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Show £ icT J-LECTURE IV. Read March 8. 1735-6, at the Conflttutton new Lodge at /^Fountain in Pipevvcligate^ Gatefhead. IF the Father of. Mankind had kept his firft Paradifial State, by an abfolute Obedience to the Divine Command, there is no Doubt but his Defendants would have continued in Unity fthe greateft Blcffing of Society) one with another, and the tcrreftrial Hierarcny would then have refembled that of the heavenly, wherein the beatified Spirits that compofe the fame, being limVd together by Love Divine, and immortal Friendfhip to onea-i other, have no other Conteft, but that generous one, of w h o can excell in thefe Principles. But when, by his Rebellion, Man's Body became corrupt, and his Soul contaminate, and that the grand Enemy, w h o continually watches over us for our Deftruction, had diffeminated Difcord and Haired in Man's Nature, a flagrant Inftance whereof was early (hewn in that unnatural Murther perpetrated by Adam's eld eft Son upon his righteous Brother. Each fucceeding Generation became more and more degenerate, 'till at length almoft all Ideas of Virtue and Brotherly-love being loft, the headstrong fallen Race fought Renown by Conqueft, and wa* iied to their miftaken Honour through Seas of Blood, •'till at length Divine Vengeance overtook them, and ended all their hellifh Contefts in the Deluge. The chofen few, who remained untainted with their Crimes, were preferv'd from their Ruin, in the Arh, which was the firft Piece of Mafonry under Divine Direction, and built according to true Geometry, the Knowledge of which, as well as of ieveral curious and uieful Aits, Noah and his Sons conveyed to their Defendants, who, about ICI Years after the Delude, affcmbled in to the |