148 Of Temperance. SERM. out which there can be no fin. God will VI. not impute that to any man as guilt, which he could not pollibly avoid, and in which he did not ad voluntarily. But, Secondly, on the other hand, tempe- rance requires fuch a regulation and reftraint of our delires towards fenfible obje&s, or the pleafure of the external fenfes, that they fhall not poffefs that room in our efteem and af- fections which is due to things of vaftly greater excellence and value. They are not our chief good, nor ever ought to be defired and purfued as fuch. The foul of man was made for higher enjoyments, the favour of God, the king of his ficce in righteotfnefs, fo con- templating his moral perfections as to be transformed into the likenefs of them ; thefe alone can fill up its vaft capacity, are an ob- je& fuitable to its noble powers, an happinefs adequate to its large defires and endlefs dura- tion. Yet fo degenerate are the fpirits of fome men become, thro' inconfideration and a ftupid indulgence of their fenfual appetites, that, as the fcripture fpeaks, they are alto- gether flefh, like natural brute heal's, accord- ing to the expreffion of the apoftles St. Peter and St. rude, having loft all relifh of thofe in-
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