12. Duration has never two parts together, expansion altogether.
Duration, and time which is a part of it, is the
idea we have of perishing distance, of which no two parts exist together, but follow each other in succession; an
expansion is the idea of lasting distance, all whose parts exist together, and are not capable of succession. And
therefore, though we cannot conceive any duration without succession, nor can put it together in our thoughts that
any being does now exist tomorrow, or possess at once more than the present moment of duration; yet we can
conceive the eternal duration of the Almighty far different from that of man, or any other finite being. Because
man comprehends not in his knowledge or power all past and future things: his thoughts are but of yesterday, and
he knows not what tomorrow will bring forth. What is once past he can never recall; and what is yet to come he
cannot make present. What I say of man, I say of all finite beings; who, though they may far exceed man in
knowledge and power, yet are no more than the meanest creature, in comparison with God himself Finite or any
magnitude holds not any proportion to infinite. God's infinite duration, being accompanied with infinite
knowledge and infinite power, He sees all things, past and to come; and they are no more distant from His
knowledge, no further removed from His sight, than the present: they all lie under the same view: and there is
nothing which He cannot make exist each moment He pleases. For the existence of all things, depending upon His
good pleasure, all things exist every moment that He thinks fit to have them exist. To conclude: expansion and
duration do mutually embrace and comprehend each other; every part of space being in every part of duration, and
every part of duration in every part of expansion. Such a combination of two distinct ideas is, I suppose, scarce to
be found in all that great variety we do or can conceive, and may afford matter to further speculation.