Humanity, genuine good Humour, undissembled Virtue, rational Liberty and useful Science.

Indeed the whole doctrine of the text (calling us to consider ourselves "as the Servants of God,” in the use of every thing which he offers for our enjoyment here) must still be necessary among all societies of men, in a world wrapt up in false peace; trusting too much to external professions, and where multitudes have yet to learn-That true Religion is something spiritual, and designed to perfect the soul in holiness, through the fear and love of God-That she must lie deeper than in ordinances and professions" Must reach the inner parts, or rather take "her rise there, even in the hidden man of the "heart, where Christ bruises the Serpent, subdues "our natural corruptions," erects his throne within us, and consecrates us temples of the Holy Ghost.

It is in this sense only, that men can be considered as living stones, built up a spiritual house! It is in this sense only, that they can enjoy liberty as the servants of God; without "maliciousness," and without licentiousness!

As to you, Brethren! I hope I need not remind you, that if none be accepted among us, but such as strive daily, through the Grace of Heaven, to lay aside those evil passions, condemned by the apostle; then shall the Lodge be truly denominated a "Spiritual House," and all its members "Living Stones," hewn out of the Rock of Ages, and adorned with jewels of unspeakable value. Then shall they be free indeed! for the great Spiritual Master shall have set them free from the turbulence of passion, the

stings of Guilt and the thraldom of Slavery, both of body and mind. In Wisdom, Beauty and Strength shall they ever appear―

That Wisdom which descends from on high"a pure influence flowing from the Glory of the Almighty—which is the brightness of the everlasting Light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the Image of his Goodness-more beautiful than the Sun and above all the order of Stars-pure, peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated-which whosoever findeth, findeth Life"

That Beauty, which shines forth in the ornaments of Holiness, the jewels of Mercy, the clothing of Humility, and the practice of all Religious, Moral and Social Duties.

That Strength, which depends not on the arm of flesh, nor delights in oppression and confusion; but is a refuge to the distressed, a band of union among brethren, and a source of comfort in our own hearts

In conclusion, therefore, to this first head of discourse, let me, in the fulness of my pledged affection, exhort you to remember, in all your meetings and communications, that you are brethren; although free, yet on the level; bound to keep within the compass of mutual good-will; and to frame your conduct by the square of doing as you would be done by. Keep an open heart to every suffering brother, ready to receive him as a tempest-driven voyager into a port of safety, seeking among you that relief and shelter, which he sought in vain, while tossed upon the restless ocean of common life.

tion.

Be of one mind. Avoid all levity of conversaBe sober and temperate; abstaining from every excess that would enervate the body, debase the understanding, cherish strife and dishonour your calling. Study to be quiet, and to do your own business with your own hands; as knowing that "a wise Brother's delight is in the Work of his Craft." Learn when to be silent, and when to speak; for a babbler is an abomination, because of the unspeakable words, which a man may not utter," but in a proper place.

These are fundamental principles, and practices of immutable obligation in our society. Flowing from the fountainhead of antiquity, they have rolled down to us, in pure and uncorrupted streams, through the channels of time; and, we trust, will still roll, broader and deeper, until the dread order of this Terrestrial Fabric shall be consummated in the endless order of Eternity. While we draw from such sacred sources, our true members, as in times past, so likewise now and in times to come, in different climes and ages, shall be able to silence" the tribe of scorners;" and to convince them that the only qualities we wish to honour are those which form good men and good citizens; and the only buildings we seek to raise, are temples for virtue and dungeons for vice.

The other societies of this world-empires, kingdoms, and commonwealths-being of less perfect constitutions-have been of less permanent duration. Although men have busied themselves, through all in forming and reforming them, in casting

ages,

down and building up; yet still their labours have been vain! The reason was-hear it and be wise, ye Builders of the present day-the reason was, that they daubed with untempered mortar, and admitted into their Structures the base, discordant, heterogeneous materials of Pride, Ambition, Selfishness," Malice, Guile, Hypocrisies, Envies and Evil-speaking”—which we reject. Hence their fabrics, unable to support themselves, tumbled to the foundation, through internal weakness, or were shaken to pieces by external violence.

The Egyptian, the Babylonian, the Assyrian, the Persian empires; the commonwealths of Athens, of Sparta, and of Rome, with many more of later dateWhere are they now? "Fallen-Fallen-Fallen"the weeping voice of history replies! The meteors of an age, the gaze of one part of the world; they rosethey blazed awhile on high-they burst and sunk again, beneath the horizon, to that place of oblivion, where the pale ghosts of departed grandeur fleet about in sad lamentation of their former glory!

Such have been the changes and revolutions which, as a fraternity, we have seen. From the bosom of the Lodges, (seated on an eminence), its foundations reaching the center, and its summit the sky; we have beheld, as upon a turbulent ocean at an immense distance beneath us, the states of this world alternately mounted up and cast down, as they have regarded or neglected the principles described above; while, supported by them, the sublime fabric of our Constitution has remained unshaken through ages and, thus supported, it shall still re

main, while the Sun opens the Day to gild its cloudcapped towers, or the Moon leads on the Night to chequer its starry canopy. The current of Things may roll along its basis;* the tide of Chance and Time may beat against its walls; the stormy gusts of Malice may assault its lofty battlements, and the heavy rains o Calumny may descend upon its spacious roof—but all in vain. A building, thus constructed and supported, is impregnable from without; and can then only be dissolved when the pillars of the universe shall be shaken, and “the great globe itself, yea all which it inherit, shall, like the baseless fabric of a vision," pass away before the Almighty Architect!

But although we have seen those changes, convulsions and dissolutions; we have not seen them with insensibility, nor without heart-felt grief and a sympathetic tear. And this brings me to my—

Second Head, which was to shew-That our love to God and man leads us to cultivate the same rational and evangelic use of Liberty in society at large, as in our own subordinate societies.

This, we know, is a more arduous labour; because the same watchful care cannot be so easily applied to the admission, rejection or government of members, in large societies, as in small. Nevertheless, if every man, first in his own house, and then in all those lesser societies of brethren with whom he may be connected, would learn, in the apostle's use of

• A few sentences which were left out of the London editions of the Sermon on St. John Baptist's Day, 1755, as relating only to the Society before whom it was preached, are interwoven into the present Edition of this discourse.