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A Sermon Preached At Greenwich, On The Festival Of St. John The Baptist, June 24, 1774,
men and orators , and expected , by their aid , not only to improve and refine what the Apostle had taught them , but even to learn more true wisdom and virtue than what the gospel was able to convey—A fatal source of many errors , and of much misconduct among the disciples of Christ in that city ! when , forgetting the plain and sacred institutions of his divine word , they blindly gave themselves up to the weak dictates and vain delusions of men . And therefore our
Apostle , with all the ardour of true friendshi p , not only laments the increase of their factions , arising either from a bigotted attachment to the useless rites of Judaism , or from a too fond regard to eloquence and philosophy , which equally tended , in their several degrees , to divert their attention from the main duties and more important interests of Christianity ; but he also tenderly exhorts and intreats them
to return unto the paths of ri ghteousness and peace , to maintain the essential truths of the gospel , and in every respect to acquit themselves as the genuine and united disciples of their divine Lord and master . I beseech you , said he then to them , and with equal authority this day calls upon us , in the great and sacred name of our Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christto be unanimous in the same
, general sentiments of divine truth ; to adhere with firmness to the same fundamental rules of duty ; to be animated by the same temper of charity and love ; speaking the same gracious and friendly language , and jointly pursuing the same religious views and worthy intentions ; without any useless disputes about smaller matters , and still more without any hatred or animosity one towards another .
This is the text , and this is the subject , not only adopted by me , but also chosen and approved by my superiors in this society , as highly suitable to the occasion upon which we are now ' so joyfully assembled . It is a subject which invites us to consider the nature and importance of unity , and those powerful motives by which it may be inforced upon us , as MEN , as CHRISTIANS , and as FREE AND ANCIENT MASONS .
To form a just idea of this great and noble virtue of unity , we must observe , that itincludeth an iritire harmony in judgment , affection , language , and pursuit . We must study to comprehend the fundamental institutions of that society into which we are admitted , and then exert ourselves candidly to defend and retain them as the pillars and foundations upon which it is established" by which it is continually supported
, , upon which every thing else has its main dependence , and without which it cannot subsist . An uniformity of judgment in these essential articles , being that which cements the whole body , unites together all its various parts and members , and forms them into a regular structure , into one uniform building , and adds strength and firmness to the whole . "
This unity of judgment will naturally beget an union of heart and affection . What name can be more endearing than that of Brethren ? no closer , no firmer bond of amity and friendship can be imagined , than that of a mutual and sincere love ; the true aud animating spring
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Sermon Preached At Greenwich, On The Festival Of St. John The Baptist, June 24, 1774,
men and orators , and expected , by their aid , not only to improve and refine what the Apostle had taught them , but even to learn more true wisdom and virtue than what the gospel was able to convey—A fatal source of many errors , and of much misconduct among the disciples of Christ in that city ! when , forgetting the plain and sacred institutions of his divine word , they blindly gave themselves up to the weak dictates and vain delusions of men . And therefore our
Apostle , with all the ardour of true friendshi p , not only laments the increase of their factions , arising either from a bigotted attachment to the useless rites of Judaism , or from a too fond regard to eloquence and philosophy , which equally tended , in their several degrees , to divert their attention from the main duties and more important interests of Christianity ; but he also tenderly exhorts and intreats them
to return unto the paths of ri ghteousness and peace , to maintain the essential truths of the gospel , and in every respect to acquit themselves as the genuine and united disciples of their divine Lord and master . I beseech you , said he then to them , and with equal authority this day calls upon us , in the great and sacred name of our Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christto be unanimous in the same
, general sentiments of divine truth ; to adhere with firmness to the same fundamental rules of duty ; to be animated by the same temper of charity and love ; speaking the same gracious and friendly language , and jointly pursuing the same religious views and worthy intentions ; without any useless disputes about smaller matters , and still more without any hatred or animosity one towards another .
This is the text , and this is the subject , not only adopted by me , but also chosen and approved by my superiors in this society , as highly suitable to the occasion upon which we are now ' so joyfully assembled . It is a subject which invites us to consider the nature and importance of unity , and those powerful motives by which it may be inforced upon us , as MEN , as CHRISTIANS , and as FREE AND ANCIENT MASONS .
To form a just idea of this great and noble virtue of unity , we must observe , that itincludeth an iritire harmony in judgment , affection , language , and pursuit . We must study to comprehend the fundamental institutions of that society into which we are admitted , and then exert ourselves candidly to defend and retain them as the pillars and foundations upon which it is established" by which it is continually supported
, , upon which every thing else has its main dependence , and without which it cannot subsist . An uniformity of judgment in these essential articles , being that which cements the whole body , unites together all its various parts and members , and forms them into a regular structure , into one uniform building , and adds strength and firmness to the whole . "
This unity of judgment will naturally beget an union of heart and affection . What name can be more endearing than that of Brethren ? no closer , no firmer bond of amity and friendship can be imagined , than that of a mutual and sincere love ; the true aud animating spring