62 `The Ways of Wifdom, S E R M, ginal idea could never be communicated to III. a creature who never felt pleafure, more than a man born blind could have any no- tion of colours. This would feem to bring the matter to a very fhort iffue, and cut off all occafion of reafoning upon it ; for what, may it be thought, have men more to do than appeal to their own fenfe and by it's re- port decide the queftion ? Yet this, I am afraid, would be to the difàdvantage of re- ligion ; for how many are there of mankind who have not fuch experience of its plea - fantnefs as determineth them to prefer and to choofe it ? Pleafures of another kind more grofs and fenfible, while they do not ma- turely weigh the nature and confequences of them, preponderate in their affection. But we inuft be all convinced that pleafure fpringeth from different occafions ; there is a variety of objects which gratify the mind, and in various ads and exertions of its own power it findeth fatisfadion ; and no man's condition in the world, or the capacity of his nature, can afford him an experimental knowledge of delight in the whole compafs of it. Here therefore, we ought to ufe our reafon in order to choofe thofe pleafures which, all things confidered, are the bell and fitteft
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