Ways of Pleafantnefs. 73 railed in themfelves defires of carnal enjoy- S E R M. ments, far beyond the demands of nature, III which yield pleafures in the moment of gra- tifying them, though at the fame time they are accompanied with a great deal more pain, like quenching unnatural thirft in a fever ; let it, I fay, be allowed, that they find pleafure in gratifying thefe delires, for that is the very bait which allures them to their criminal excelles, againft the lober diétates of their own minds ; yet Rill it will appear that the pleafure of wifdom's ways is far more excellent, and on many accounts to be preferred. Firl, it is a juft prejudice againft the gra- tifications of fenfe, or of the merely animal life ; I mean againft their being chief in our efteem and affection, that they are common with us to the brutal kinds. We fee the beafts have the outward fenfes to as great a degree of perfection as we ; they eat, they drink, and perform all the functions of the animal nature, and, as far as we can judge, with as exquifite a relifh, and as high a fatif- faction as ourfelves. Now, do not we value ourfelves upon the prerogative of reafon, whereby we are exalted above, not only the inanimate and vegetable, but the fenfative creatures ?
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