Yet, notwithstanding, the ministerial office is an appointment of Jesus Christ, to be respected and submitted to by all his people. When he calls himself" chief shepherd," it is in referenee to his plan of employing inferior shepherds, in the gathering, and in the feeding of his flock. 66 Himself has described their characters and their duties: " Householders, bringing out of their treasures things new and old "" Stewards, whom their Lord shall make rulers over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season'." And, accordingly, we find that his first-commissioned Apostles" ordained Elders in every city." These Elders, or Presbyters, the Scripture tells us, were made overseers over the flock by the Holy Ghost'." Such an order of men, we know, has always existed in the visible church of Christ, and the edifying of the saints has generally been through their instrumentality; the treasure, destined by the great Master for the enriching of his family, has been usually put in these earthly vessels. Those, then, who would seek communion with Christ, must not despise the ministrations of his servants, either by "separating themselves"," as though they could obtain their object by private exercises of devotion, according to the proud conceit of some in these latter days; or by indiscriminately countenancing every forward person who chooses to h Mat. xiii. 52. i Luke, xii. 42. com. 1 Cor. iv. 1. take upon himself the character of a minister of Christ, and thus rendering the holy office contemptible in the eyes of all. Let us remember, that one direction to the spouse of Christ, how she may find the love of her soul, is the tents of the shepherds; and this way, most unquestionably, the track of the flock does lead: for that neglect and light esteem of the ministerial office, that unconcern with which the people witness the omission of its most sacred duties, and the violation of its best established orders, has scarcely a precedent in the former practice of the church, at any one period of her existence. And whether this boasted liberty of modern times, though it supplies, indeed, a speedy remedy to some inconveniences and abuses, and has seemed to some, in the simplicity of their hearts, to promise much good, has, on the whole, tended to the advantage of Christianity, will much be questioned. But there is a more important inquiry than that of expediency-Has not the divine precept been infringed: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account"?" 66 By the tents of the shepherds, therefore, where they assemble the people, and feed their master's flock, the faithful are to seek the manifestations of a Saviour's love. His promise to his servants was, "Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the n Heb. xiii. 17. world." He has said again, but not, I humbly conceive-for he is ever consistent with himselfrespecting little parties of professed Christians assembled in arrogant opposition to the minister, or in slight and neglect of his office, but respecting the blessed assemblies of his church under their appointed pastors, "Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them "-"I will make them joyful in my house of prayer." And will not the experience of the gracious presence of Christ make it the cordial declaration of all his faithful followers? "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God!"-" One day in thy courts is better than a thousand"." • Mat. xxviii. 2. P Mat xviii. 20. r Ps. lxxxiv. 9 Isai. lvi. 7. IDYL THE THIRD. Corresponding with that Portion of the public Translation contained in the last nine Verses of the first Chapter, and in the seven first of the second. MUTUAL Congratulations and expressions of affection between a Bride and Bridegroom, of royal dignity, as we discover, who have just retired from the public procession of their marriage, and await, in the private recess of their beautiful garden, the preparation of the nuptial feast, appear to form the greater part of this Idyl: the feast itself being, as I conjecture, the closing scene. BRIDEGROOM. I COMPARED thee, my partner, To the horse in the chariots of Pharaoha. a According to our notions, we must acknowledge, there is something extremely inappropriate in the comparison of a beautiful female to a horse. If, however, such a comparison must be admitted in this place, the same allusion, we may observe, has been pointed out by several commentators in one of the admired poets of antiquity. The similitude, therefore, may have appeared in a different light to people of other times and habits of life. But we are to notice, that the allusion before us is not to one particular horse, but to a number of horses: for such is the import of DD, "H iππ,"-" Collective Equitium." Parkhurst and Simon. Again, the point of comparison between the bride and Most beautiful were thy cheeks with jewels, 6 Borderings of gold will we make for thee, BRIDE. While the King was in his circuit, My nard emitted its fragrance. these horse in the chariot of Pharaoh, is neither form, nor action, nor docility; but merely, as far as appears, splendid decoration: "Most beautiful were thy cheeks with jewels, and thy neck with strings of beads." This leads to the conjecture, that these celebrated horses of the royal Egyptian breed, richly caparisoned, as we may suppose, and loaded with all the display of golden ornament and precious stones which the treasury of the magnificent Solomon could supply, were accustomed to be led forth on days of state, and had appeared a conspicuous object perhaps in some late procession of a royal marriage. On retiring, therefore, in private with his bride, the bridegroom, meaning to compliment her on her appearance, is supposed to declare, that, in the late procession, the most splendid objects which the royal state of his kingdom could produce in honour of the event, appeared not in his eyes more beautiful. At the same time, he promises to add to her ornaments. For, though she had appeared so engaging, and every thing about her had seemed so elegant and becoming in the partial view of her lover, yet, probably, her decorations in themselves could by no means be compared, in value or in beauty, to " the peculiar treasure of kings." -But henceforth all that her royal bridegroom possessed should be devoted to her service: "Borderings of gold will we make for thee, with pointings of silver." The This reply of the bride is confessedly obscure to us. allusion, however, we are supposing in this idyl to a marriageprocession, from whence the royal pair have just retired, will perhaps afford a more probable solution than has been usually given. The King in his circuit, may either refer to his going round in some part of the procession, or to his taking his stand in the midst of his retinue, while the procession passed before |