The Art of Logic, Book 1 · Part 5
The Species.
Species, or the special, is an universal thing subjected, or subordinate unto the Genus: and it is,
Perfect. a
Imperfect. b
Perfect is that which is under a perfect Genus.a
The Rules hereof be four.
1 The Species is in Nature after the Genus, & in Knowledge distinct.
2 It ariseth from the determination of the Genus, so as it swalloweth up, as it were, the whole Genus in it self; that whatsoever the Genus hath, it also hath.
3 Perfect Species do equally participate of their Genus, one as well as the other.
4 Perfect Specials be in Nature together. As a Man is not after a Beast in nature, though in time Beasts were first created. So Baptism and the Lords Supper be in Nature together (being alike Species of the Sacrament of the new Testament) though in time Baptism was first.
Imperfect Species, is that which is under an imperfectb Genus.
The Rules hereof be three.
1 Under an imperfect Genus, one Species is more principal than another. So a Substance is the more principal Species of a Thing; An Accident is lesse principal.
2 The principal Species of an imperfect Genus, communicateth as much to the other Species, as doth the Genus it self. So an Accident is as much bound to a Substance, as to a Thing.
3 The principal Species is in Nature and Knowledge before the less principal, for it depends wholly on the principal, and is that which it is, by benefit thereof. This Rule discovereth the Popish Errour, That in the Masse the Accidents of Bread and Wine should remain without the Substance.
Also the Species is either
Subaltern, that is, Species of one, and Genus of another.
Most special, or lowest Species, never Genus.
The Rules hereof be two.
1 The lowest Species cannot be divided by opposite differences.
2 It may be conserved in one Individuum.
Hitherto of the direct degree Primary. Now followethThe Individuum. the Secondary, or Individuum.
An Individuum or singular thing, foreign, is that which under the generals and specials is determined unto certain circumstances of Existence.
The Rules hereof be four.
1 The note of on Individuum is sometime more strict, sometime more large. The word whereby an Individuum …s signified, is sometime single, sometime compound.
Single, as proper names, as Christ, Abraham, Peter, &c. or … …f proper, as the Apostle, meaning Paul; the Philo… meaning Aristotle.
1 Compounds be either *foreign.Demonstrative, as this Man, that Woman, &c. O… uttered by commune names †foreign., as a certain man, or the Saviour of the world, the Virgins Son, meaning Christ: the enemy of Mankind, i. e. Satan. These some call Individua vaga, and Individua vaga ex hypothesi.
2 Singulars, or Individua, as they are the secondary object of Logick, so also they cannot perfectly be defined; neither of themselves, as they be singulars, are they considered in disciplines: [for they belong to sense, as to be seen, felt, &c.] whereas universall things, appertain to reason; and as sense properly perceives not universal things, so neither doth reason singular things, viz. as they are sensible: nor so excellently as universals.
3 Singulars primarily and by themselves, do exist work, and are perceived, [*foreign. Essence is of universals. †foreign.Existence is of singulars:] for hereto is required the Termination of some certain time and place, which is not in universals.
4 Singulars are incommunicable; for they having a most restrained Nature, have no inferiours to communicate with.
An Individuum is either,
Accidental. a
Substantial. b
1 Accidental is, which is under the order of Accidents; [as Accidents have their Predicaments, so also their Genus, Species, singulars] So an habit is the Genus of Faith. Faith is the Species; but Abrahams faith, the Centurions faith, &c. are singulars, or Individua.
Substantial is that which is under the order of Substance.
And isb m n
Absolute. m
With Addition. n
Absolute, which is looked on absolutely.
With Adjection, is a person, which is the first substance intelligent, incommunicable, not part of another, nor sustained by another.
Some singulars be called indirect, as are the names of Cities, Rivers, Mountains, &c.
Note these Properties, A Person must he 1 A Substance; so no Accident is a Person: It is 2 The first Substance, or a singular thing; so no Universall is a Person. It must have 3 Understanding; so no particular Beast, as Balaams Asse, is a Person. It is 4 Not part of another; so a mans soul is not a Person. It is not 5 Sustained by another, so Christs humane Nature is not a Person. It is 6 Not communicable; so the divine Essence is not a Person, for it is communicated with the Father, Son, and holy Ghost.
We have seen the direct degrees; now follow the Collateral,b b or sidelong, which is called Difference.
Difference is here taken in a strict and peculiar signification,The Difference. only for the determination and restraining of the universal and indifferent Nature, in the Predicamental order, and not for every distinction and diversity of things, whereof we treat hereafter. And thus Difference pertaineth to the degrees of Order, not as constituting or informing, but as binding and knitting, not as causing any thing properly, but as determining and tying together the universal in the Predicamental line.
The Difference is that which restraineth and determineth the Genus in the Species.
The Rules hereof are eight.
1 The Difference respecteth the general and the special in a divers respect: the general as determinable; the special as determinated.
2 The Difference, as it is a difference, never noteth a thing compleat and separate, but alwayes incompleat.
3 The Difference is after the general, and before the special, yet is it in the general indeterminately, or in *foreign.power.
Universals are like a long rope, loose without knot: difference is like a knot; the special is as a rope tied with a knot. The knot is after the loose rope, but before the knit rope: and the knot which in power was in the loose rope, is in act in the tied rope. A rope with knots differeth not really from a rope which hath not knots: so the Species restrained by difference, differeth not really from the Genus.
4 Every Difference inferreth his proper and certain Genus. Therefore differences should not be transferred from Genus to Genus.
5 The Difference that is to determine the general, must needs be opposite *foreign.; for difference restraineth not the Genus, but by a kind of opposition and se junction of the Species.
6 Every Difference is inseparable from his Species.
7 The Difference is not varied by degrees.
8 The Difference is apt to be avouched (praedicari) of his Genus, but in the Concrete, or in quale. For no difference sheweth what a thing is, but of what manner it is: As if one ask, What manner of living creature is a man: The answer is, A reasonable, living creature: so that the difference is not so much spoken of the Species, Man, as of the Genus, Living Creature, or Animal; for it maketh the Genus to differ, and determineth it.
Difference is either,
Far off.
Nearest.
Far off, is that which is not reciprocate with his Species, called Generica.
Nearest, is that which is equal with his Species: It is cal-Specifica.
As sensible maketh a man differ from a stone, in a far difference; for other Species, as Beasts, have the same difference, but reasonable is the nearest, whereby he differeth from a stone, beasts, and all other things.
Hitherto hath been handled, 1 The manner how things are received into Predicamental Order. And 2 The degrees of the Order. Now follow, 3 The particular Orders,Predicaments. foreign. or Predicaments themselves.
There be ten Predicaments, or Orders, and of them,
Some principal.
Some lesse principal.
The principal are, in which things first and properly so called, are disposed and ordered: and they be the first six.
And these be either,
Of Substance. a
Of Accidents. b
1 The Predicament or orderly row of substance, is thatSubstance. foreign. where in the substance is orderly disposed by his Generals and Specials.
A Substance is a thing subsisting by it self.a
The Rules or properties whereof be three.
1 A substance, as it is a substance, is not contrary to another; but as it hath accidents or qualities, it is contrary, as Fire and Water, Sheep and Wolves, &c. be contrary in quality and temperature.
2 A substance, as it is a substance, is not varied by degrees, or receiveth not more or lesse; but the variance or comparison is in respect of accidents, as a Wise man, and a Fool, an Old man, and a Child, one water hotter than another: these differ in qualities, not in substance.
3 A substance remaining one in number, may receive into it contrary accidents. As water may be now seething hot, anon frozen cold.