PROPOSITION CLV.

The actual causality of the Material Cause, considered in relation to the generating change, is simply and exclusively passive generation. It is immediately such in respect of the generating motion itself; mediately such, relatively to the educing of the form, the uniting of form and Matter, as well as the producing of the composite.

I. THE FIRST MEMBER of this Proposition, in which it is declared that the actual causality of the Material Cause, considered in relation to the generating change, is simply and exclusively passive generation, is thus proved. Of the four opinions enumerated all have been eliminated, not without reason, save one; and that one is untenable in the instance of the generating change. But no other hypothesis besides these four has been proposed, or can be conceived, save that which is offered in the present Proposition. Therefore, this last is established by process of exhaustion. The proof of that part of the Major, in which it is asserted, that material causality, in relation to generative motion, cannot be a real mode really distinct from the entity of Matter, will appear more appropriately under the second Member. If any one should wish to assail the Minor, let him bring forward a new hypothesis that will bear the light. This first Member is further proved from the nature of Primordial Matter. In order that a generative motion may be practically or physically possible, nothing else is requisite save a Subject proximately and immediately disposed to receive the motion. But Primordial Matter, in and by itself, is proximately and immediately disposed to receive the motion. Therefore, etc. The Minor is declared. Because Matter is a subjective potentiality, it includes two things; viz. an imperfect entity and, because imperfect in itself, a receptivity of act or form. But these two elements are sufficient, in and by themselves, to receive the generating motion. Therefore, etc. The Minor is declared. An entity of some sort is required for all motion: You have it. But the motion is generative; that is to say, it embraces a substantial form as its proximate term. In Matter there is a receptivity which is naturally expectant of a substantial form as the essential condition of its existence. In a word, there is no need of any medium; since it is of the essence of Matter to be passively receptive of a generative

motion, terminating in a substantial form which it naturally desires. as the condition of its own existence.

II. THE SECOND MEMBER, in which it is affirmed that the actual causality of Matter, relatively to the generative action, is immediately passive generation, is thus proved. The actual causality of Matter, relatively to active generation, cannot be the entity itself of Matter or any predicamental relation for reasons already alleged. It cannot be the effect, properly so called; not only because, as has been urged before, causality is something mediate between the cause and the effect, but likewise because generation is not properly speaking an effect, but the road or passage to an effect. Can it, then, be a real mode really distinct from Matter; that is to say, a real modification of Primordial Matter, rendering the latter proximately susceptive of the generating motion and really intervening between the receiving and the imparting of that motion? The answer must be in the negative; and this for the following reasons. First of all, such a mode is superfluous. For, in like manner as the actual causality of the generating agent is immediately its action emanating from itself into the Subject; so, the passive reception of such action in the Material Cause, or the intrinsic passive concurrence of Matter with the generative change, (in other words, passive generation), is itself the causality of Matter, and is equally sufficient without any addition. Again: In the same way as the result of causation is caused, so does the cause cause; for causation essentially includes a parallel relation to its principiant and its term, as to the one causing, the other caused. But passive generation, as a result, is caused by Matter immediately and of itself; since it is essentially, intrinsically, exclusively, dependent upon Matter. Therefore, Matter, as actually causing the generative motion by sustaining it, causes it immediately and of itself. This reasoning is further confirmed, if we attentively examine into the nature of material causality. For what is really meant by saying that Matter causes generation? It means nothing more or less than this; that Matter sustains the generative motion as the Subject in which it is naturally produced,-so necessarily, that not even Infinite Power could preserve it in a state of separation from Matter. Is it not obvious, then, that the Material Cause must sustain it immediately and of itself? For if a real mode, really distinct from Matter, should intervene; it surely would not be impossible to the Divine Omnipotence to preserve the

generative action apart from the Matter.

cause.

