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to his habitual hearers by his known correctness, and a delivery which partook both of gravity and warmth. But the brightest excellence of Dr. Clarke, as a publick inftructer, confifted in the utility and taste of his pulpit compofitions. He feemed to emulate the plainnefs of Dr. Chauncy, but to the perfpicuity of his great predeceffor he added a high degree of elegance. Richnefs and propriety of fentiment, as well as precision in ftyle, and fimplicity of method, characterize his difcourfes. He is there feen addreffing mankind as they are; as beings compounded of body and fpirit, of paffion and intellect, of ignorance and knowledge; who, though principally attentive to fublunary affairs, do not however entirely reject religion, nor feel indifferent to its truths. To the improvement of fuch beings he directs his labours. He affails their understandings, fenfibilities, hopes, and fears, and dexterously ufes their own conceffions to fhake their practical fkepticism, and fix their principles and build their habits on a chriftian foundation.

The uniformity of our author's life is vifible in his writings. He wrote many fermons on moft fubjects, and most of his fermons

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fermons with equal felicity. It is hence difficult from what is always good to select what is beft. This difficulty was faid to be felt in making the former selection; and it has embarraffed and fomewhat retarded the prefent publication. It is at length made, and not without hope of fuccefs, to answer the expectation excited in the advertisement to the other volume; to gratify the friends of the author's memory; and to improve the morals of youth, and thus the customs and ftate of our country.

If the fubfequent pages are not given to the world for the fake of decking the tomb of their writer with flowers, it is believed, that they will nowife diminish his well earned fame. The fpirit, which animates other of his works, is manifeft here. He well knew, that the controverfies of the fchools have no charms for the juvenile auditor, and that the hearing of fermons, to be followed with profit, muft be attended with pleasure. These dif courfes accordingly are alike free from mystery, which clothes religion with terrour, and from polemicks, which make it unintelligible. As will be obvious to the reader, they were written without regard

gard to order; and they were found, as were the fermons already printed, among the author's ordinary preparations for the Lord's day. In this fact an apology is furnished, if an apology is needed, for a repetition of fentiment, which will occafionally be obferved. Yet he, who reads rather for edification than amufement, will deem it a beauty instead of a blemish. Reiterated leffons are exactly adapted to the condition and wants of mankind. Men are wicked not fo much through ignorance of their duty, as through the weakness or infrequency of motives to its performance. Young perfons efpecially ftand in daily need of those goads to right action, which are formed by the words of the wife; and that these sharp and wholesome counfels fhould penetrate and remain faft in the heart, they must be often impreffed.

Let parents hence be inftructed in what they owe to themselves and their chil dren. Let them remember, that the twig - may be easily bent, but that the form and ramifications of the full-grown tree cannot be changed without violence. In imitation therefore of these discourses, let them begin with their offspring, faying, Wifdom is the principal thing, &c. Let them

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not fay fo in words merely, but in actions; teaching equally by example and by precept, that they confider all knowl edge whatever, without the knowledge of God, as of no value, and that the industry, which has not for its object the: melioration of life, is laborious trifling.

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