XII.] THEOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 305 



Again, he quotes with approval St. Augustin's assertion 

 that the kinds were created only derivatively, " potentialiter 

 tantum" l 



Also he says, " In prima autem reruni institutione fuit 

 principium activum verbum Dei, quod de materia ele- 

 mentari produxit animalia, vel in actu vel virtute, seeundum 

 Aug. lib. 5 de Gen. ad lit. c. 5." 2 



Speaking of " kinds " (in scholastic phraseology " sub- 

 stantial forms ") latent in matter, he says : " Quas quidam 

 posuerunt non incipere per actionem naturse sed prius in 

 materia exstitisse, ponentes latitationem formarum. Et 

 hoc accidit eis ex ignorantia materise, quia nesciebant dis- 

 tinguere inter potentiam et actum. Quia enim formse 

 prseexistunt eas simpliciter prseexistere." 3 



Also Cornelius a Lapide 4 contends that at least certain 

 animals were not absolutely, but only derivatively created, 

 saying of them, "Non fuerunt creata formaliter, sed 

 potentialiter." 



As to Suarez, it will be enough to refer to Disp. xv. 

 2, n. 9, p. 508, t. i., edition Vwes, Paris ; also Nos. 13 15. 

 Many other references to the same effect could easily be 

 given, but these may suffice. 



It is then evident that ancient and most venerable 

 theological authorities distinctly assert derivative creation, 

 and thus their teachings harmonize with all that modern 

 science can possibly require. 



It may indeed truly be said with Roger Bacon: "The 

 saints never condemned many an opinion which the 

 moderns think ought to be condemned." 5 



1 Primse Partis, vol. ii., quest. 74, art. 2. 2 Lib. cit., quest. 71, art. 1. 

 3 Lib. cit., quest. 45, art. 8. 4 Vide In Genesim Comment, cap. i. 



5 Roger Bacon, Opus tertium, c. ix. p. 27, quoted in the Rambler for 

 1859, vol. xii. p. 375. 



X 



