E2P44D2
Demonstration — Part II
Latin
De natura enim rationis est res ut necessarias et non ut contingentes contemplari (per propositionem præcedentem). Hanc autem rerum necessitatem (per propositionem 41 hujus) vere hoc est (per axioma 6 partis I) ut in se est, percipit. Sed (per propositionem 16 partis I) hæc rerum necessitas est ipsa Dei æternæ naturæ necessitas; ergo de natura rationis est res sub hac æternitatis specie contemplari. Adde quod fundamenta rationis notiones sint (per propositionem 38 hujus) quæ illa explicant quæ omnibus communia sunt quæque (per propositionem 37 hujus) nullius rei singularis essentiam explicant quæque propterea absque ulla temporis relatione sed sub quadam æternitatis specie debent concipi. Q.E.D.
English (Elwes 1883)
It is in the nature of reason to regard things, not as contingent, but as necessary (II. xliv.). Reason perceives this necessity of things (II. xli.) truly--that is (I. Ax. vi.), as it is in itself. But (I. xvi.) this necessity of things is the very necessity of the eternal nature of God; therefore, it is in the nature of reason to regard things under this form of eternity. We may add that the bases of reason are the notions (II. xxxviii.), which answer to things common to all, and which (II. xxxvii.) do not answer to the essence of any particular thing: which must therefore be conceived without any relation to time, under a certain form of eternity.
Modern English
It is in the nature of reason to regard things not as contingent but as necessary (E2P44). Reason perceives this necessity of things (E2P41) truly, that is, by (E1A6), as it is in itself. But (E1P16) this necessity of things is the very necessity of God's eternal nature. Therefore it is in the nature of reason to regard things under this aspect of eternity. We may add that the foundations of reason are the notions (E2P38) that explain what is common to all things and that (E2P37) do not explain the essence of any particular thing, and that must therefore be conceived without any relation to time, under a certain aspect of eternity. Q.E.D.