.

The force of the vital is distinguished in pulsatricem & respiratricem (?).

The force of the enjoining motives is two-fold:  sensitized longings and states of mind (affectus).

The sensitized longings are of two parts:  desires and irascibility.

All of the states of mind are under two heads:  enjoyment and pain.

The intellectual powers are two-fold:  driving (agens) and bearing (patiens).

The driving intellect is two-fold:  theoretical and practical.

Again, the intellect is either simple or composite.

The composite is either noetic or dianoetic.

The intellect which has been placed in the human by God is right reason and conscience.

The standard natural principles of right reason are two-fold:  theoretical and practical.

Thus far regarding the intellect.

Synopsis of Polanus’ Syntagma (9)

We’re continuing here with Book V and the doctrine of creation:

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The internal principles of natural visible bodies are either of their establishment or of their change.

The principles of establishment are two:  material and formal.

The principle of change is privation.

The properties of natural bodies are:  space and time, limits and motion.

The elements are four-fold:  fire, air, water, earth.

The work of the second day is expansion, distinguishing the greater waters from the lesser waters.

The works of the the third day are:  separating the lesser waters from the earth, and the creation of plants of all types.

The works of the fourth day are:  the stars or luminaries.

The luminaries of heaven are first either the major ones or the minor ones.

The major luminaries are the sun and the moon.

Then the [minor] luminaries of heaven are either planets or stars.

The works of the fifth day are swimming and flying animals.

The swimming animals are first the fish and then the zoophytes.

The flying animals are first the birds and then the winged insects.

The works of the sixth day are the terrestrial animals and man.

The terrestrial animals are the cattle, reptiles and wild beasts.

Human beings are to be considered with regards to:  name, efficient cause, material, form, purpose, the things added, and so on.

Synopsis of Polanus’ Syntagma (8)

Somebody reminded me the other day that 2010 is the 400th anniversary of the death of Amandus Polanus.  Too bad nobody seems to be planning a Polanus-palooza.  All the world’s Polanus scholars could gather together in Basel and have a great time, all two or three of them.  But seriously, I do think Polanus deserves more attention.  I’m doing my part by continuing this translation of the synopsis of his Syntagma.   We’re at Book V and this is a long one.  Thankfully, he does divide it up into more manageable chunks.  Today’s part deals with creation in general and the angels in particular.

Polanus speaks of the image of God in the angels.  I have not read his full discussion of this in the book — I imagine that he works this out in considerable depth there.  Last week, I mentioned Herman Bavinck and his interactions with Polanus in his Reformed Dogmatics.  Bavinck also discusses this point and cites Polanus.  He does so in a footnote to this statement:  “But Lutheran and Reformed theologians also often have lost sight of this distinction between humans and angels, and called the angels ‘image-bearers of God.’”  Bavinck goes on:

Only a handful, such as Theodoret, Macarius, Methodius, Tertullian (et al.) opposed this confusion.  Augustine expressly states, “God gave to no other creature than man the privilege of being after his own image.”

However great the resemblance between humans and angels may be, the difference is no less great.  Indeed, various traits belonging to the image of God do exist in angels, but humanity alone is the image of God.  (Vol. 2, 461)

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Book V

The external works of God are two:  Creation and Providence.

Creation is considered in the following ways:  efficient cause, material, formal, purpose, effects, etc.

The efficient cause of creation is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The material cause of creation is found with the Will, the Goodness, the Wisdom, and the Power of God.

The form of creation is either with regards to the things all creatures have in common, or those things which are proper [or unique] to them.

The proper is either worked from nothing, or formed [from existing matter].

The formation is either making (factura) or forming (figuratio).

The purpose of creation is two-fold:  the ultimate and penultimate.

The penultimate end is in our use in teaching, rebuking, censuring, instructing and comforting.

The effects of creation on the creature are considered either jointly or in its parts.

Jointly, the creation is comprehended in the name ‘world.’  It is considered with regards to efficient cause, material, formation, end, and the things added.

