4p37d.md (1023B)
1 Men, in so far as they live in obedience to reason, 2 are most useful to their fellow men (IV. xxxv; Coroll. i.); 3 therefore (IV. xix.), we shall in obedience to reason necessarily 4 endeavour to bring about that men should live in obedience to 5 reason. But the good which every man, in so far as he is guided 6 by reason, or, in other words, follows after virtue, desires for 7 himself, is to understand (IV. xxvi.); wherefore the good, which 8 each follower of virtue seeks for himself, he will desire also 9 for others. Again, desire, in so far as it is referred to the 10 mind, is the very essence of the mind (Def. of the Emotions, i.); 11 now the essence of the mind consists in knowledge (II. xi.), 12 which involves the knowledge of God (II. xlvii.), and without it 13 (I. xv.), can neither be, nor be conceived; therefore, in 14 proportion as the mind's essence involves a greater knowledge of 15 God, so also will be greater the desire of the follower of 16 virtue, that other men should possess that which he seeks as good 17 for himself. Q.E.D. 18 19