RttrofpeSi of American Literature. — Theology* 



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«dty bcftowed on " Difcourfcs to Young 

 Peifons," by the late Rev. John Clarke, 

 D. D., Minifter of the Firft Church in 

 Bofton. Tiie fermons cntnpofing this vo- 

 lume had bec:n tielivercd to his congrega- 

 tion in the coiirfeof his minifterial fervices 

 by the excellent author. They are cli- 

 reiictd to a variety of pia6lic«l and very 

 important ('ubje6ls, and are as much dif- 

 tinguifhed for the benevolent and affec- 

 tionate feelings, as for the folidity, vi- 

 gour, and compafs of unHerftanding, 

 which they conftantly dil'play. Dr. 

 Clai Ice's charafter for learning, talents, 

 and tafte, was greatlv elteemei, and will 

 futFer no diminution by the publication of 

 thefe difcourfes. 



The Rev. Dr. Dwight's " Sermon on 

 the Death of Mr. Ebtnezer Grant Marfli, 

 Senior Tutor and ProfofT 'r-EJiiCt cf Lan- 

 guages and Ecclcliaftica! Hiftory in Yale 

 Collegi', Ci.n^e^ficut, is defij;ned to coin- 

 numorate the talents and viitues of a pro- 

 niifing young man, who probably fell a 

 vii'-Hm to his intenfe applicati n to rtudy, 

 ani who had given his (ritnds the heft 

 rralons to entertain fl.^iterin^ hopes of his 

 rel'peftabiliiy and ufefulnefs in life. This 

 fermon is very well written. Beliiles be- 

 ftowir.g a well-merittd eulogy on the cln- 

 rafler of the deceafed, it exhibits in a 

 flrain cf imprelTive eloquence the uncer- 

 tainty, fhoitnefs, and vanity, ot human 

 life. 



Fiom the pen of the fame author the 

 public have lately received a " Sermon on 

 Duelling," which is well calculated f> 

 expole the folly, guilt, and b irbarity, of 

 that cuftcm. It 'u to be greatly regretted 

 that penal ftatutes and moral harangues 

 have hithei t^ efFc6fed fo little towards the 

 extirpation of this relic of feudal fencity. 

 We fear this well-rneant endeavour will 

 iiare the fate of all preceding exertions of 

 a fimilar kind. The aliility dil >iayed by 

 the author in the coivipofition of this fer- 

 jnon, and the animated terms in which he 

 holds up to public dttcftation the atro-' 

 cioufnefs of this fpecles o\ homicide, en- 

 title him to the thanks of every friend of 

 humanity and every lover of the peace 

 and good order of focicty. The author, 

 if we miftake not, is the fame perfon who 

 fome years ago publifhed fome poetical 

 pieces, which were a good deal ciiculated 

 and cor.nmendtd in thit portion of the 

 United States commonly called New- 

 Englatid. 



The frecjuercy of felf-murder for fon?e 

 years pall in the United Stares, — v coun- 

 try of all others in the world the Uafi: fike- 

 ly, in alpcculallvepoint of vitvtr, to pro- 



duce inftances of fuch a crime, — has in- 

 duced thd Rev. Dr. Miller, of New- 

 York, to prefent to the public two dif- 

 courles on " The Guilt, Foly, and 

 Sources of Suicide." Thefe difcourfes 

 will be read wirh intereft by all who are 

 anxictis 10 fee demoiiitrated the CDnncftion 

 between virtue and haupinefs, vice and 

 mifery. They ('iiplay much acquaintance 

 with human nature, and correct views of 

 mr.ft of thofe habits, inlidgences, and 

 vices, which are apt to betray the un- 

 gual ded and inexperienced fuccclfively 

 into languor, mel mcholv, wearifomenefs 

 of life, and at laft into all the horrors of 

 defperation. 



The Rev. Dr. Osoood, Minifter of a 

 Church in Medford, ii the ftite of Maf- 

 fachuletts, has lattly appeared before the 

 public on " The Validity of Baptifm by 

 Sprinkfng, and the Right of Infants to 

 that Ordinance, fupjioritd and defended 

 in two Difcourfes, delivered at Maiden, 

 in the Beginning of the Year 1804., oc- 

 cafioned by the fctfing-up of a Baptifb 

 Society in that Place " However unluc- 

 ceisful the efforts of theologians hitherto 

 have been tow-rd'i a faliiladory decifion 

 of this queftion, Dr. Ofgood is not oa 

 that account deteried fiom enttring the 

 lifts of cont.'overfy in the maintenance of 

 his opinims. It nuift be cnnt'rffd that 

 he wields the weapjns of arg'inunt wi;h 

 feme force and dex'e- ity, and feems to be 

 in no refpeil deficient in that c nfide^ce 

 in his means oF attack and his chanccs of 

 fuccefs which are requifite in an attempt 

 to carry the war into wn enemy's country. 

 But, after all, it may be ferioufly doubred 

 whether any good can ari.'e from the agita- 

 tion of fuch a queilioii as this, which 

 feems to be unfufceptible of a final adjuft- 

 ment, and which will only ferve to em- 

 bitter animolitit^s which 1 ng ago have 

 attained an intemperate degree of vio- 

 lence. 



On the fame fobj-.f>, and with a corre- 

 fponding degree of zeal and^earneitnifs, 

 we find *' A Treatife on Infant li.iptii'm, 

 proving from the Scripture that li.lants 

 are proper Subjefls of Baprifm ; were fo 

 confideied by the Apoliles ; and did receive 

 that Ordinance unHer their Mini.'try." 



The Rev. Mr. Baldwin's Sennonde- 

 livered before the Firft Biprilt Sic:e:y in 

 Bofton, is intitkd '< The eternal Purpofe, 

 of God the Foiiiidarion of ehcwtiral Call- 

 ing." It will be readily f«n that the ob- 

 je£V of this I'ennon is to maiufin a Hoc- 

 trine which, ho>A'rver well huii lei, is H'lt 

 vc^y applicable to moral, i-ra;liril or uli;. 

 ful purpoies. In the decifion of que linnd 



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