AND, WHEN HE HAD SPENT ALL, HE BEGAN TO BE IN WANT. LUKE XV. 14. WHEN the case of the prodigal is consi dered, we owe it as a debt due to the folly of mankind, to shew them the sins and miseries of extravagance: but we owe it also as a debt to their understanding and good sense, to convince them of the duty and wisdom of œconomy. Some may think it sufficient to say, that the way not to be profuse, is to be saving; and that the spirit of parsimony is the only certain cure for the spirit of prodigality. But this remedy, so as it pre vails in some constitutions, may prove as bad as the disease. The economy of a wise man and a Christian doth not consist in the saving, but in the prudent and charitable disposal of his substance: not exclusive of a sparing principle, when that becomes necessary to his affairs. The ingredients which properly constitute what we call œconomy, are providence, prudence, and order or method. He, who doth not observe these, will always be in danger of that dissipation which leads to ruin. The provident man, according to the sense of his name, looks forward: he lives to-day, as one who considers that he is to live to-morrow: whereas the fool, looking to the present day only, saith, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. When he undertaketh any work, he first revolves in his mind, how it is to be conducted, and when it will be finished. It may be such, perhaps, as any body can begin. Any man can leap into the stream; but he who does this, without considering how he shall swim across, is very much to be blamed; especially if he hath been first admonished of the depth. A person, who miscarries for want of timely consideration, makes himself the talk of his neighbours. Want of foresight is U 4 want want of wisdom; and want of wisdom, when it affects any thing great, is always in danger of being ridiculous. This case is strongly represented by our Lord in the gospel: which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he hath sufficient to finish it? lest haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold it begin to mock him. No man can be allowed to have sense, who hath sense of the present, with no sense of the future. The laughter, which is not restrained by thought, is mad; and the mirth, not tempered by a consideration of what is to come, is frantic. Improvidence is against nature; at least, it is against what we call nature in brutes; because it is against the principle of self-preservation; of which principle he seems to be destitute, who considereth not what is to become of him, when the day of present gratification is over. Therefore every man, who would live in the world, must consider what his station and circumstances will admit of; leaving as little as possible to probabilities and contingences, which are very apt to fill the minds of the indolent, and to produce many abortive expectations. The The catechism of the church of England teaches us, while we are children, that there is a certain state of life to which God by our. birth or education is pleased to call us: we are to lay down a plan of living suitable to that state, and then we may be able to support it for the time to come. Even in our recreations, it is wise to provide a reserve, and keep up a future relish for them; lest they become insipid, and consign us over to remorse and melancholy. But, there are young people, headstrong and inconsiderate, with no experience of human life, and fascinated with ideas of self-indulgence, who enter upon the world, as if they meant to tear up pleasure by the roots, that it may never bear any fruit to them afterwards: and so their pleasures either end in untimely death, or leave them nothing but bitter herbs to feed upon for the rest of their life. Whereas, a little timely foresight, with regard to common sense as well as to virtue, would preserve to them all that can be enjoyed with wisdom and innocence and nothing else, which this world hath to give, will be worth their seeking. The second ingredient, in good œconomy, is prudence. The use of this virtue is to distinguish between good and evil, between causes causes and effects, between appearances and realities and in consequence of a proper discrimination of things and persons, to choose the good, and avoid the evil. Prudence examines all things, rather in their consequences, than in themselves: it judges of things, as the gospel teaches us to judge of men, by their fruits. Many actions of mankind are of a doubtful nature; partly good and partly bad: good under some circumstances, and as bad under others: good in appearance, bad in effect: well esteemed in the sight of man, but of no account, or even odious and abominable in the sight of God. The world hath virtues of its own manufacture, very expensive, and highly praised, and yet good for little at the bottom. When Satan has the vending of such equivocal virtues, he turns their white side uppermost: and men learn of him, to deceive one another by the like artifice. They praise some good thing, for the sake of some evil thing which is attached to it; or magnify one side of a man's character, which is good, or at least specious, to recommend the other which is bad. How agreeable it is to hear, that a man may be a libertine, and yet pass for a man of virtue! Such deceptions as these may have |