ii.), and also because it is
of the nature of the mind to conceive the essence of the body under
the form of eternity ([xxiii] ), for besides these two there is nothing
which belongs to the essence of mind (II:[xiii] ). (29:4) Therefore this
power of conceiving things under the form of eternity only belongs to
the mind in virtue of the mind's conceiving the essence of the body
under the form of eternity. Q.E.D.
Note.- (29:5) Things are conceived by us as actual in two ways; either
as existing in relation to a given time and place, or as contained in
God and following from the necessity of the divine nature. (6) Whatsoever
we conceive in this second way as true or real, we conceive under the
form of eternity, and their ideas involve the eternal and infinite essence
of God, as we showed in II:[xlv] & Note, which see.
Prop. [XXX] Our mind, in so far as it knows itself
and the body under the form of eternity,
has to that extent necessarily a knowledge
of God, and knows that it is in God, and
is conceived through God.
Proof.- (30:1) Eternity is the very essence of God, in so far as this
involves necessary existence (I:[D.viii] ). (2)Therefore to conceive
things under the form of eternity, is to conceive things in so far as
they are conceived through thp essence of God as real entities, or in
so far as they involve existence through the essence of God; wherefore
our mind, in so far as it conceives itself and the body under the form
of eternity, has to that extent necessarily a knowledge of God, and
knows, &c.
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