第88章

Andwhereasmendivideabodyintheirthought，bynumberingpartsofit，andinnumberingthoseparts，numberalsothepartsoftheplaceitfilled；itcannotbebutinmakingmanyparts，wemakealsomanyplacesofthoseparts；wherebytherecannotbeconceivedinthemindofanymanmoreorfewerpartsthanthereareplacesfor：yettheywillhaveusbelievethatbytheAlmightypowerofGod，onebodymaybeatoneandthesametimeinmanyplaces；andmanybodiesatoneandthesametimeinoneplace；asifitwereanacknowledgementoftheDivinePowertosay，thatwhichis，isnot；

orthatwhichhasbeen，hasnotbeen。Andthesearebutasmallpartoftheincongruitiestheyareforcedto，fromtheirdisputingphilosophically，insteadofadmiringandadoringofthedivineandincomprehensibleNature；whoseattributescannotsignifywhatHeis，butoughttosignifyourdesiretohonourHimwiththebestappellationswecanthinkon。ButtheythatventuretoreasonofHisnature，fromtheseattributesofhonour，losingtheirunderstandingintheveryfirstattempt，fallfromoneinconvenienceintoanother，withoutendandwithoutnumber；inthesamemanneraswhenamanignorantoftheceremoniesofcourt，comingintothepresenceofagreaterpersonthanheisusedtospeakto，andstumblingathisentrance，tosavehimselffromfalling，letssliphiscloak；torecoverhiscloak，letsfallhishat；and，withonedisorderafteranother，discovershisastonishmentandrusticity。

Thenforphysics，thatis，theknowledgeofthesubordinateandsecondarycausesofnaturalevents，theyrendernoneatallbutemptywords。Ifyoudesiretoknowwhysomekindofbodiessinknaturallydownwardstowardtheearth，andothersgonaturallyfromit，theSchoolswilltellyou，outofAristotle，thatthebodiesthatsinkdownwardsareheavy；andthatthisheavinessisitthatcausesthemtodescend。Butifyouaskwhattheymeanbyheaviness，theywilldefineittobeanendeavourtogotothecenteroftheearth：sothatthecausewhythingssinkdownwardisanendeavourtobebelow；

whichisasmuchastosaythatbodiesdescend，orascend，becausetheydo。Ortheywilltellyouthecenteroftheearthistheplaceofrestandconservationforheavythings，andthereforetheyendeavourtobethere：asifstonesandmetalshadadesire，orcoulddiscerntheplacetheywouldbeat，asmandoes；orlovedrest，asmandoesnot；orthatapieceofglasswerelesssafeinthewindowthanfallingintothestreet。

Ifwewouldknowwhythesamebodyseemsgreater，withoutaddingtoit，onetimethananother；theysay，whenitseemsless，itiscondensed；whengreater，rarefied。Whatisthatcondensedandrarefied？Condensediswhenthereisintheverysamematterlessquantitythanbefore；andrarefied，whenmore。Asiftherecouldbematterthathadnotsomedeterminedquantity；whenquantityisnothingelsebutthedeterminationofmatter；thatistosay，ofbody，bywhichwesayonebodyisgreaterorlesserthananotherbythus，orthusmuch。Orasifabodyweremadewithoutanyquantityatall，andthatafterwardsmoreorlesswereputintoit，accordingasitisintendedthebodyshouldbemoreorlessdense。

Forthecauseofthesoulofman，theysay，creaturinfundendoandcreandoinfunditur：thatis，“Itiscreatedbypouringitin，“and“pouredinbycreation。“

Forthecauseofsense，anubiquityofspecies；thatis，oftheshowsorapparitionsofobjects；whichwhentheybeapparitionstotheeyeissight；whentotheear，hearing；tothepalate，taste；tothenostril，smelling；andtotherestofthebody，feeling。

Forcauseofthewilltodoanyparticularaction，whichiscalledvolitio，theyassignthefaculty，thatistosay，thecapacityingeneral，thatmenhavetowillsometimesonething，sometimesanother，whichiscalledvoluntas；makingthepowerthecauseoftheact：asifoneshouldassignforcauseofthegoodorevilactsofmentheirabilitytodothem。

Andinmanyoccasionstheyputforcauseofnaturalevents，theirownignorance，butdisguisedinotherwords：aswhentheysay，fortuneisthecauseo