SERMON VIL. Matth. xi. 5. The blind receive their fight, and the lame walk, the lepers are clean- fed, and the deaf hear, the dead are rai- VILL. SERMON SERMON I The nature and tendency of the Eccle fiaftic Conftitution in Scotland. By JOHN BONAR, A. M. Preached before the fynod of Perth and Stirling, 16th April 1760, agreeably to the practice of that fynod, fince the year 1746, to have a difcourfe delivered before them, on the fecond day of their meeting, upon the principles of the Reformation and the Revolution. PSAL. cxxii. 9. Because of the houfe of the Lord our God, I will Seek thy good. A LTHOUGH we are not told at what particular time this beautiful and animated fong was compofed, yet feveral circumftances render it highly probable, that it is one of thofe facred hymns which were fung at the three grand feftivals, when all the males among the Jews were obliged to prefent themfelves before the Lord at Jerufalem. And whoever duly attends to the nature of the pfalm, will find it well fuited to fuch an occafion. David therein fets before his countrymen the peculiar happiness of their fituation, both with respect to their form of VOL. I. A civil civil government, ftyled, in the 5th verfe, the feats of judgement, and the thrones of the houfe of David; and on account of thofe religious privileges by which their country was diftinguished, and which rendered the prefervation of their government the perpetual fubject of the fervent prayers and warmest zeal of every good man, and every true Ifraelite. My text, in this view, feems abundantly applicable to the design of our present meeting; which is, to excite a proper attention and regard to thofe privileges, civil and facred, which, in Britain, we have enjoyed fince the glorious Revolution. The principles upon which our civil conftitution is built, and the happy confequences of our deliverance from the fuperftition and tyranny of the church of Rome, have fo often been illustrated, in the course of these lectures, and reprefented with fuch strength and propriety, that it might well be accounted prefumption in me to refume the argument. I fhall therefore confine my obfervations to another particular; which, fo far as I can learn, has not been infifted upon by any of my brethren who went before me, viz. IN THE ECCLESIASTIC CONSTITUTION THAT PART OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AV HERE WE LIVE. In explaining which, I hope to fhew, That it is well calculated for promoting the great ends of religion, and strengthening those principles principles of civil government by which our li berties are fecured: A fubject which feems to be rendered neceffary, not only by the reflections which ene mies of different kinds have frequently thrown out against the principles of Prefbyterians; but also from the little attention that is paid by many profeffed friends, to fupport the purity and vigour of that conftitution, and to enable its minifters to pursue the objects thereof with reputation and fuccefs. Let it not, however, be imagined, that I am to enter into any of thofe controverfies which, either formerly, or of late, have unhappily divided Proteftants, on the fubject of church-government, and which have fo often been the occafion of much angry and unchristian debate, while each party, by fcrewing their own pretenfions too high, in effect anathematized all of a different opinion. Nor will I, in order to defend our own particular form, pretend to affirm, that our church has attained an abfolutely perfect conftitution; or that, in practice, we always act up to the perfection fhe hath attained: on the contrary, impartiality will oblige me to confess, that, in both refpects, we may need amendment; and that our reformation, in fome inftances, has not been carried to that height which our firft reformers feem evidently to have defigned; but which, from the fituation of civil affairs, the opposition of avowed enemies, and the selfish difpofition of pretended friends A. 2 civil government, ftyled, in the 5th verfe, the feats of judgement, and the thrones of the houfe of David; and on account of thofe religious privileges by which their country was diftinguished, and which rendered the prefervation of their government the perpetual fubject of the fervent prayers and warmeft zeal of every good man, and every true Ifraelite. My text, in this view, feems abundantly applicable to the design of our prefent meetings which is, to excite a proper attention and regard to thofe privileges, civil and facred, which, in Britain, we have enjoyed fince the glorious Revolution. The principles upon which our civil conftitution is built, and the happy confequences of our deliverance from the fuperftition and tyranny of the church of Rome, have fo often been illustrated, in the course of thefe lectures, and represented with such strength and propriety, that it might well be accounted prefumption in me to refume the argument. I fhall therefore confine my obfervations to another particular; which, fo far as I can learn, has not been infifted upon by any of my brethren who went before me, viz. IN THE ECCLESIASTIC CONSTITUTION THAT PART OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WHERE WE LIVE. In explaining which, I hope to fhew, That it is well calculated for promoting the great ends of religion, and strengthening those principles |