Prop. [XXXII] Whatsoever we understand by the
is accompanied by the idea of
God as cause.
Proof.- (32:1) From this kind of knowledge arises the highest possible
mental acquiescence, that is (III:[De.xxv] ), pleasure, and this
acquiescence is accompanied by the idea of the mind itself ([xxvii] ),
and consequently ([xxx] ) the idea also of God as cause. Q.E.D.
Corollary.- (32:2) From the third kind of knowledge necessarily arises
the intellectual love of God. (3) From this kind of knowledge arises
pleasure accompanied by the idea of God as cause, that is (III:[De.vi] ),
the love of God; not in so far as we imagine him as present ([xxix] ),
but in so far as we understand him to be eternal; this is what I call
the intellectual love of God.
Prop. [XXXIII] The intellectual love of God,
which arises from the third
kind of knowledge, is eternal.
Proof.- (33:1) The third kind of knowledge is eternal ([xxxi] , I:[A.iii] );
therefore (by the same Axiom) the love which arises therefrom is also
necessarily eternal. Q.E.D.
Note.- (33:2) Although this love towards God has (by [xxxii] ) no
beginning, it yet possesses all the perfections of love, just as
though it had arisen as we feigned in the Coroll. of [xxxii] . (3) Nor
is there here any difference, except that the mind possesses as eternal
those same perfections which we feigned to accrue to it, and they are
accompanied by the idea of God as eternal cause.
Pages:
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358