confidered under the Notion of Wifdom. 23 the external fenfes ; there is alfo a defire of S E R M moral excellence, an affeétion to beings of I. the moft perfect characters. Every one muff fee there is a great difference in point of excellency and importance, between thefe affedtions or defires, and the purfuits to which they determine us. It is the pro- vince of wifdom to judge concerning the worth and dignity of our ends, that we may purfue them with fuitable zeal and applica- tion, as well as to find out the belt and pro - pereft means for obtaining them. Now, among all the ends which we are determined to purfue by any inffind, appetite, or incli- nation of nature, it will be no difficulty to judge which are the worthieft, the molt ex- cellent in themfelves, and the molt becom- ing fuck creatures as we are to purfue, and confequently, which ends true wifdom di- oeEteth us to chufe, as the chief and con - ftantly to be aimed at, in preference to all others ; whether that moral perfeEtion, which is the glory of intelligent beings, or the enjoyments of the animal life, which are common to us with the brutal kinds. One neceffary determination in our na- ture is, to feek our own happinefs ; and it will be acknowledged true wifdom which C 4 direCteth
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