The difference that is in the intelligible world ever produces matter;
for, in that world, it is the difference that is the principle of
matter, as well as of primary motion. That is why the latter is also
called difference, because difference and primary motion were born
simultaneously.[286]
The movement and difference, that proceed from the First (the Good),
are indeterminate, and need it, to be determinate. Now they determine
each other when they turn towards it. Formerly, matter was as
indeterminate as difference; it was not good because it was not yet
illuminated by the radiance of the First. Since the First is the source
of all light, the object that receives light from the First does not
always possess light; this object differs from light, and possesses
light as something alien, because it derives light from some other
source. That is the nature of matter as contained in intelligible
(entities). Perhaps this treatment of the subject is longer than
necessary.
SUBSTRATE IS DEMANDED BY TRANSFORMATION OF ELEMENTS, BY THEIR
DESTRUCTION AND DISSOLUTION.
6. Now let us speak of bodies. The mutual transformation of elements
demonstrates that they must have a substrate. Their transformation is
not a complete destruction; otherwise (a general) "being"[287] would
perish in nonentity. Whereas, what is begotten would have passed
from absolute nonentity to essence; and all change is no more than
the passing of one form into another (as thought Aristotle).[288] It
presupposes the existence of permanent (subject) which would receive
the form of begotten things only after having lost the earlier form.
This is demonstrated by destruction, which affects only something
composite; therefore every dissolved object must have been a composite.
Dissolution proves it also. For instance, where a vase is dissolved,
the result is gold; on being dissolved, gold leaves water; and so
analogy would suggest that the dissolution of water would result in
something else, that is analogous to its nature. Finally, elements
necessarily are either form, or primary matter, or the composites
of form and matter. However, they cannot be form, because, without
matter, they could not possess either mass nor magnitude. Nor can
they be primary matter, because they are subject to destruction. They
must therefore be composites of form and matter; form constituting
their shape and quality, and matter a substrate that is indeterminate,
because it is not a form.