A Trt&tife *f B O D I S, Chap. 14. 



ejH&ntity that is, may be repeated fo often as would exceed any 

 the greatcft determinate quantity \vhatfoever. Ouc of which it 

 followcth, that although all the other bodies of the world were 

 no bigger then the leaft quantity that can be defigned ; yet they 

 being infinite in number, would be greater then the whole uni- 

 vcvfc that containeth them. And therefore, of necedity there muft 

 l:e k ir;c leaft body, or rather, forne leaft fizcofbodie? : which 

 in compounded bodies is not to be expected : for, their leaft 

 parts being compounded , muft needs include compounding 

 parts Icfie then themfelves. We muft then look for this leaft fizc 

 of bodies in the Elements ; which of all bodies are the fimpleft. 

 And among them, we muft pitch upon that, wherein is greateft 

 divisibility, snd which consequently is divided into leaft parts ; 

 that is, fire : fo as we may conclude thac among all the bodies 

 in the world, that which of its own nature hath an aptitude to 

 be leaft, muft be fire. 



3. Now, the leaft body of fire, be it never fo little, is yet divifi- 



TVe firit con- ^ . j ^ w^ . j ^ ^ Ina K e ; : h it be one? To deter- 



junaion ot n f r s~i r 



pans is m bo- mine this ; we muft retort unto the nature ofi^iumtitj : Whole 

 ? and left formall notion and cflence is, To be divifiblc j which fignifieth, 

 riadc bv the t i )at m anv may be made of it but that of which many may be 



force of Qan- . . J c , . - . 



liiy . made, is not yet many, out of this very realon, that many may 



be made of it. But, what is not many, is one. Therefore what 

 hath quantity ; is, by mere having quantity, actually and for- 

 mally as well one, as it hath the poflibility of being made ma- 

 ny. And confcqucntly, the leaft body of fire, by having quanti- 

 ty, hath thofe parts which might be many, actually one. And 

 this is the firfl conjunction of parts that is to be confidered in the 

 cof ofuion of bodies: w ch though it be not an acftuall joyning of 

 acluall paftsjyet it is a formal cojunclion of what maybe many. 

 4' In the next pbcc we may confiderjhow feeing the leaft bodies 



o eonjonaion thataie.be of fire; it muft needs follow, that the leaft parts of 

 i corrpsQcd- t ^ e ot j ier EJ cmCncs mlj ft t c bigger then they.And confcqucntly, 



nefic m fimple &C / 



and the poflible parts of thole leaft parts ot the other Elements mult 

 have fomething to confcrvc them together, more then is found 

 in fire. And this, becnufc Elements are purely diflinguifhcd by 

 rarity and denfity is ftm'ght concluded ro be dcnfitj. And thus 

 we have found that as quantity is the caufc of the poflible 

 parts being one; to dcn(uy is the can ft of the like parts (ticking 



toge. 



