2p3sc.md (1569B)
1 The multitude understand by the power of God the free 2 will of God, and the right over all things that exist, which 3 latter are accordingly generally considered as contingent. For 4 it is said that God has the power to destroy all things, and to 5 reduce them to nothing. Further, the power of God is very often 6 likened to the power of kings. But this doctrine we have refuted 7 (Pt. i., Prop. xxxii., Corolls. i. and ii.), and we have shown 8 (Part i., Prop. xvi.) that God acts by the same necessity, as 9 that by which he understands himself; in other words, as it 10 follows from the necessity of the divine nature (as all admit), 11 that God understands himself, so also does it follow by the same 12 necessity, that God performs infinite acts in infinite ways. We 13 further showed (Part i., Prop. xxxiv.), that God's power is 14 identical with God's essence in action; therefore it is as 15 impossible for us to conceive God as not acting, as to conceive 16 him as non–existent. If we might pursue the subject further, I 17 could point out, that the power which is commonly attributed to 18 God is not only human (as showing that God is conceived by the 19 multitude as a man, or in the likeness of a man), but involves a 20 negation of power. However, I am unwilling to go over the same 21 ground so often. I would only beg the reader again and again, to 22 turn over frequently in his mind what I have said in Part I from 23 Prop. xvi. to the end. No one will be able to follow my meaning, 24 unless he is scrupulously careful not to confound the power of 25 God with the human power and right of kings. 26 27