76 A VIS INERTIAE

Thus such unresisting matter might be quiteannihilated by pressure, or rather without it,because there is no resistance or repressure.That is, it might be annihilated by nothing;that is, it is not an impenetrable extendedsubstance. Therefore I conclude that mat-ter as a substance solidly extended must re-sist all change os its state of rest or motion;and that this resistance is as inseparable fromit as solid extension is.

XXVII. Because the great hinge upon

stance as this it can be shewn, that this pressure is propa-gated through the whole terraqueous globe: for the parts ofthe pavement immediately in contact with the heavy bodypress against and resist it; and the parts in contact withthese press against and resist them; and so on, as long asthere are any parts in contact with the parts pressed: forthe pressure can never be against nothing at all; that is ab-surd : there would be then action without re-action: andJf any parts could not resist, or bear pressure, these wouldshrink into nothing, and leave the resisting parts to meet.It is very much to be doubted whether there be anymatter in the world but what suffers some kind of pressureor other, and therefore makes resistance. Even in the co-hesion of matter, the parts are impelled to one another,and therefore resist by their impenetrability. Resistancetherefore is not only made in the congress and shock ofmoving bodies, but, which is less attended to, in all bo-dies, and at all times, whether in rest or motion.