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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 147, page id 778263916:0163
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e
in
Our Ideas of Substances.
Fxtension, involvine us, Whether we grane or denz ie, in consequences
impossible to be explicated, or madle consistent; Consequences thar carris
sreater difficuler, and more apparene absurcier, than any chins can Fol
Jon trom che Notion oF an immaterial knomins substance.
5. 32. Which We are nOF at aII to onder at, since we having but lome
teu superficial Ideas of chines, discorered to us onls by the senses trom
withour, or by the Mind, refectins on What it experimenes in it sclI
Wwithin, have no Rnoledoe Derond that, much lels ot the internal Con.
Ricution, and true Nature oE things, being dectirure of Faculties to attain
it. And cherelore experimentins and discoverins in our selves lnomledge,
and the porver ot voluntarr Motion, as certaintr as ine experiment, or
discover in chinss without us, the cohction and separation ol solid Parts,
Wrhich is the Excention and Motion oF Bodies; ve have as much Reason +0
Be sarissied with our Notion of Spirit, as withour Notion of Body; and the
Fxistence of the one, as vel as the other. For it beins no more a contradi
ction, thar Thinkine Mould exist, separate, and independent trom Solidii
Ey; than it is a contradiction, that Solidiey Mould exist separate, and in
cevendent trom Thinkins, ther beino both bur simple Ldeas, independene
one trom anocher; and havins as clear and distinet Ldeas in us ol Thinbins.
as oF Solidier, Pknow not, Why remay not as rell allor a chinkins chine
Writhour Solidier, i. C. Imma: erial, to exist; as a solid chins without Thinkins,
i. c. Marter, 10 exist; especially since it is no harder to conceire, hoir
Thinkinq Mould exist wichout Matter, chan horr Mlacter Mould chint. Por
Whensoerer ire ould procced berond chele sumple Ideas, e have Frorti
Senlation and Reflection, and dive Parcher into the Nature oP ThineS, We
Fall presenely into Darkenels and Oblcurier, Perplexednels and Disiculties
and can dilcover nochine Farther, but our omn Blindnels and Ignorance.
Butwhich erer of these complex Ideas De clearest, chat oF Body, or Spirit,
thisis evident, that the simple Ideas that makre them up, are no ottier
than Wrhat e hare receired from Sentation or Reflection; aud so is it ot
allour ocher Ldeas oF Substances, even ot Giod himselF.
8. 33. Forit re examino the Pdeare have of the incomprehensible (y
preme Beins, e ail find, thatre come by it thelame war; andthat the
complex Laeas re have both of Cod, and separate Spirits, are made up
OFche simple Ldeas, e receire trom Reftection; V. G. havino From wtrat
re experiment in our selves, got the ideas of Exiltence and Duration;
ot Rnomlecse, and Porver; of Pleature, and Iappinels; and of severalo-
cher Oualiries and Porvers, ertrich it is berterrohave, chan eo be richout,
Wrtren e vould Frame an Idea the most suitablo we can tothe Cupreme Be
ins. e cnlarse every one ol these rith our Idea ot intinitr; and (0 put.
tins chemtosether, make our complex Idea of 60d. For thac che Mind
has such a pouer os enlargins some oFits ideas, received lrom Senlation
and Resection, has been alread chewed.
6. 34. TFI Fnd That T bnow some sew things; and Pome ol them, or all,
perhaps, impertectY, I can trame an Pdea ol lnomins twice as mans;
ertrich I can double again, as olren as I can add to number, aud chuS en-
larse my Laca oFRnomledee, by extendins its Comprehiention to all
thines existins, or possible: The lame also P ean do oF hnowing them more
pertecty; 2. c. aIl their Oualiries, POrerS, Caules, Consequences, and
Relarions, (5c. tiil all De perfectly bnomn, that is in them, or can any
Way reiate to them. and thus trame the Idea ot intinite or boundless Rnori-
ledse: The tame may alsobe done ol Pover, till ve come tothat we calL
intinite; and alto oF the Duration oP Lixiltence. Without beginnins or end;
and so trame the Idea oE an eternal Beins: Jhe Degrees or Extent, rhere
Et
p. XXIII.