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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 106, page id 778263916:0122
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B
nor is it, irtien applicd eo Durarion, the bare Negation of Existence, but
more proxertr the last moment of it. Buc it. thiey will have the end to
be nothing bur the bare Negation of Existence, Pam sure they cannor de-
ny, buc that the beginnins is che trst instant of Beins, and is notby
anr Bodr conceived to De a bare Negation; and theretore by their omn
arsument, the Idea of Fternal, a parte ante, or oF a Duration Without a
besinmins, is but a nesative Idea.
5. 15. The Idea ot Intinite, has, Iconsels, Coinethins ot politire in aH
thole thinss me apply co it. When re irould chinss ot intinite SpaCC Or
Duration, We ac trst step usually make some very laree Idea, as, per-
haps, oF Millions oF AgCs, Or Miles, Which possiblr re double and mul-
ciply sereral cimes. AIl that re thus amals cogettier in our Thougtis, is
politire, and the assemblase ol a sreat number ot politive Ideas ot Space
Or Duration: But What sill remains bezond this, ve have no more a po.
Ctire distinct notion oF, chan a Mariner has oF the depth ofttre Sca; Wrhere
having let donn a larse portion of his Sounding. line, he reaches nobor
tom, Whereby he hnomsthe depth to be (0 mans lathoms, and more;
but hor much that more is, he hath no distinct notion at aH: And could
he alivars supplr nem Line, and find thePlummet alvazs sinle withour e
ver Coppins, he vould be lomethins in the polture ofthe Mind reachins
alter a compleat and politire Idea otintinity; in ertich cale, let this Line
be x0, or r0000lathoms lons, it equallr discovers wrhrat is bevond il,
ard sires onlr thiscontuled and comparatire Idea, Thatthis is noc all
but one mas yet so farther. So much as the Mind comprehends ol any
Space, it hasa volutire Idea OF; but in this thoustir oE Intinies, it beins
alvarsenlarxins, alvass advancins, the ldea is till imperfect andincom-
pleat. So much Space as the Mind takes a viem oE, inits contemplation
OfCircatnels, is a clear Picture, and polutire in the Onderstandine; Dut
Intinite is Aill greater. X. Then the Idea of so much is positive and clear.
2. The Ldea of Greater is also clear, but it is Dut a comparative Idea. Z. The
Idea of so much creater, as cannot be comprehended, and this is plain Ne-
cative: Not Politire; For he has no positire clear Ldeaof the largeness ot
any Extension, (irhich is that soushe for in the Idea oF Infinite,) thar
has nOF a comprehensire Ldea of the Dimentions of it; and uch, nobO.
dy, Pthinte, pretends to, in What is intinte. For to lay a Man haS a PO:
Sitire clear Ldea olany Ouantier, without hnowine ho creat it is, is as
realonableas to lar, Ile has the politive clear Idea oF the number oF tho
Sands on the Sea- Moar, Who Hnos not hou mans ther be; but on-
ly that chez are more than FWenEy: For just such a pertect and positive
Idea has he of Infinier; erhen he applies it to Space or Duration, Who lavs
it IS larGeT FHaN FHO FXFCHE OE DuratION OF TO, FOO, T0OO, Or any ottier
number ofMiles, or Vears, Whereofhe has, or can have, a positive Idea;
ertrich is all the Idea, Tthink, e have ot Infinite. So that wtat lies be-
rondour politire idea tomards Intinitr, lies in Obscurits, and has the in-
determinate contulion ot a Nesatire Idea, wherein lhnow l neither do nor
can comprehend all Prould, it beine toolarge for a finite and narrow Capa-
city: And that cannotbut bevery tar trom a polutire compleat Idea, Where.
in the greatest pare of rhac I would comprehend, is lese out, under the un-
determinate intimarion of being sill orcater. For to laz, that having in
any quantier meatured so much, or sone sotar, vou are not set at the
end, is only to Cay, that that Ouantits is greater, (0 that the Negarion
oF an end in any Duancity, is in ocher vords only to lay, Thaticis bigger;
and a total nesation oF an end, is but the carrying this Bigger Aill rith zou,
in all che Prosressions rour Thouxhes hail malie in Ouancity; and addine
this