practical wisdom; but when we speak of prudential conduct, we commonly intend those actions, which are not absolutely either virtuous or vicious, but which are salutary or detrimental, according to the nature of them, and which may terminate either in virtue or vice. Good men are sometimes destitute of prudence, and, by their heedless conduct, they involve themselves in difficulties, from which they derive almost every species of misery, except remorse of conscience. This principle therefore is one, to which we ought strictly to attend; and we ought carefully to inquire, not only what conduct is the most virtuous, but also what is the best, the wisest, and the most expedient for us, in the situation in which we are placed. In a word, we ought to propose to ourselves a prudential plan of life, not of what we think will be the most pleasant at the present moment, but what we judge will be most beneficial in the end. There are many persons who have discernment and ability enough to form a plan; but they fail in resolution in putting it in execution. They suffer the best concerted schemes to be defeated by the impulse of the moment, by passion, or by the too great ease of their tempers. Thus they continue during life to form resolutions, which they never execute except in part. From such irresolution great mischief results. Their systems may be wise; but they are exposed to the same inconveniences, as if they acted without any system. They are unstable and uncertain in their conduct, and cannot depend on the operation of any one of their schemes, because they have not sufficient resolution them into effect.

to carry

From real-life many examples can be produced, which show the truth of these remarks. I will mention two. The circumstances of a man may be such, that he is un

der the indispensable necessity of practising the strictest economy. He is aware of it: and as he honestly wishes to do justice to his creditors and his family, he forms a plan, which, if adhered to, will, in a few years, retrieve his affairs, and enable him afterward to live with more freedom. But he suffers these wise resolutions to be defeated by invitations to parties of pleasure, by the fear of appearing parsimonious, by the desire of still keeping up some external splendor, and by other motives, which ought to have no influence upon a man of good sense. For what is the opinion of the world to a person, who cannot obtain the smallest relief from the companions of his pleasures, who would not respect him less for his frugality, and who perhaps even laugh at him for attempting to hide his poverty? At the end of the limited time, when he promised himself that he should be extricated from his difficulties, he finds himself still more embarrassed in his circumstances; and all this evil proceeds from the want of resolution.

Again, a man may be convinced that it is prudent to avoid the society of certain persons, not perhaps because they are not innocent, but because they do him no good, because they are either too much below, or too much above him, or because he cannot persist in visiting them, without running the risk of impairing his honor, or from numberless other motives, of which he may feel the force, but which it is unnecessary for me particularly to enumerate. He resolves therefore to go no more; but goes the next day. He resolves again; and again breaks his resolution. He binds himself by a solemn oath to keep his determination, observes it for a short time, but, in the end, violates his oath as well as his promises. I am describing here no unusual event. Such instances of irresolution take

place every day; and by such unstable determinations are men driven about, like the waves of the sea, when it is tossed by the wind.

III. I proceed, in the last place, to point out the mischievous effects of irresolution in our moral conduct. The duties of morality are obvious and certain. We cannot always determine what is true in speculation; we are sometimes at a loss to determine what is the most prudent in conduct; but we are in most cases able to ascertain what is pleasing to God, and conformable to the rule of right. Hence it is, that though men differ somewhat in their maxims of prudence, and still more in their religious opinions, yet they are in general agreed in their ideas of virtue and vice. They know what they ought to do, and they determine to do what is right. But notwithstanding this knowledge, it is in our moral conduct that irresolution is most frequently displayed. The causes of it are manifest. They proceed from two principles in our constitution, which our Maker has been pleased to bestow upon us with wise and benevolent purposes. One of these principles is passion; and the other, the power of habit. By passion we are impelled to avoid pain and pursue pleasure; but as, by the violence of its emotions, it would lead us astray, God has given us reason, to restrain and direct it. By the power of habit are we enabled to acquire knowledge, to execute whatever we do with ease, and to obtain a uniformity of conduct, and a fixed and permanent character. If we were destitute of passion, we should be mere lifeless masses of matter, without energy in our conduct, without taste, without sympathy, without social affections, without devotion in our religion; and if we were destitute of the

power of habit, we could be certain of no acquisition whatever; even a virtuous character itself would be insecure; and a man, who had never committed a deed of wickedness, would be as liable to fall into vice, as he who had been corrupt. But these necessary principles, like everything else in human nature, may be perverted from their original design. When reason is discarded, and passion is suffered to take the helm, as well as to fill the sails, we shall be agitated like the waves of the sea, and driven far from our true course; a corrupt habit will gradually be formed, and the bad man will find it as difficult to perform a virtuous action, as the good man does to commit a vicious action. It is when these corrupt habits prevail, and whilst they are beginning to prevail, that the fatal effects of irresolution are discovered. We resolve to be pious, to be holy, to repent of our sins, to lead new lives; but vicious habits have obtained such a dominion over us, that it is extremely painful to execute our purposes. We resolve again, and bring nothing to pass. We determine to break off from a vicious practice, and never more to be guilty of it; but in the moment of temptation, all our resolution forsakes us. In the meantime, our conscience pierces us with its sharp stings. The fancied pleasure which we pursued is gone, and nothing is left but anguish of mind. We again resolve; and pray to God most fervently, that he would strengthen our resolution. We say, The evil may yet be repaired: Surely I have vigor of soul enough to preserve myself from destruction. But passion suddenly seizes the reins: We combat awhile with feeble opposition: We feel ourselves sinking: We lift up our eyes to heaven, afraid to ask, because we know that we do not deserve assistance: We yield, and a faint uneasiness only remains: passion

subsides, and we once more awake to the consciousness of our misery and guilt. Thus we go on resolving, and breaking our resolves, confirming by every fresh crime our corrupt habits, and rendering it more and more difficult to keep our resolutions. At length we conclude from our melancholy experience, that it is impossible to conquer our passions; we give up the attempt in despair; and abandon ourselves to the torrent of vice.

The deplorable effects of this irresolution should teach us to resist evil in the beginning. We should not suffer bad habits to become confirmed; but restrain our passions, whilst they are capable of being restrained. We should combat the spirit of irresolution, with the conviction that it gives strength to vice, and that the more frequently we break our resolutions, the harder it is to keep them. But should we be deeply plunged in wickedness, shall we not attempt to extricate ourselves? Shall we resign ourselves to despair, and die in a state of guilt, because it requires courage to be virtuous? If we value either our present or future happiness, let us rouse ourselves. Vicious habits are hard to be subdued; but they are not invincible. Many instances can be produced of abandoned sinners, who have reformed, and who have become afterward patterns of virtue. Let these examples encourage us, and inspire us with emulation. Let us once more resolve to change our conduct; and let us fortify our minds with every motive, which will induce us to keep our resolutions. In particular, 'whilst we recollect our frequent relapses, let us flee from temptation. The most usual cause of the irresolution of sinners is, that they do not cautiously avoid the situations, where their virtue is in danger. Our passions, when the objects of them are out of sight, are not