The material of the world is either that from which it was created, or from which it was constituted after creation.

The form of the world is sometimes the world taken together, other times separately.

The form of the world taken together is first internal, then external.

The purpose or goal (finis) of the world is either universal or particular.

The creation considered in its parts is distinguished by way of the days on which they were produced.

The works of the first day were:  heaven and the angels; the internal principles of natural bodies, with their inseparable appearances (accidentibus), space, time, finity, motion; the primal light, and thus the element of fire separated from the other elements; night and day.

Heaven is both the highest and then the starry sort.

The angels are considered either in general or individually.

Generally, the angels are considered in the following way:  1. They are.  2.  They are substantial beings.  3.  Spirit.  4.  Created.  5.  Created in the image of God.  6.  Incommunicable.  6.  Some did not remain upright.  8.  They are not parts of one another.

The image of God in the angels is of two parts:  first it is in the very incorporeal substance of angels.  Second, it is in their excellent properties.

Their properties are:  life & immortality, blessedness & glory.

The life of the angels is either natural or supernatural.

The immortality of the angels is either natural or supernatural.

The blessedness of the angels consists in their wisdom & will, power & freedom.

The wisdom of the angels is observed in their submission, manners, and variety.

The angels individually considered are either good or evil.

In good angels, the name and the substance are to be considered.

The names of the angels are general and proper.

The good angels have a two fold office:  either the works for God or the works for human beings.

The works for human beings are again two-fold:  either dispensing the favour of God and ministering to those who have been chosen to eternal life; or carrying out the judgments of God on human beings.

The judgments of God are carried both in this life and after this life.

The things to be noted of the evil angels:  malice, intelligence, free-will, power, rank.

Thus far with regards to the angels.  What follows concerns the internal principles of natural bodies.

The Synopsis of Polanus’ Syntagma (7)

Book IV

The works of God, first, are either personal or essential.

The personal works of God are generally of two sorts:  some are simply personal, others in a certain manner.

Second, the works of God are either internal or external.

In like manner, some of the internal works of God are personal, others essential.

The essential internal works of God are the eternal counsel and the Decree of God.

The parts of the decree of God are two:  all things which were predetermined for the future, & the ordination first of an end and then the means and circumstances.

The eternal decree of God is first either of the good pleasure of God or of the sign.

The decree of the sign is either prescriptive or permissive.

Second, the decree of God is either general or special.

The special decree is the predestination of rational creatures both to a certain end, then also to the means by which they are led to that end.

And it is both election and reprobation.

Election is of Christ, and then also of the members of Christ.

Election of the members of Christ is of the blessed Angels, then of people who have been redeemed in eternity.

Election of people has these parts:  the designation of people to eternal salvation, & the preparation of the means through which people are led to salvation.

Reprobation has two parts or actions:  first comes the designation of the reprobate to eternal death.  Later comes the designation of the means of carrying out the decree of reprobation.

Eternal reprobation is both of the devil and then of the members of the devil.

The reprobation of the members of the devil is both of the evil angels, and then of the people who are to be damned.

Thus far the internal works of God.  What follows are the external.

The Synopsis of Polanus’ Syntagma (6)

The synopsis of Book III is short and deals with the Trinity and the divine persons.  However, don’t let the length of the synopsis fool you.  The actual discussion in the main text is 38 pages.  Those pages are packed full of theological meat and potatoes.

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Book III

The persons of the Deity are three in number:  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The divine persons are everywhere considered either communally or singularly.

Singularly,  they are considered either absolutely or relatively.

Relatively, insofar as they have respect either to essence or to the other persons.

The persons compared to the other persons are considered both in regards to communion and in regards to their distinctives.

The persons are distinguished accorded to source (originem), order and their operations.

The distinction of the persons according to their operations is two-fold:  either with regards to the mode of operation in essence, or with regards to personal operation.

Thus far with regards to the essence of God.  What follows concerns his works.