4p68sc.md (1356B)
1 It is evident, from IV. iv., that the hypothesis of 2 this Proposition is false and inconceivable, except in so far as 3 we look solely to the nature of man, or rather to God; not in so 4 far as the latter is infinite, but only in so far as he is the 5 cause of man's existence. 6 7 This, and other matters which we have already proved, seem to 8 have been signifieded by Moses in the history of the first man. 9 For in that narrative no other power of God is conceived, save 10 that whereby he created man, that is the power wherewith he 11 provided solely for man's advantage; it is stated that God 12 forbade man, being free, to eat of the tree of the knowledge of 13 good and evil, and that, as soon as man should have eaten of it, 14 he would straightway fear death rather than desire to live. 15 Further, it is written that when man had found a wife, who was in 16 entire harmony with his nature, he knew that there could be 17 nothing in nature which could be more useful to him; but that 18 after he believed the beasts to be like himself, he straightway 19 began to imitate their emotions (III. xxvii.), and to lose his 20 freedom; this freedom was afterwards recovered by the 21 patriarchs, led by the spirit of Christ; that is, by the idea of 22 God, whereon alone it depends, that man may be free, and desire 23 for others the good which he desires for himself, as we have 24 shown above (IV. xxxvii.). 25 26