in this kind of knowledge, the
more is he conscious of himself and of God; that is to say, the more
perfect and the happier he is, a truth which will still more clearly
appear from what follows. Here, however, it is to be observed, that
although we are now certain that the mind is eternal in so far as it
conceives things under the form of eternity, yet, in order that what we
wish to prove may be more easily explained and better understood, we
shall consider the mind, as we have hitherto done, as if it had just
begun to be, and had just begun to understand things under the form of
eternity. This we can do without any risk of error, provided only we are
careful to conclude nothing except from clear premises.

The third kind of knowledge is eternal, and therefore the love which
springs from it is necessarily eternal.

Although this love to God has no beginning, it nevertheless has all the
perfections of love, just as if it had originated. Nor is there here any
difference, excepting that the mind has eternally possessed these same
perfections which we imagined as now accruing to it, and has possessed
them with the accompanying idea of God as the eternal cause. And if joy
consist in the passage to a greater perfection, blessedness must indeed
consist in this, that the mind is endowed with perfection itself.

III

The essence of the mind consists in knowledge. The more things,
therefore, the mind knows by the second and third kinds of knowledge,
the greater is that part which abides and consequently the greater is
that part which is not touched by emotions which are contrary to our
nature, that is to say, which are evil. The more things, therefore, the
mind understands by the second and third kinds of knowledge, the greater
is that part which remains unharmed, and the less consequently does it
suffer from the emotions.

We are thus enabled to understand that death is by so much the less
injurious to us as the clear and distinct knowledge of the mind is
greater, and consequently as the mind loves God more. Again, since from
the third kind of knowledge there arises the highest possible peace, it
follows that it is possible for the human mind to be of such a nature
that that part of it which we have shown perishes with its body, in
comparison with the part of it which remains, is of no consequence. But
more fully upon this subject presently.

He who possesses a body fitted for doing many things is least of all
agitated