Chap. IV. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 129 



The firft rank of animals in the univerfe confifts of intelle(ftual 

 beings, intelligence being the moft excellent thing in the univerfe, 

 and the prime a^'-ibute of the Supreme Being ; without which even 

 his goodnefs could not operate : So that, though goodnefs be moft 

 confpicuous in the operations of Divinity, yet it could not operate,^ 

 nor produce its effedls, without intelligence. 



As the good is the end propofed, intelligence muft devlfe me^ns 

 for accomplifliing that end ; fo that the attributes of in'elligence and 

 goodnefs are neceflarily conjoined in the Divine n.ture ; and, in- 

 deed, even in the human nature, there cannot be goodnefs without 

 intelligence at iealt in fome degree. 



The next beings, in the order of things, in rank and dignity, are 

 ferihtive beings, which have perceptions of' fenfe, but not intel- 

 ligence. 



The third clafs of beings is of thofe which have neither percep- 

 tions of fenfe nor intelligence, but only t'ne power of motion, by 

 which fome of them grow and are nourifhed, fuch as vegetables. 

 Others of them are only moved from place to place, and are joined 

 to other bodies, or feparated from other bodies, and are diminifhed 

 by the feparation of their parts, or increafed by the addition of other 

 bodies to them, and in that way altered, and in every way altered 

 by the change of their qualities. And this is the loweft rank of be- 

 ings on this earth, and fuch as we call inanimate beings, but which 

 as 1 have fliown, have a mind in them which moves them and 

 which, as the motions are for certain purpofes, muft be direded by 

 intelligence, though they have not intelligence of their own : For 

 philofophy teaches us that mind is every where in the univerfe- nor 

 indeed, can we conceive any bufinefs of nature carried on without it 



Vol. VI. R. unlefs 



