PREFACE.

So much depends on the religious character of the rifing generation, that they cannot too often be called to a confideration of their duty. Of what confequence are the graces ufually acquired by genteel education, compared with rectitude of heart? What avails it, that one youth has fancy, that another is profound in meditation, and that the qualities of genius are combined in a third? The unlettered and unpolished chriftian, who, like his Mafter, goes about doing good, is vastly their fuperiour, unless to their powers of imagination, wit, and science, they add benevolence and piety.

In contrasting virtue with fhining talents and fashionable accomplishments, let us not be haftily cenfured. We plead for religion, but not for the rigour and afperities, with which it has fometimes been. affociated. The importance of literature, arts, and refinement of manners is conceded. But we contend, that folicitude for these objects fhould be fubordinate to

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the pursuit of moral worth; and that to confume the morning of a fhort life in queft of any terreftrial poffeffion, as the fupreme good, is fomething worfe than folly.

With a view to awaken in the young a juft regard to the whole of their exiftence, the following difcourfes are published. They are not offered to the confirmed unbeliever, nor to the veteran in vice, because to fuch characters the offering would do little good.

Nor are they made publick to enhance the literary reputation of their deceased author. The diftinguished merit of the late Dr. Clarke is acknowledged by all, who were honoured with his friendship, or favoured with his inftructions. Even thofe, who diffented from him in theological opinion, united with his admirers. in praife of his learning and goodness. His gentle manners, his converfation abounding in lively description and judi cious remark, his wife economy of time, and the cheerfulness and fidelity, with ⚫ which he fulfilled his paftoral and focial duties will be long and gratefully remem bered.'

Of preachers he defervedly ranked in the firft order. His elocution, not naturally powerful, was rendered captivating

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 tafte of his pulpit compofitions. He

feemed to emulate the plainness 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 precifion 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 dexteroufly ufes their own conceffions to shake their practical skepticism, 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 moft of his A 2 fermons

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fermons with equal felicity. It is hence difficult, from what is always good, to felect what is beft. This difficulty was felt in making the former felection, 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 which was excited in the advertisement to the other volume; to gratify the friends of the author's memory; and to improve the morals of fuch as are juft entering on the theatre of active life, and through them. the customs and state 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 no wife diminifh his well earned fame. The fpirit, which animates other of his works, is manifeft here. He well knew, that the controver fies 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. Thefe 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 re

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gard to order, and 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 observed. He, however, 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 especially ftand in daily need of those goads to right action, which are formed by the words of the wife; and that these fharp 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 difcourfes, let them begin with their offspring, faying, Wisdom is the principal thing, &c. Let them

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