.502 A BRIEF SCHEME OF ONTOLOGY. bigger than a part, two and two make four; these are called eternal and unchangeable ; other truths are contingent, as the "sun shone bright to day, Plato was a philosopher. 6. There is also ethical or moral truth, when our words or actions agree to our thoughts, and our deeds to our words, i. c. when we speak or act as we think, or when we believe and practise what we profess and promise. Sincerity is the truth of the heart, and veracity the truth of the lips. After truth conies goodness. Goodness is sometimes used in a sense near a-kin to truth ; so the works of God are metaphysically good when they are agreeable to his will and answer his design ; when God sur- veyed all things that he had made, behold they were very good. Things also are physically or naturally good, when they come up to any supposed standard, or are fitted to answer their end, as good wheat, good gold, a good air. Artificial things are also good in this sense, as goodwriting, a good picture, a good clock. There is another sense of natural good which is used only with relation to sensible or to rational and intelligent beings, and that is, what is pleasant, or which tends to procure pleasure or happiness. There is also moral good, which relates only to intelligent creatures, and that is called virtue when it regards our neigh- bours or ourselves ; or it is called religion when it has a regard to God. Moral good in general is when the voluntary thoughts, words or actions of creatures are conformable to the reason of things, or to the law of God. Which of these two is the chief or original rule of goodness may be debated, though I rather think it is the will or law of God, gives the proper obligation to obedience. Note, It seems most proper to call both natural and re- vealed religion the law or will of God, though one is manifested to us by the exercise of our reasoning powers the other bydivine revelation. The good of mankind or of rational beings is wont to be distinguished into the supreme or chiefgood and the subordinate good ; it is either real or apparent ; it is present or future ; it is also divided into bonum jucundu,n, utile et honestum, i. e. pleasant, profitable and honourable. The two first of .these come under the idea of natural good, the last is near a-kin to moral' good, though perhaps not exactly the saine. Note, the wórd- goodness is also used in somewhat a different sense when it signifies wishing or doing good to others ; then it is called kindness or benevolence. This belongs either to God er creatures : It Comes nearest to the idea of moral good, though
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