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THE

NEW YORK

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Astor, Lenox and Tilden

Foundations.

1699

14530

SERMON I.

DELIVERED AT THE STATE HOUSE AT ANNAPOLIS, 8th of FIRST MONTH, 1826.

THE most popular institutions of human wisdom have carried in themselves, the seeds of their own destruction, and the emblems of their own imbecility and consequent ruin. The glory of Rome is fallen-Greece is ruined, and thou whole Palestina, art dissolved. The continent of Europe is in confusion; and what reason have we to conclude, that the seeds of our own destruction are not sown also. The human body has been in all ages subject to variation and change; and in all ages, mankind having fulfilled their course have returned to their native dust. It is an examination not unworthy a rational being to see what causes have produced these effects. I apprehend that under all these circumstances, and in all these cases, it has been a total dereliction of the principles which brought those nations into eminence, that has produced their ruin: And hence the necessity of referring to first principles. I am not about to direct any of you in matters of re

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