Abstract of Logic, Book 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of Matter and Form.
Ax. 1. OF the Four Cauſes Two are Internal, Matter and Form; and as many External, Efficient and End.
Ax. 2. Thoſe Cauſes are ſaid to be Internal, which enter the Eſſence of the Cauſed, as Parts.
COMMENTARY.
1. §. Altho' Form be far more noble than Matter, and confer more to the Conſtituting the Cauſed, yet it is not to be doubted but that Matter alſo is part of the Eſſence, and not only a Vehicle or Receiver.
Ax. 3. Matter in Greek foreign is defined to be that out of which inexiſting ſomething is made.
1. §. This Definition is extant Book 2. of the Phyſicks, Cap. 3. and Book 4. of the Metaph. Cap. 2. But it may more Fully and Explicatiouſly be defined in this Manner. Matter is an Internal Cauſe of which any thing is made or conſiſts. Why, I add Conſiſts will be ſufficiently underſtood out of the 9th Theoreme. Matter is alſo defined Book 2. Poſt. Cap. 11. but more obſcurely to be That which, any thing being ſuppoſed, of Neceſſity muſt be ſo too.
2. §. Generally Matter is divided into that out of which, in which, and about which: That out of which is that which is properly ſo called, and we have but now defined; In which, the Subject; about which, the Object; Of which, in their Places.
Ax. 4. The Offices of Matter are two; to take up Forms and ſuſtain them; and with the Form to conſtitute the Compoſed.
Ax. 5. Matter is either Firſt or Second.
Ax. 6. The firſt Matter is informed.
Ax. 7. The Second formed.
1. §. Altho' no Matter may exiſt without Form, yet Becauſe Matter is not altogether nothing, nor the ſame with Form, why may it not by it ſelf be underſtood not underſtanding Form? And this is the firſt Matter, which Ariſtotle Book 1. of the Phyſicks, Cap. 9. defines in this Manner. That is Matter, ſays he, which is the firſt Subject out of which any thing is made: So that it is not in it by Accident; and if it ſhould be ſpoiled it would be into that reſolved at laſt. Nor is it yet to be thought that the Firſt and Second Matter are two ſeveral Matters. Nay, one and the ſame Matter, is ſaid to be firſt and ſecond, as it is this way or that way conſidered.
Ax. 8. Farther, Matter is either of Natural or Artificial Bodies.
1. §. For Example: Elements are the Matter of Mix'd Bodies; Seed of Living; Gold or Silver, of the Cup; Wood of the Shelf, &c.
Ax. 9. And both of theſe either of Compoſition, or Generation.
Ax. 10. The Matter of Compoſition is that of which a thing conſiſts.
Ax. 11. Of Generation, out of which it is made.
1. §. For Example: The Body is the Matter of Compoſition in an Animal; Seed, of Generation. In things of Art the Matter of Generation and Compoſition is almoſt the ſame: as alſo in Meteors. For a Shelf is made and conſiſts of Wood; Clouds of Vapours; Ice of Water, &c. When the Matter of Generation and Compoſition is divers, that is ſaid to be the remote, this the proximate Matter.
2. §. Now Ariſtotle divides Matter alſo, Book 8. of the Met. Cap. 6. into intelligible and ſenſible: And Intelligible is that when in Accidents or other ſimple things the Mind diſtinguiſhes between Material and Formal. So Letters are ſaid to be the Matter of Words, Words of Speech; ſo Precepts of Diſcipline, Method the Form: After this manner are diſtinguiſhed Material and Formal in the Subjects of Diſciplines. Material is the thing it ſelf which is conſidered; Formal the manner of its Confideration: So the Material of Phyſicks is Natural Body; Formal, as Natural.
Ax. 12. Form is defin'd to be that which explains What a thing is; or the Ratio of that by which it is explained, What a thing is; or, laſtly, the Ratio of the Eſſence.
