severally as he will." (Eph. iv. 7; 1 Cor. xii. 11.) It may be remarked,
that in some cases all these properties may be discerned in great
measure in the same individual. In the gifts and grace of the apostle
Paul, may be discovered the _boldness_ of the _lion_, the _patience_ of
the _ox_, the _compassion_ of the _man_, and the _soaring flight_ of the
_eagle_. Our covenant God endows his servants for the service to which
he calls them, always making good the promise,--"As thy days, so shall
thy strength be." The "six wings," of course, are expressive of the
activity of the ministry,--"in season, out of season," emulating the
heavenly seraphims in serving the same Lord. They were "full of eyes
before, behind, within." They are to "take heed to themselves, and to
the ministry which they have received in the Lord, that they fulfil it."
(Col. iv. 17; 1 Tim. iv. 16.) They are to regard the operation of God's
hand in providence, so as to "have understanding of the times, and know
what Israel ought to do." (1 Chron. xii. 32.) They are to "try the
spirits whether they are of God;" and "after the first and second
admonition, to reject heretics." (Tit. iii. 10.) They are to "oversee
the flock," (Acts xx. 28;) and to "watch for souls, as they that must
give account" to the Master. (Heb. xiii. 17.) And we may say with
Paul,--"Who is sufficient for these things?" Modern prelates, who
arrogate to themselves the exclusive use of the Scriptural official name
"BISHOP," generally manifest that they are _only bishops_, (_two-eyed_)
and not the _many-eyed_ servants of Christ, symbolized by the "four
animals" of our text, or the "overseeing _elders_" charged at Miletus by
the apostle Paul. (Acts xx. 17.) "While these men slept, the enemy sowed
tares."--In direct acts of worship, these "animals,"--the ministers,
take the lead, answerable to another official name,--"guides, in things
pertaining to God." (Heb. xiii. 7; [Greek] v. 1.) They are, as well
expressed by another phrase, the "sworn expounders of God's word," and
authoritative rulers in his house. Destitute of legislative power, which