Abstract of Logic, Book 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of Cauſe and Cauſed in general.
Ax. 1. A Cauſe is that by the Force of which a thing comes to paſs.
COMMENTARY.
1. §. Principle, Element and Cauſe, are Words that are ally'd in Signification. Principle is either largely taken, or ſtrictly. Largely, it is defined Book 4. Of the Metaphyſicks, Cap. 1. to be the Firſt from whence any thing is, or exiſts, or is known. More ſtrictly Book 4. Of the Phyſicks, Cap. 5. where Principles are defined to be thoſe things which are neither from one another, nor others, and of, and from which are all things. In this Senſe there are only reckon'd Three, viz. Matter, Form, and Privation. The Definition of Element is Extant Book 4. Of the Metaphyſicks, Cap. 3. and is thus. An Element is that our of which any thing at the firſt is compounded, in which it is, and which in its own Species is indiviſible into any other Species.
2. §. Cauſe is here ſaid to be that by which a thing is, that is, which confers ſomewhat towards the things Exiſtence; and therefore Privation cannot be a Cauſe; becauſe it confers Nothing but only towards its Mutation.
Ax. 2. A Cauſed is that which is conſtituted of its Cauſes.
Ax. 3. The Cauſe is before its Cauſed, both in Nature and Knowledge.
1. §. In Nature, becauſe the Cauſed depends upon the Cauſe. Knowledge, that is, ſimply and diſtinct Knowledge, which follows the Order of Nature: For to us the Cauſe is more known than it; becauſe nearer to the Senſes: For from the Senſes do we derive all our Senſible Knowledge.
Ax. 4. The Cauſes are Four, viz. Matter, Form; Efficient and End.
1. §. This Partition is extant Book 2. Of the Poſt. Cap. 2. Book 2. Of the Phyſicks, Cap. 3. and Book 4. Cap. 2. And is built upon the beſt Reaſon. For whatever is made, is made by another: For nothing is made by its ſelf. There is therefore an Efficient Cauſe. Nothing finite can produce any thing out of nothing. There is therefore Matter out of which things are to be made, and Form which is introduc'd upon that Matter, when things are made. Nothing laſtly, acts without Deſign: there is therefore an End for whoſe ſake the Cauſe Efficient acts.
Ax. 5. The Cauſed of Matter and Form is call'd the Compoſed; of the Efficient, the Effect; of the End, the Means or Deſigned: and theſe differ not in Reality but Reaſon.
1 §. And ſince to the Conſtitution of the Cauſed, Four Cauſes concur) as in all Corporeal things there do) it ought not to ſeem ſtrange that one and the ſame thing ſhould be called Compoſed, Effect, Means, &c. according as it is compared with divers Cauſes.
Ax. 6. In every Genus there is a certain Subordination of Cauſes.
Ax. 7. Subordinate are thoſe that depend one upon another.
1. §. To wit, either as to their Exiſtence, and ſo the Son upon the Father, the Father upon the Grandfather: or Cauſality; and ſo the Quill upon the Hand in Writing: or both; and ſo the Second Cauſes upon the Firſt; or Creatures upon God.
Ax. 8. Cauſes likewiſe are ſaid either to be Eſſentially or Accidentally ſubordinated.
Ax. 9. Eſſentially are thoſe of which one depends upon another, when, and in as much as it cauſes.
Ax. 10. Accidentally, Of which one indeed depends upon another, but not when, or in as much as it cauſes.
1. §. And ſo a Cauſe is ſaid to be two Ways ſubordinated by Accident; Firſt, when it depends indeed upon a ſuperiour Cauſe; but not when that is when it Cauſes; and this is Effected, when it depends upon it for Exiſtence, and not Cauſality. After this manner depends the Father upon his Anceſtors in the begetting of his Son, and every near Cauſe upon the more remote. Secondly, when it alſo depends upon a Superiour Cauſe when it cauſes, or for its Cauſality; but not for as much as it cauſes, or not in the ſame manner after which it cauſes. In this manner the Statuary is ſubordinate to the Heavens in the making of the Statue: For becauſe the Statuary ſtands in need of the Virtue of the Heavens towards his Work, he may be ſaid to depend upon the Heavens in Reſpect of his Cauſality; but becauſe not as he makes the Statue, but as he lives. He is ſaid to depend upon the Heavens by Accident, and to be Accidentally ſubordinated to them in the making of the Statue. In the ſame manner the Horſe ſpurr'd on by his Rider, hurting his Leg, halts. The hurt Leg is the Cauſe of his Halting, ſubordinated to the Rader by Accident: For the Leg or Horſe is impell'd on by the Rider to Motion, but not to a vitious Motion, &c.
Ax. 11. In ſuch a Subordination there is ever one next Cauſe, the reſt are remote.
Ax. 12. The next Cauſe is that which immediately conſtitutes the Cauſed.
Ax. 13. Remote, that which concurs to the Conſtitution of the Cauſed by the Mediation of ſome other Cauſe of its own Genus.
1. §. A Cauſe is ſaid to be next, two Ways, either in its own Genus, or abſolutely. That is ſaid to be abſolutely next; which not only immediately, but by its own Exiſtence conſtitutes the Cauſed: And ſo, that it being ſuppoſed, it is neceſſary the Cauſed be ſo too. The next Cauſe in its Genus we have already defined, and have ſaid it immediately concurs towards the Conſtitution of the Cauſed; no other of its own Order coming between. One thing may have many Cauſes in their own Genus next; but one only that is abſolutely next; which in Subſtances is Form, Accidents, Efficient and End. So whereas to Man the Proximate Matter is Humane Body; Efficient, Father; End, Well-being; Form, Rational Soul; the Rational Soul yet only is the next abſolute Cauſe.
Ax. 14. Laſtly, In every Genus there are ſome Cauſes Total, ſome Partial.
Ax. 15. That Cauſe is total, which in its Species wholly cauſes the Whole Cauſed.
Ax. 16. That Partial which joyned with the other Cauſes of its own Species cauſes the Cauſed only in Part.
1. §. In every Genus of Cauſes there are many Species's of Cauſe, and thoſe either Subordinate, as Cauſe Firſt and Second, Next and Remote, Principal and Inſtrumental, or Coordinate, of which one depends not upon another. A Total Cauſe is ſaid wholly to conſtitute the Cauſed; becauſe not aſſiſted by other Cauſes of its own Species. For Example: The Writing depends upon the Quill and the Hand; but upon both as total Cauſes: For the Quill is only or wholly the Inſtrumental, and the Hand the Principal Cauſe: So likewiſe when God, the Sun, and Man are ſaid to Generate Man, every one of theſe Cauſes is Total: God is the Firſt, the Sun or Heaven is the total Univerſal, Man the total Second and Particular: But when two Horſes draw in a Cart they are ſaid to be partial Cauſes; becauſe they are both of the ſame Species, which brings us to the next Axiom, viz.
Ax. 17. Of One thing there cannot be many total Cauſes of the ſame Species; but there may be many different in Species and Subordinate.
1. §. If many Cauſes, not Subordinate do concur to the ſame Cauſed, of neceſſity they muſt be Partial: For the total Cauſe cauſes the whole thing: Wherefore if there are many total Cauſes, either the reſt cauſe Nothing, and ſo are not Cauſes; or elſe cauſe again what was caus'd before: But if Cauſes different in Species, are Subordinate, it may ſo be, that the ſame Cauſed may depend upon many Cauſes total: So the whole Writing depends on the Hand and the Quill; and the whole Man upon God, and the Sun, and his Parents.