364 AN TIE NT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



But, laying afide all fuppofitlons* I come now to what Is the fadt, 

 namely, that a vifible world exifts; and I will fuppofe that, in this 

 world, or without it, there may be luch a thing as a 'vacmnUy ovfpace^ 

 void of body. What (hall we fay of fuch^^^'^ ? The fame, in my 

 opinion, that we faid of it upon the former fuppofition, viz. that it is 

 the receptacle of body. From thence refult, upon this laft fuppofition, 

 two other properties o^fpacc^ namely, that it marks the interval or di- 

 flance betwixt bodies ; z.^{\^feco7idlyi that it bounds and limits them- 



As to the firft, if we fuppofe feveral bodies^ not continued or joined 

 together, to be contained \n/pace^ it follows, of neceifary confequence, 

 that there mufl: he /pace betwixt them. ; which /pace is called inter^ 

 valor diftance betwixt bodies. And, as to the other, it is likewife e- 

 vident, that the fuperhcies of all bodies muft be bounded hy /pace y 

 for, if they were not fo bounded, they would be infinite. And, if we 

 fuppofe the whole colledion of bodies that conftitute the uiiiverfe not 

 to be infinite, but bounded, it is evident that the boundary can be no- 

 thing elfe hwifpacc. It is true, indeed, that \.\i\sfpacej which we fup- 

 pofe to be on the ouifide of the world, is infinite; but, for that reafon, 

 to compare fpace with the Deity, is as abfurd as it is impious; for, 

 to fay lhz.\. fpace is infinite, is faying no more, than that there is room 

 for more creation, and more worlds, if it fhall pleafe the Almighty to 

 make them *. 



To conclude, therefore, from all thefe different views in which 



Jpace has been confidered, it is evident, that it is nothing elfe but a re^ 



ktion ; and it is relative to body^ and to body only ; and this in three 



refpeds j 



* In what fenfe the Deity is infinite, and how his infinity is to be tliftinguiflicd 

 £rom tlie infinity of other things, will be explained in the fecond part of this work. 



