ever way discussion. And, lastly, in what"the whole church," and "the brethren," were associated with the "Apostles and Elders" in sending chosen men back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, as bearers of the letters containing the decision which had been come to; it is certain that that was not communicated as the decision of the whole church at Jerusalem. After they had executed their mission at Antioch, the Apostle Paul and Silas proceeded on a visit to other churches; and it is said respecting them, that "as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem." (Acts xvi. 4.) It was not, then, by the church at Jerusalem, but by "the Apostles and Elders" there, that "the Holy Ghost " made known his mind on the important question which had occasioned so much uneasiness and controversy. It is not necessary to enlarge further in correcting the misinterpreta. tions of Scripture, which are brought forward for the purpose of claiming for the church the right to govern itself. All these misinterpretations originate in a mistaken view of the spirit and character of that pastoral government which Christ has provided. The fact is, that the Apostles and primitive Preachers of the Gospel ever remembered that those whom they were appointed to train and prepare, by evangelical teaching and salutary discipline, for eternity, were their brethren; and, as such, they treated them kindly and affectionately, showing them the reasonableness of their proceedings, and thus securing their cordial co-operation. And it is this concurrence in the decisions and acts of their Pastors which the primitive churches were invited to give, that has been erringly regarded by some as the exercise of the right on the part of the churches to govern themselves. The views of some persons on this subject appear to be so confused as to induce the belief in their minds, that if the people are denied the right of governing themselves, they have consequently no privileges at all. An ab surd conclusion! For, although it is the right of the Pastor to rule; the people themselves have, notwithstanding, most important and unalienable rights. They have ample scope for the exercise of all the sacred rights of conscience; and the full enjoyment of rational, Christian liberty is secured to them. Two quotations from Baxter, in support of the preceding argument, may here be properly introduced : "Some say the people are to govern by vote: I confess, if this were understood as it is spoken, according to the proper sense of the words, and practised accordingly, it were contrary to the express command of Scripture, which commands the Elders to rule well, and the people to obey them as their rulers, in the Lord: and it seems to me to be destructive to the being of a political church, whose constitutive parts are the ruling and the ruled parts; as every school consisteth of master and scholars, and every commonwealth of the pars imperans, et pars subdita:' and, therefore, those that rigidly stick to this do cast out themselves from all particular political churches' communion of Christ's institution." "The liberty of the church or people must be distinguished from their governing power, and their executing duty from the power of judging. And so, 1. The people are to be guided by the Pastors as volunteers, and not by violence: and therefore it is the Pastor's duty, in all doubtful cases, to give the people all necessary satisfaction, by giving them the reasons of his doings, that they may understandingly and quietly obey and submit. 2. And, in case the people discern any notable appearance of danger, by introducing heretics and grossly impious men to corrupt the church, and by subverting the order of Christ, they may go to their Pastors to desire satisfaction in the case. 3. And if, by open proof or notoriety, it be certain, that by ignorance, fraud, or negligence, the Pastors thus corrupt the church, the people may seek their due remedy from other Pastors and Magistrates. 4. And they may protest their own dissent from such proceed ings. 5. And, in case of extremity, may cast off heretical, and impious, and intolerable Pastors, and commit their souls to the conduct of fitter men." The harmony of these two passages is obvious. The Pastor has authority; the people have rights: but, whatever measures may be necessary to secure the full enjoyment of the one against the undue exercise of the other, the Pastor is not at liberty to divest himself, or allow others to divest him, of his legitimate scriptural right to govern the church. In claiming for the Minister of the Gospel authority to "rule" the church, the regular and not the occasional Minister is intended. It is quite allowable for laymen to assist their Pastors by preaching under their direction; but occasional exercises in preaching do not confer the pastoral office and its authority. The persons to whom Jesus Christ has given the keys are the regular and stated Ministers of the Gospel, who are fully set apart to the sacred office. The terms of the Gospel commission are too comprehensive in their import to warrant any other idea, than that those to whom it is addressed are required to renounce every other business; to leave all things else behind; and devote all their energies to the work of evangelizing a lost world. The provision made for the support of the regular ministry, is proof that this is the correct interpretation of the original commission by which the Gospel ministry was instituted. In the first epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle institutes a comparison between the Priests of the Jewish church and the Pastors of the Christian church, and argues, "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." (Chap. ix. 13,14.) The case is forcibly put by Mr. Wesley. In showing that the Gospel rule forbids Christian Pastors