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(II:xl。); in other words; of knowing things by the third kind of knowledge



(see Def。 in II:xl。Note。ii。); whereof accordingly the mind (III:Def。i。); in



so far as it is eternal; is the adequate or formal cause of such knowledge。



Q。E。D。







Note。… In proportion; therefore; as a man is more potent in this kind of



knowledge; he will be more completely conscious of himself and of God; in



other words; he will be more perfect and blessed; as will appear more



clearly in the sequel。 But we must here observe that; although we are



already certain that the mind is eternal; in so far as it conceives things



under the form of eternity; yet; in order that what we wish to show may be



more readily explained and better understood; we will consider the mind



itself; as though it had just begun to exist and to understand things under



the form of eternity; as indeed we have done hitherto; this we may do



without any danger of error; so long as we are careful not to draw any



conclusion; unless our premisses are plain。











Prop。 XXXII。 Whatsoever we understand by the third kind of



knowledge; we take delight in; and our delight is accompanied by



the idea of God as cause。







Proof。… From this kind of knowledge arises the highest possible mental



acquiescence; that is (Def of the Emotions:xxv。); pleasure; and this



acquiescence is accompanied by the idea of the mind itself (V。 xxvii。); and



consequently (V:xxx。) the idea also of God as cause。 Q。E。D。







Corollary。… From the third kind of knowledge necessarily arises the



intellectual love of God。 From this kind of knowledge arises pleasure



accompanied by the idea of God as cause; that is (Def。 of the Emotions:vi。);



the love of God; not in so far as we imagine him as present (V: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。… The third kind of knowledge is eternal (V:xxxi。; I:Ax。iii。);



therefore (by the same Axiom) the love which arises therefrom is also



necessarily eternal。 Q。E。D。







Note。… Although this love towards God has (by the foregoing Prop。) no



beginning; it yet possesses all the perfections of love; just as though it



had arisen as we feigned in the Coroll。 of the last Prop。 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。 If pleasure consists in the transition to



a greater perfection; assuredly blessedness must consist in the mind being



endowed with perfection itself。











Prop。 XXX。IV。 The mind is; only while the body



endures; subject to those emotions which are



attributable to passions。







Proof。 Imagination is the idea wherewith the mind contemplates a thing as



present (II:xvii。Note); yet this idea indicates rather the present



disposition of the human body than the nature of the external thing



(II:xvi。Coroll。ii。)。 Therefore emotion (see general Def。 of Emotions)



is imagination; in so far as it indicates the present disposition of the



body; therefore (V:xxi。) the mind is; only while the body endures; subject



to emotions which are attributable to passions。 Q。E。D。







Corollary。… Hence it follows that no love save intellectual love is eternal。







Note。… If we look to men's general opinion; we shall see that they are



indeed conscious of the eternity of their mind; but that they confuse



eternity with duration; and ascribe it to the imagination or the memory



which they believe to remain after death。











Prop。 XXXV。 God loves himself with



an infinite intellectual love。







Proof。… God is absolutely infinite (I:Def。vi。); that is (II:Def。vi。); the



nature of God rejoices in infinite perfection; and such rejoicing is



(II:iii。) accompanied by the idea of himself; that is (I:xi。 and I:Def。i。);



the idea of his own cause: now this is what we have (in V:xxxii。Coroll。)



described as intellectual love。











Prop。 XXXVI。 The intellectual love of the mind towards God is



that very love of God whereby God loves himself; not in so far as



he is infinite; but in so far as he can be explained through



the essence of the human mind regarded under the form of



eternity; in other words; the intellectual love of the mind towards



God is part of the infinite love wherewith God loves himself。







Proof。… (1) This love of the mind must be referred to the activities of the



mind (V:xxxii。Coroll。 and III:iii。); it is itself; indeed; an activity



whereby the mind regards itself accompanied by the idea of God as cause



(V:xxxii。&Coroll。); that is (I:xxv。Coroll。 and II:xi。Coroll。); an activity



whereby God; in so far as he can be explained through the human mind;



regards himself accompanied by the idea of himself; therefore (by the last



Prop。); this love of the mind is part of the infinite love wherewith God



loves himself。 Q。E。D。







Corollary。… Hence it follows that God; in so far as he loves himself; loves



man; and; consequently; that the love of God towards men; and the



intellectual love of the mind towards God are identical。







Note。… From what has been said we clearly understand; wherein our salvation;



or blessedness; or freedom; consists: namely; in the constant and eternal



love towards God; or in God's love towards men。 This love or blessedness is;



in the Bible; called Glory and not undeservedly。 For whether this love be



referred to God or to the mind; it may rightly be called acquiescence of



spirit; which (Def。 of the Emotions:xxv。; and xxx。) is not really



distinguished from glory。 In so far as it is referred to God; it is



(V:xxxv。) pleasure; if we may still use that term; accompanied by the idea



of itself; and; in so far as it is referred to the mind; it is the same



(V:xxvii。)。







Again; since the essence of our mind consists solely in knowledge; whereof



the beginning and the foundation is God (I:xv。; &II:xlvii。Note); it becomes



clear to us; in what manner and way our mind; as to its essence and



existence; follows from the divine nature and constantly depends on God。 I



have thought it worth while here to call attention to this; in order to show



by this example how the knowledge of particular things; which I have called



intuitive or of the third kind (II:xl。Note。ii。); is potent; and more



powerful than the universal knowledge; which I have styled knowledge of the



second kind。 For; although in Part I showed in general terms; that all



things (and consequently; also; the human mind) depend as to their essence



and existence on God; yet that demonstration; though legitimate and placed



beyond the chances of doubt; does not affect our mind so much; as when the



same conclusion is derived from the actual essence of some particular thing;



which we say depends on God。











Prop。 XXXVII。 There is nothing in nature;



which is contrary to this intellectual love;



or which can take it away。







Proof。… This intellectual love follows necessarily from the nature of the



mind; in so far as the latter is regarded through the nature of God as an



eternal truth (V:xxxiii。 and V:xxix。)。 If; therefore; there should be



anything which would be contrary to this love; that thing would be



contrary to that which is true; consequently; that; which should be able to



take away this love; would cause that which is true to be false; an obvious



absurdity。 Therefore there is nothing in nature which; &c。 Q。E。D。







Note。… The Axiom of Part IV。 has reference to particular things; in so far



as they are regarded in relation to a given time and place: of this; I



think; no one can doubt。











Prop。 XXXVIII。 In proportion as the mind understands more



things by the second and third kind of knowledge; it is less



subject to those emotions which are evil; and stands in less



fear of death。







Proof。… The mind's essence consists in knowledge (II:xi。); therefore; in



proportion as the mind understands more things by the second and third kinds



of knowledge; the greater will be the part of it that endures (V:xxix。 and



V:xxiii。); and; consequently (by the last Prop。); the greater will be the



part that is not touched by the emotions; which are contrary to our nature;



or in other words; evil (IV:xxx。)。 Thus; in proportion as the mind



understands more things by the second and third kinds of knowledge; the



greater will be the part of it; that remains unimpaired; and; consequently;



less subject to emotions; &c。 Q。E。D。







Note。… Hence we understand that point which I touched on in IV:xxxix。Note;



and which I promised to explain in this Part; namely; th

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