A TrtJtifi of B O D I E S. Chap. 1 S*. 



rh'at as the one of them, namely the weight, hindereth the un- 

 dermoft from following the uppermoft, lo, contiguity obligeth 

 it unto that conrfe ; and according as the one overcomcth the 

 other, fo will this action be continued or interrupted. 



Now that contiguity of fubftances do make one follow ano- 

 ther, is evident by what our Matters in Metaphyfieks teach us ; 

 when they fhevv that without this effect no motion at all could 

 be made in the world, nor no reafbn could be given, for thofe 

 motions we daily fee. For fince the nature of quantity is fueh, 

 that whcnfocver there is nothing between two parts of it, they 

 muft needs touch and adhere and joyn to one another, (for how 

 fhould they be kept afunder when there is nothing between 

 them to part them?) if you pull one part away, either fome new 

 fubftance mutt come to be clofe unto that which removeth ; or 

 elfe the other which was formerly clofe to it, muft ftill be clofe 

 to it, and fo follow it: for if nothing do come between, it is ftill 

 clofe to it. Thus then, it being ncceflary that fornething muft 

 be joyned clofe to every thing; vacuity,(which is nothing^is ex- 

 cluded from having any being in nature. 



And when we fay that one body muft follow another to a- 

 Toid vacuity; the meaning is, that under the necelfity of a con- 

 tradiction they muft follow one another, and that they cannoi 

 do otherwife. For it would be acontradi&ion to fay that no- 

 thing were between two things and yet that they are not joyn- 

 ed clofe to one another. And therefore if you fhould fay it, you 

 would in other words fay, they arc clofe together, and they arc 

 not clofe together. In like manner, to fay that vacuity is any 

 where, is a pure contradiction ; for vacuity being nothing hath 

 no Being at all: and yet by thofe words it is faid to be in fuch a 

 place; fo that they affirm it to be and not to *,at the lame time. 

 j> But now let us examine if there be no means to avoid this 



The true reafon contradiction and vacuity, other then by the adhefion.and fol- 

 lowing of one body upon the motion of another, that is clofely 

 joyned to it and every where contiguous. For fenfc is not eafily 

 quieted with fuch Metaphyficall conc:mplations,that feem to re- 

 pugne againft her di&amcnts; and therefore for her fatisfa&ion 

 we can do no lefTc then give her leave to range about, and caft 

 all waies in hope of finding fomc one that may better cotent her: 

 which when (he findcth that ftte canot fhe will the leflc repine 



to 