to engage in worldly business, he asks, Is it well consistent with that scripture, (2 Tim. ii. 4,) No man that warreth,' (takes on him the profession of a soldier, as we emi nently do,) entangleth himself with the affairs of this life?' plainly referring to the Roman law, which absolutely forbade any soldier to follow any other profession. Is it well consistent with that word: Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to teaching: meditate on these things, give thyself wholly to them?' (1 Tim. iv. 13, 15.) Can we be said to give ourselves wholly to these things if we follow another profession?" The great Apostle of the Gentiles sometimes "worked with his own hands;" but the occasional labours of the Apostle in the infancy of the churches, and the measures which modern Missionaries in heathen countries are at times obliged to adopt, in order to obtain temporal support, do not form the rule: they are the exceptions to the standing permanent rule of Christ; which requires that they whom he calls to the work of the ministry should be wholly separated from secular business, and devoted exclusively to the work of saving souls from death. Nor is the preceding argument to be understood as maintaining that every individual Pastor of the church possesses the right of feeding and ruling the church, in so full and complete a sense, as to render him independent of his fellow-Pastors. The New Testament abounds with indications of a connexion between the primitive churches; which con. nexion was maintained by means of a united ministry. The settlement of the question respecting the circumcision, already referred to for another purpose, affords irresistible evidence on this point. That transaction proves that even the commission of an Apostle did not render him independent of his fellow-Apostles; for Paul went to Jerusalem for consultation on this business. It is evident, again, that that case furnishes a precedent to guide the church in all ages. The consultation was not confined to the Apostles. The Apostle Paul left Antioch with the intention of consulting the "Elders" as well as "the Apostles:" and "the Elders" were actually associated with the Apostles in discussing and settling the question; and the decision was given in their joint names. In this union of extraordinary Ministers and ordinary Pastors is exhibited a striking instance of a united ministry in the age of primitive Christianity; and it now remains to be seen what was the influence which this assembly of Pastors exerted on the different churches. The following passage furnishes sufficient evidence on this point: "And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem." (Acts xvi. 4.) The decrees therefore which had been issued by these ordinary as well as extraordinary Pastors at Jerusalem, were binding on all the churches. Irrefragable proof is thus afforded, that although the churches were respectively provided, with their own Pastors, they were not independent in such a sense as to be free from the efficient control of the collective pastorate. It would be in vain to argue, that the proceedings of the Apostles do not in all respects form a rule for after-ages. Such reasoning would not at all apply in the present instance; for the "Elders," the ordinary Pastors, who were present, were joined with the Apostles in authoritatively settling a question for the guidance of the churches generally. A consideration of the circumstances of Christian churches in all ages, with a view to ascertain what is necessary to secure their purity, is sufficient to show that such a vital union of churches by means of a united ministry, as appears to have obtained in the earliest ages, is, if not imperatively necessary, at least highly beneficial, and conducive, in a very special manner, to the purity of the churches. Where such union among churches does not obtain, it is difficult to conceive by what means purity of doctrine can be effectually maintained. Should the Pastor of any particular church embrace Socinian principles, and only possess the talent of stating them in a cautious and subtle manner, until he gradually and almost imperceptibly undermines the orthodox faith of his people; what can save such a church from infidelity, if no corrective means are to be applied from without? A Connexion affords the only efficient remedy. The interference of the collective pastorate can alone meet such a case, which the ecclesiastical history of this country painfully shows has been of too frequent occurrence. Those who incline to the Independent form of church government have, of course, what are to them, weighty reasons for their choice; but, while they freely exercise their right of judging, the Methodists claim equal liberty of conscience, and prefer a connexion of churches, united by means of a collective pastorate, as the better, because, as they think, the more scriptural, way. (To be concluded in our next.) SPIRITUAL LETTERS. No. X. MY DEAR FRIend, THE great mystery of godliness, displayed in Jesus living and dying for us, ought indeed to be matter of frequent meditation, and demands our serious inquiry. Angels' minds desire to look into it, but men are interested in it. On this account I wonder not that you request my thoughts on Jesus our Example; yet I am not sensible of any discoveries therein unexplored by others, and which, in the course of your own experience, may not have been pointed out to you. As on this important subject, for you to hear the same thing is not grievous, and I trust to me it will not be unprofitable, I am willing to comply with your desire. It is certain no precept will avail us, unless it is brought home to our business and bosoms. It was from a sense of this, when I first found the efficacy of the death Spiritual Letters. ears: derstanding, the Spirit of counsel of our Lord, that I was