Chapter XV: Madam,

My Discourse for the present shall be of _Infinite_, and the question shall be first _Whether several Finite parts, how many soever there be, can make an Infinite._ Your Author says,[1] _that several Finite parts when they are all put together make a whole Finite_; which, if his meaning be of a certain determinate number, how big soever, of finite parts, I do willingly grant, for all what is determinate and limited, is not Infinite but Finite; neither is there any such thing, as Whole or All in Infinite; but if his meaning be, that no Infinite can be made of finite parts, though infinite in number, I deny it; Next he says _there can be no such thing as One in Infinite, because No thing can be said One, except there be another to compare it withal_; which in my opinion doth not follow, for there is but One God, who is Infinite, and hath none other to be compared withal, and so there may be but one Onely Infinite in Nature, which is Matter. But when he says, _there cannot be an Infinite and Eternal Division_, is very true, _viz._, in this sense, that one single part cannot be actually infinitely divided, for the Compositions hinder the Divisions in Nature, and the Divisions the Compositions, so that Nature, being Matter, cannot be composed so, as not to have parts, nor divided so, as that her parts should not be composed, but there are nevertheless infinite divided parts in Nature, and in this sense there may also be infinite divisions, as I have declared in my Book of Philosophy[2]. And thus there are Infinite divisions of Infinite parts in Nature, but not Infinite actual divisions of one single part; But though Infinite is without end, yet my discourse of it shall be but short and end here, though not my affection, which shall last and continue with the life of

Madam,

_Your Faithful Friend_

_and Humble Servant._

[1] _Elem. of Philos. c._ 7. _a._ 1 2.

[2] _P._ 1. _c._ 8.