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ground so often。 I would only beg the reader again and again; to
turn over frequently in his mind what I have said in Part i。
from Prop。 xvi。 to the end。 No one will be able to follow my
meaning; unless he is scrupulously careful not to confound the
power of God with the human power and right of kings。
IV。 The idea of God; from which an infinite number of things
follow in infinite ways; can only be one。
》》》》》ProofInfinite intellect comprehends nothing save the
attributes of God and his modifications (Part i。; Prop。 xxx。)。
Now God is one (Part i。; Prop。 xiv。; Cor。)。 Therefore the idea
of God; wherefrom an infinite number of things follow in infinite
ways; can only be one。 Q。E。D。
V。 The actual being of ideas owns God as its cause; only in so
far as he is considered as a thinking thing; not in so far as he
is unfolded in any other attribute; that is; the ideas both of
the attributes of God and of particular things do not own as
their efficient cause their objects (ideata) or the things
perceived; but God himself in so far as he is a thinking thing。
》》》》》ProofThis proposition is evident from Prop。 iii。 of this
Part。 We there drew the conclusion; that God can form the idea
of his essence; and of all things which follow necessarily
therefrom; solely because he is a thinking thing; and not because
he is the object of his own idea。 Wherefore the actual being of
ideas owns for cause God; in so far as he is a thinking thing。
It may be differently proved as follows: the actual being of
ideas is (obviously) a mode of thought; that is (Part i。; Prop。
xxv。; Cor。) a mode which expresses in a certain manner the
nature of God; in so far as he is a thinking thing; and therefore
(Part i。; Prop。 x。) involves the conception of no other attribute
of God; and consequently (by Part i。; Ax。 iv。) is not the effect
of any attribute save thought。 Therefore the actual being of
ideas owns God as its cause; in so far as he is considered as a
thinking thing; &c。 Q。E。D。
VI。 The modes of any given attribute are caused by God; in so
far as he is considered through the attribute of which they are
modes; and not in so far as he is considered through any other
attribute。
》》》》》ProofEach attribute is conceived through itself; without
any other part (Part i。; Prop。 x。); wherefore the modes of each
attribute involve the conception of that attribute; but not of
any other。 Thus (Part i。; Ax。 iv。) they are caused by God; only
in so far as he is considered through the attribute whose modes
they are; and not in so far as he is considered through any
other。 Q。E。D。
ProofThis proposition is evident from Part i。; Ax。 iv。
For the idea of everything that is caused depends on a
knowledge of the cause; whereof it is an effect。
ProofThis proposition is evident from the last; it is
understood more clearly from the preceding note。