1p21d.md (2760B)
1 Conceive, if it be possible (supposing the proposition 2 to be denied), that something in some attribute of God can follow 3 from the absolute nature of the said attribute, and that at the 4 same time it is finite, and has a conditioned existence or 5 duration; for instance, the idea of God expressed in the 6 attribute thought. Now thought, in so far as it is supposed to 7 be an attribute of God, is necessarily (by Prop. xi.) in its 8 nature infinite. But, in so far as it possesses the idea of God, 9 it is supposed finite. It cannot, however, be conceived as 10 finite, unless it be limited by thought (by Def. ii.); but it is 11 not limited by thought itself, in so far as it has constituted 12 the idea of God (for so far it is supposed to be finite); 13 therefore, it is limited by thought, in so far as it has not 14 constituted the idea of God, which nevertheless (by Prop. xi.) 15 must necessarily exist. 16 17 We have now granted, therefore, thought not constituting the 18 idea of God, and, accordingly, the idea of God does not naturally 19 follow from its nature in so far as it is absolute thought (for 20 it is conceived as constituting, and also as not constituting, 21 the idea of God), which is against our hypothesis. Wherefore, if 22 the idea of God expressed in the attribute thought, or, indeed, 23 anything else in any attribute of God (for we may take any 24 example, as the proof is of universal application) follows from 25 the necessity of the absolute nature of the said attribute, the 26 said thing must necessarily be infinite, which was our first 27 point. 28 29 Furthermore, a thing which thus follows from the necessity of 30 the nature of any attribute cannot have a limited duration. For 31 if it can, suppose a thing, which follows from the necessity of 32 the nature of some attribute, to exist in some attribute of God, 33 for instance, the idea of God expressed in the attribute thought, 34 and let it be supposed at some time not to have existed, or to be 35 about not to exist. 36 37 Now thought being an attribute of God, must necessarily exist 38 unchanged (by Prop. xi., and Prop. xx., Coroll. ii.); and beyond 39 the limits of the duration of the idea of God (supposing the 40 latter at some time not to have existed, or not to be going to 41 exist) thought would perforce have existed without the idea of 42 God, which is contrary to our hypothesis, for we supposed that, 43 thought being given, the idea of God necessarily flowed 44 therefrom. Therefore the idea of God expressed in thought, or 45 anything which necessarily follows from the absolute nature of 46 some attribute of God, cannot have a limited duration, but 47 through the said attribute is eternal, which is our second point. 48 Bear in mind that the same proposition may be affirmed of 49 anything, which in any attribute necessarily follows from God's 50 absolute nature. 51 52