1. §. Form in the Greek is is term'd foreign, or alſo foreign; that is, Species, or foreign; that is, Exemplar; ſometimes alſo foreign; that is, according to Hermolaus Barbarus, its perfect Habitude, or the like. Theſe three all conſpire in the ſame thing, and return to this, viz. That Form is the Internal Cauſe by which a thing is that which it is: For by Matter alſo it exiſts; but by Form it is that which it is; that is, of this or that Species. For Example: That Man exiſts, is no leſs from Matter than Form: But that he is a Man rather than of any other Species of Creatures, is due only to Form.
Ax. 13. The Offices of Form are Two, viz. to inform the Matter, and with ſuch matter to conſtitute the Compoſed.
1. §. And theſe are not ſo much different in the thing it ſelf as in Reaſon: For when Matter of it ſelf informed, and determined, receives Form, it is determined with Form to conſtitute a certain Species of Compoſitum. Both therefore conſtitute the Compoſed; Matter by receiving Form, and Form by determining or Forming Matter, and that by an Union intervening: For without an Union of Form with Matter, the Compoſed is not conſtituted, which brings us to the next Theorem, viz. that,
Ax. 14. Form is four ways divided, and firſt into Material and Immaterial.
Ax. 15. Material Form is that which is produced out of the Power of Matter, or which dependeth upon Matter in that. ſelf ſame Moment and Act, by which it is made.
Ax. 16. Immaterial, which is not produc'd, neither does it depend, &c,
1. §. To be produc'd out of the Power of Matter, is nothing elſe but to be produc'd by an Efficient Cauſe in the Matter; and ſo as that the Matter promotes that Action by its Cauſality. After this Manner are produc'd Material Forms. Forms Immaterial are alſo produc'd by an Efficient Cauſe in the Matter; but the Matter it ſelf does not contribute towards the Action. And this properly is ſaid to create. Material Forms, not only when making, but alſo when made, depend upon Matter Immaterial, neither. Hence is it that thoſe are Corruptible, theſe Incorruptible. All Forms of Natural things, the Humane Soul excepted, are Material, which only is Immaterial.
Ax. 17. Secondly, Form is divided into Subſtantial and Accidental; of which that Conſtitutes the Subſtance, this the Accident in the Concrete.
1. §. For Example: The Subſtantial Form of a Muſician, as he is Man, is the Rational Soul; Accidental, as he is a Muſician, Muſick. In the like Manner the Subſtantial Form of a Statue is, the Form it ſelf abſtractedly of the Marble or Braſs; Accidental, as a Statue, the Figure.
Ax. 18. Thirdly, Form is divided into Natural and Artificial.
Ax. 19. Natural is that, which is of Nature, Artificial of Art.
1. §. For Example: The Soul is the Form Natural of every living thing. The Forms of other Natural things want Names, and therefore are to us almoſt unknown. Figure is the Artificial Form of a Statue, as an Artificial thing; not as a Natural, to wit, Marble or Braſs: For Artificial Forms are Qualities of Natural things, no Formal Cauſes; but yet they are the Formal Cauſes of Artificial things, as Artificial: For Artificials are certain Accidents Concrete with their Subſtances.
Ax. 20. Fourthly and Laſtly. Form is divided into Principal and Diſpoſing.
Ax. 21. The Principal is that which conſtitutes the Species it ſelf.
Ax. 22. Diſponent, which diſpoſes the Matter to an Aptitude for the Reception of the Principal Form.
1. §. The Principal Form is always a Subſtantial Form, diſpoſing either Accidental or Subſtantial. Diſpoſition Accidental is required in all things having a Subſtantial Form; Subſtantial in animated only. For Example: When Wood's burnt, it is firſt made hot and dryed, and after this manner made fit, to receive the Form of Fire. So likewiſe, when a Statue is made out of a Beam or Timber, it is by degrees to be diſpoſed and form'd into the Figure of a Statue. But when an Animal is to be generated of Seed, this Seed not only by its Qualities, but alſo Subſtantial Form is to be diſpoſed and made fit to receive the Soul; which Form in Reſpect of the Seed is a Principal, tho' of the Soul, or Animal, a Diſpoſing, &c.
2. §. Form alſo may be divided into Intelligible and Senſible; but of this enough has been ſaid already in the Doctrine of Matter.