condemned, and the guilty may be acquitted. One compenfation or balance, however, there is to this defect in our conftitution; which is this, that the fupreme, power is not lodged in a permanent body, but in a court of representatives chofen every year; and who being themfelves the peers of all thofe who are tried before them, are not likely to be either able, or willing, to perfift in any plan of oppreffion or injuftice.

A fecond defect is a certain confequence of our republican conftitution, which makes us liable to faction and party-fpirit:

are

An'evil no doubt fraught with many breaches of charity, and with much alienation of mens mind from each other. For men who fet out with the firm belief that they are promoting public good, and ferving the great ends of virtue and religion, and who are countenanced and confirmed by their affociates in this opinion, apt, when acting in a party, to go lengths, of which, in other fituations, they would be utterly afhamed. Hence the liberty that is taken of making truth and confcience to be only of one fide; of branding each other with the names of libertine, and hypocrite of magnify ing an indecorum into a crime, or of conftruing a fevere or morofe demeanour to be vile grimaces wh while the enemies of our church lie in wait for fuch fair opportunities of feducing the credulous from every fide, and the foes of all religion fit in the corner's chair and laugh.

This evil, which calls for the attention of all

men

men of worth and virtue to mitigate and affuage its more violent fymptoms, is however the genuine product of our conftitution; and as long as we are free and independent, and, at the fame time, imperfect creatures, can never be wholly cured. But it is happily controlled in its moft pernicious effects, by the broad ba fis of our fupreme court, which brings members from every corner, uninfected with each others local paffions; and by the inftitution of elders: an order not only moft wifely calcula ted to promote religion and good morals among the people, and reconcile them to the difcipline of the church; but alfo to unite us more closely with the commonwealth, to prevent the jealoufy of government, to guard a gainft the encroachments of ecclefiaftical power, and to abate the ferment of minds fometimes overheated with party zeal and ftrife.

The third and laft defect that I thall mention, is the incompetent provifion for the clergy: a defect that I do not unjustly afcribe to the con stitution; which was formed on a furrender of the patrimony of the church, and all temporal power and dominion, with entire reliance for its fupport on the fenfe which the public should have of its utility. This is an evil not only fe verely felt by the minifters of this establish ment, (who, I am bold to fay, would not dif honour any fociety upon earth), but of the moft threatening afpect on the church; finca it may foon, fill her with perfons of inferior birth and mean education, to the ruin of learning, and religion

religion too: an evil, however, that we cannot justly impute, in all its extent, to the illiberal fpirit of the generations that are paft; fince they could not poffibly forefee the rapid progrefs of commerce; otherwise, it is probable, they would have fixed on fuch a kind of provifion for the clergy, as would have rifen in fome proportion to the profperity of the country, and not fallen in its value every day.

What we may hope for from this fplendid age, fo fertile in grand and magnificent projects, is beyond my conjecture. But if the church of Scotland is fuch as i have reprefented her to be, of so much utility, and of fo little danger to the public, her falling ftate, in this .refpect, will one day become an object to legislature itself and men capable of great and extenfive views, will fee, that, by preferving our church in her vigour, they will execute a work truly worthy of themselves; they will strengthen one pillar of religion and liberty that is in danger of decay, and help to prolong the period of light and happiness to mankind.

But, my Reverend Fathers and Brethren, though this defect in our conftitution is a fubject of anxiety and regret, and of uneafy forebodings, we need not yet fall into defpair. There are fome confiderations that ferve, for the prefent, to extenuate this evil, and from which we may derive a temporary comfort.

May we not hope for a partial, at least, and gradual redrefs of this evil, from the wifdom and attention of our own fupreme court of law,

law, fo far as our fituation is intrufted to their care? Have not many minifters of this church already experienced, what juft fentiments that learned and venerable body entertain of the narrow allowance made for them, when compared with the flourishing state of this country? Though the provifion for the clergy has fallen very much in its value: yet is not their rank, in some respect, raised; not only by the remo val of certain political prejudices, which feparated them from many of fuperior order; but alfo by the rife of all orders of men beneath them, through the improvements of industry, and the increase of wealth? What advantage may not be gained, from the clergy's having become the chief depofitaries of general learn: ing, now that the attention and efforts of almoft all other men are devoted to commerce alone? Do not our universities borrow many of their faireft ornaments from the church? And what glory may not be won in that field of dif tinction fo lately opened to the learned of this country, I mean compofition, and the art of writing where the whole range of fcience is before them, where there are laurels enough to fatisfy the moft ardent ambition of literary fame? It is here, ye rifing hopes of our Jeru falem! my younger friends, who are still candidates for the miniftry, who have forfaken all. to follow this ungainful profeffion; it is here that you must look for your rewards in this world. Here you will find objects fuited to your taftes; here you will perceive a fining VOL. II.

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path

path to reputation, that will answer the defire of your hearts: for admiration is the paffion of young and generous minds; and the love of diftinction is predominant with the youth of genius, far above the love of wealth. It were indeed happy, if, by our regulations, and our own conduct, we could make it a mark of diftinction to be admitted of our order.

It might now be expected that I should addrefs myself to the rest of my audience, and offer fome apology to them for having made, what they may think, an encomium on my own order; an encomium to which they may alledge they are bound to pay but little regard. All that I fhall fay is, that an unjust panegyric is the feverest fatire. But if the view I have gi-. ven of the constitution of this church be true, I have not improperly followed the Pfalmift's advice, to walk about Zion, to tell her towers, to mark well her bulwarks, and confider her palaces, that ye may tell it 'to the generation following; that you may imprefs on your own minds a fenfe of the excellent church-government you are under, and may inculcate on your children and pofterity, a just esteem of those who have the charge of your fouls, who have not dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy.

Let us then join together in fervent prayer to the King and Head of his church, who hath not only fenced her with towers and with bulwarks, and adorned her with palaces, but hath

made