Actuated as we are by a variety of paffions, it can hardly be, but that fome of them will have more influence over us than others. These are fometimes called ruling passions, because, whenever it happens that the gratification of some interferes with that of others, all the reft will give place to thefe. If, for inftance, any man's ruling paffion be the love of money, he will deny himself any of the pleasures of life for the fake of it; whereas, if the love of pleasure were his ruling paffion, he would often run the rifque of impoverishing himfelf, rather than not procure his favourite indulgence.

It must be of great importance, therefore, to know which ought to be our ruling paffions through life, or what are thofe gratifications and pursuits to which we ought to facrifice every thing elfe. This is the object of our present enquiry, in conducting which we muft confider how far the indulgence of any particular paffion is confiftent with our regard to the four rules of condu& that have been explained; namely, the will of God, our own beft intereft, the good of others, and the natural dictates of our confcience; and in eftimating the value of any particular enjoyment, with respect to the happinefs we receive from it, we must confider how great or intense it is, how long it will continue, whether we regard the nature of the sense from which it is derived, or the opportunities

opportunities we may have of procuring the gratification of it, and laftly, how far it is confiftent, or inconfiftent, with other pleasures of our nature, more or less valuable than itself.

§ 1. Of the pleasures of fenfe.

Since no appetite or paffion belonging to our frame was given us in vain, we may conclude, that there cannot be any thing wrong in the fimple gratification of any defire that our maker has implanted in us, under certain limitations and in certain circumstances; and if we confider the proper object of any of our appetites, or the end it is calculated to answer, it will be a rule for us in determining how far the divine being intended that they should be indulged. Now fome of our fenfual appetites have for their proper object the fupport of life, and others the propagation of the fpecies. They fhould, therefore, be indulged as far as is necessary for these purposes, and where the indulgence is not fo exceffive, or fo circumstanced, as to interfere with the greater good of ourselves and others.

1. But to make the gratification of our fenfes our primary pursuit, must be abfurd; for the appetite for food is given us for the fake of fupporting life, and not life for the fake of confuming food. The like may be faid of other fenfual appetites. Ꭰ 6 Since

Since, therefore, we certainly err from the intention of nature when we make that an end, which was plainly meant to be no more than a means to fome farther end; whatever this great end of life be, we may conclude that it cannot be the gratification of our fenfual appetites, for they themselves are only a means to fomething else.

2. To make the gratification of our bodily fenfes the chief end of living would tend to defeat itfelf; for a man who should have no other end in view would be apt fo to overcharge and furfeit his fenfes, that they would become indisposed for their proper functions, and indulgence would occafion nothing but a painful loathing. By intemperance also in eating and drinking, and in all other corporeal pleasures, the powers of the body itself are weakened, and a foundation is laid for diforders the most loath fome to behold, the most painful to endure, and the moft fatal in their tendencies and iffues. The ingenuity of man cannot contrive any torture fo exquifite, and at the fame time of fo long continuance, as thofe which are occafioned by the irregular indulgence of the fenfes; whereas temperance, and occafional abftinence, is a means of keeping all the bodily organs and fenfes in their proper tone, difpofed to relish their proper gratifications; so that they shall give a man the most true and exquifite enjoyment even of fenfual pleafure. They prolong life to the utmost term of

nature,

nature, and contribute to a peaceful and easy death.

3. An addictedness to fenfual pleasure blunts the faculties of the mind, being injurious to mental apprehenfion, and all the finer feelings of the foul, and confequently deprives a man of a great many fources of pleasures which he might otherwife enjoy, and particularly of that most valuable complacency which he might have in his own difpofi. tions and conduct; from a proper and temperate ufe of the good things of life.

4. Senfual indulgencies, though, to a certain degree, and in certain circumstances, they feem to promote benevolence, are evidently unfriendly to it when carried beyond that degree; for though moderate eating and drinking in company promotes chearfulness, and good humour, excess frequently gives occafion to quarrelling and contention, and fometimes even to murder. Alfo, when a man makes the indulgence of his appetites his primary purfuit, befides incapacitating himself for the fervice of mankind in any important refpect, he will scruple no means, however bafe, cruel, or unjuft, to procure himself his favourite pleasures, which he conceives to be in a manner necessary to his being.

5. With refpect to the bulk of mankind, whose circumstances in life are low, the fole pursuit of fenfual pleasure is exceedingly injurious to that, industry

industry which is neceffary to their support. Indeed, it is often fufficient to diffipate the most ample fortune, and reduce men from affluence to poverty, which, in fuch circumftances, they are leaft able to ftruggle with.

It is impoffible that we should not condemn a difpofition and purfuit fo circumftanced as this. An addictedness to fenfual pleasure is manifeftly incompatible with our own true intereft, it is injurious to others, and on both these accounts, must be contrary to the will of God. The vices of gluttony, drunkenness, and lewdness, are also, clearly contrary to the natural dictates of our minds; and every man who is guilty of them, feels himself to be despicable and criminal, both in his own eyes, and those of others.

The only rule with refpect to our diet, is to prefer thofe kinds, and that quantity of food, which moft conduces to the health and vigour of our bodies. Whatever in eating or drinking is inconfiftent with, and obftructs this end, is wrong, and should carefully be avoided; and every man's own experience, affifted with a little information from others, will be fufficient to inform him what is nearly the best for himself in both these refpects; fo that no perfon is likely to injure himself much through mere mistake.

With refpect to those appetites that are fubfervient to the propagation of the fpecies, I would

obferve,