conceive. But in
space and duration it is otherwise. For in duration we consider it as
if this line of number were extended BOTH ways--to an unconceivable,
undeterminate, and infinite length; which is evident to anyone that will
but reflect on what consideration he hath of Eternity; which, I suppose,
will find to be nothing else but the turning this infinity of number
both ways, a parte ante and a parte post, as they speak. For, when we
would consider eternity, a parte ante, what do we but, beginning from
ourselves and the present time we are in, repeat in our minds ideas of
years, or ages, or any other assignable portion of duration past, with a
prospect of proceeding in such addition with all the infinity of number:
and when we would consider eternity, a parte post, we just after the
same rate begin from ourselves, and reckon by multiplied periods yet to
come, still extending that line of number as before. And these two being
put together, are that infinite duration we call ETERNITY which, as we
turn our view either way, forwards or backward appears infinite, because
we still turn that way the infinite end of number, i.e. the power still
of adding more.

11. How we conceive the Infinity of Space.

The same happens also in space, wherein, conceiving ourselves to be, as
it were, in the centre, we do on all sides pursue those indeterminable
lines of number; and reckoning any way from ourselves, a yard, mile,
diameter of the earth or orbis magnus,--by the infinity of number, we
add others to them, as often as we will. And having no more reason to
set bounds to those repeated ideas than we have to set bounds to number,
we have that indeterminable idea of immensity.

12. Infinite Divisibility.

And since in any bulk of matter our thoughts can never arrive at the
utmost divisibility, therefore there is an apparent infinity to us
also in that, which has the infinity also of number; but with this
difference,--that, in the former considerations of the infinity of space
and duration, we only use addition of numbers; whereas this is like
the division of an unit into its fractions, wherein the mind also can
proceed in infinitum, as well as in the former additions; it being
indeed but the addition still of new numbers: though in the addition of
the one, we can have no more the POSITIVE idea of a space infinitely
great, than, in the division of the other, we can have the positive idea
of a body infinitely little;--our idea o