led to con- Some years ago, in an illness which gave time for thought, I was particularly convinced of not having enough read the life of our Lord, recorded by the Evangelists. I wrote down the resolution of a more attentive perusal; and in his character have discovered all the wise and benevolent dispositions which the Scriptures exhort believers to cultivate. His zeal for the glory of God; his holy, fervent love; his faithfulness and innocence; his integrity; his love to the ransomed race; sympathy with the afflicted; his unblamable walk, and consistent character; his aptness to teach; his silence in reproach: these, as imitable parts of his conduct, I have been led to contemplate, to animate the lukewarmness of my affections, to correct the impetuosity of nature, and to purify my whole soul, even as he who loved me, and gave himself for me, was pure. Some scriptures, too, particularly characteristic of Jesus, I have often found it profitable to reflect on, and pray over; such as this: "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and un a From these passages it appeared how I ought to consider him in every occurrence of life, and how I might follow him in the narrow way. But the two points of view in which Jesus as our example has been of late more particularly use"He made himself ful to me, are, of no reputation;" "He suffered, leaving us an example: " the first as opposed to the innate pride of my heart; and the second as sacred motive to the enduring of all the inconveniences of mortality, and pain, whether of body or mind, which I have gone through. When I looked on Jesus sojourning in the mournful vale; voluntarily becoming low, obscure, despised; wearing a servant's form; and have found in myself the love of the honour that cometh from man, how has it checked me! how has it led to selfabasement, and a rising out of the ignoble principle! When languid, weary, dispirited, from the painful things of life, I saw the Lord of glory weary at the well, outwardly comfortless and alone, travelling in disagreeable ways, dreary deserts, working at a mean trade, without a place where to lay his head; with out the necessaries of life; reduced to the necessity of having recourse to a miracle to supply them; considering he thus himself took our infirmities, I have been exhilarated, and made willing, in my small degree, to tread the path my Saviour trod, and to have fellowship with him in his sufferings. So in temptation; to hear that the Son of God was in all points tempted like me; attacked by satanic guile; opposed by principalities and powers; the world in pleasing array set before him; this has strengthened and revived me, and showed me that my duty was, like the Captain of my salvation, to resist the adversary steadfast in the faith, using the sword of the Spirit. You will not, my dear friend, think I am setting myself up as a teacher, but see, in answer to your inquiry, how I found Jesus as our example set before me, and how I THE AMONGST the birds, the vulture -though one species, the lammergeyer, comes as far north as the Swiss Alps-generally most abounds in hot climates, and is often of essential service in preventing the infection likely to be produced by putrid animals. To these birds our Saviour's words, doubtless, allude: "Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." (Matt. xxiv. 28.) The species he had in his eye was probably the Egyptian vulture, (vultur percnopterus,) the services of which in Egypt are strikingly described by Hasselquist. Af ter noticing its disgusting appearance, he says, Notwithstanding this, the inhabitants of Egypt cannot be thankful enough to Providence for this bird. All the places around Cairo are filled with the dead bodies of asses and camels; and thousands of these birds fly about and devour the carcases before they putrify and fill the air with noxious exhalations." Belon observes, which proves their prevalence there, that in Palestine they devour an infinite number of mice, which would otherwise be a great pest. The cognate ought to walk so as to apply it to every affair of life. It is the business of life to "consider Him;" for in his sober, spotless mind we rise out of the ruins of the fall, and gain a heaven upon earth. The more I think of Jesus, whether as my propitiation, the source of spiritual life, or my great exemplar, the more I learn to rejoice unto him with reverence." He appears "glorious in holiness;" and a sacred awe mixes with the love that enables me to call him mine. I am abased to the dust when I think "He left me an example," (me the meanest follower of the Lamb,) and I am no more like him. I can only say, I aim at it, and glory in my divine Advocate. He must for ever hide me in the secret of his pavilion, and eternally be "my theme, my inspiration, and my crown." EAGLE. tribe, the eagles, though they are widely dispersed, have their metropolis in more northern climates, and are distinguished also from the vultures by making living animals chiefly their prey. For this they are gifted with a wonderful acuteness of sight, and indomitable strength of wing, and of legs and talons, fitting them for astonishing velocity of flight, and for resistless force, when they attack and bear off their prey. As they have no scent, their eyes are of infinite use, and enable them to discern a small bird at an almost incredible distance: and often, to get a clearer view, and more extensive horizon, when they leave their mountain eyries, they ascend to a great height. M. Raymond, when he had ascended the highest peak of the Pyrenees, saw an eagle soaring above him, flying directly in the teeth of a violent south-wester, with inconceivable velocity. Kirby's Bridgewater Treatise. In the book of Deuteronomy we have a very animated and beautiful allusion to the eagle, and her method of exciting her eaglets to at |