Lastly, if material causality were some real mode added to the Matter; such mode must be added by something, that is to say, it must have an efficient If so; the efficient cause must be either the efficient cause, or natural agent, of generation, or it must be the educed form, or finally the Primordial Matter. But it cannot be any one of the three. Therefore, etc. The Minor is proved, part by part. First of all, it cannot be the natural agent of generation. For the natural agent of generation acts by its substantial or accidental form towards the production of a naturally constituted effect. It, therefore, efficiently concurs only towards the introduction or eduction. of the new form; according to the old adage, that Like begets like. It might possibly be urged that, though such a mode could not be the formal term, even partially, of the generating agent; yet that it might result, as it were parenthetically, from the formal action of the agent, in some such manner as heat is generated by chemical union or resolution. But against this there recurs the fact, that Matter does not stand in need of this mode; since, as we have seen, it is quite sufficient for its own essential causality. Besides, this resultant of a mode either precedes, in order of nature, the formal action of the generating agent or is simultaneous with it. If the resultant precedes, it must have been directly caused by a distinct action of the agent; which is against the hypothesis. If the resultant be simultaneous, in order of nature, with the generating action of the agent in Matter, it is difficult,-nay, impossible,— to understand how it could be a modal preparation of the Matter for the reception of that action; the more so, that the resultant of an action, in order of nature, presupposes the action. But the action must, from the necessity of the case, be in the Matter; therefore, the causality of Matter, that is to say, passive generation, would already in order of nature have become actual, prior to the constitution of the mode. Secondly, it cannot be the educed form; for, in such hypothesis, the form would cause the causality by which itself is caused. It cannot, in the last place, be the Matter, or Material Cause, itself; because then Matter would be the cause of its own causality, and would be able to produce a mode in order to effect that of which it was incapable itself. Besides, such a solution involves another metaphysical impossibility; seeing that Primordial Matter is exclusively a passive potentiality. Hence it may safely be concluded, that passive generation is itself by itself that which

constitutes the causality of the Material Cause in the generative change; whereas, in the effects properly so called of that cause in the generative change, passive generation is the medium, so to say, of material causality. This brings us to the third Member.

III. THE THIRD MEMBER, wherein it is contended that, relatively to the educing of the form, the uniting of the latter with Matter, and the producing of the composite, passive generation becomes mediately the actual causality, or causal principle, of the Material Cause, is thus declared. The generative movement, received in and sustained by the Matter, causes the educing of the form out of the potentiality. of the Matter, and consequently causes the uniting of the form with the Matter from whose bosom the former is evolved. But this uniting is the producing of the composite. In truth, these three effects are partial concepts of that which is physically one effect; although they are metaphysically real and metaphysically distinct. Matter, then, by its generative movement received concurs in the production of these three effects; but differently. For in the educing of the form and in the uniting with its form its concurrence is extrinsic; whereas, in the production of the composite its causality is intrinsic.

PROPOSITION CLVI.

The causality of the Material Cause, considered in relation to the completed union of form and Matter as well as to the composite in its perfected constitution, is its sustenance of the form as informing.

It is not necessary to consider the two Members of the present Proposition separately; for it is generally admitted, and in itself is sufficiently plain, that the union of form and Matter in facto esse and the production of the composite in facto esse are physically one and the same thing; and are metaphysically distinct, only because of the diversity of habitude or relation referred to above, in which Matter respectively stands to the one and the other. The Proposition, therefore, as a whole, is thus declared.

Since Matter is a potentiality and exclusively such; its entire causality must regard its act. Further: Since its potentiality is purely passive; its causality must be purely passive in relation to its act. Therefore, it can only be that of a Subject on which the form or act depends and by which it is sustained. But it is not always necessary that the form should depend on, or be sustained

by Matter, in regard of its existence. This we know from the instance of the human soul. Consequently, it depends on, and is sustained by Matter, in its capacity of an informing form. Yet again: Form and Matter have a mutual relation to each other, being causes each to the other; as will be afterwards explained. This causal relation, moreover, is prior in order of nature to the respective relation of the two to the composite. But the causal relation of the Matter to the form is precisely that of sustaining the form as an informing form. Lastly; according to its definition, the Material Cause is the primary Subject. Therefore, its causality is its subjection; and its subjection, as is obvious, is to the substantial form. But it is so subjected; inasmuch as it sustains that form in quality of form.

DIFFICULTIES.

I. The formal causality of the Material Cause consists in this, that it is the potential component of the composite. For it is one of the properties of the Material Cause, that its causality is intrinsic. But, if it consisted in the sustentation of the form as informing, it would be extrinsic, not intrinsic.

ANSWER. It must be observed, first of all, that the Material Cause is denominated intrinsic, relatively to its adequate effect; but the question now is as to the formal nature of the causality by which that effect is produced. Then again, it is by one and the same subjection that Matter sustains the informing form and helps to constitute the composite. Lastly: Matter, as subject of the informing form, is an intrinsic cause. For, seeing that the informing form, as actually informing, informs Matter; Matter intrinsically enters into the union.

II. The adequate effect of Material causality is the composite, according to the doctrine delivered in this Chapter. But the causality of Matter in the composite is to be its potential part, or receptive component; not, formally at least, the sustentation of the form. Therefore, etc.

ANSWER. It is readily granted, that the composite substance is the principal and adequate effect of the Material Cause; but the union of Matter with its form is the proximate and, as it were, formal effect, because by virtue of such union the composite is ipso facto constituted. But the causality of Matter in such union