when they were scattered from Jerusalem, they went every where preaching the word.

6

But whoever these preachers are supposed to be, one thing is undeniable; they were endued with miraculous gifts and powers, which were the publick seal of their divine commission. For it is expressly said, Acts xi. 21, The Hand of the Lord was with them.' This phrase is, more than once, used by Luke for the supernatural and miraculous gifts of the Spirit. When Peter and John and their company prayed, that God would stretch out his Hand to heal and to enable them to do signs and wonders in Christ's name; they, in answer to their prayer, were filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts iv. 30, 81. These men went forth to preach with a public warrant from heaven. Their example, therefore, will by no means justify private Christians, who have no such warrant, in going every where to preach the word. If any, despising the ordinary mission appointed by God, plead an extraordinary commission to preach every where, let them shew the extraordinary evidences of

this commission by miraculous gifts and assistances. God never sends men to do his work, without some testimony sufficient to justify others in receiving them.*

* It has been asked, 'What evidence we have, that Apollos, before he was received in the character of a Christian preacher, had been approved by the elders of churches.' It is sufficient to answer, we have evidence from the rule and practice of the apostles already illustrated.

We are not to expect a particular account of every ordin tion, any more thau of every baptism, in the church; and in neither case can the silence of scripture, in certain instances, be urged as an argument against an established usage.

There is no evidence that Apollos acted as a Christian preacher in the church, much less, that he was acknowledged in this character before he received regular approbation. When he first came to Ephesus, Acts xviii. he knew the way of the Lord, only as far as John's baptism, or doctrine, had led him He knew that the kingdom of heaven, or the time of the Messiah's apperance, was now come. But that Jesus of Nazareth was this Messiah, had risen from the dead, and shed down the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, he had not been instructed. He first began to speak in the Jewish synagogue, probably, as many others did, by invitation, or permission of the ruler of the synagogue. He spake not as a Christian preacher, but rather as a learned and pious Jew, who was looking for redemption in Israel. For it is expressly remarked, that he knew only the baptism of John. Aquila, who had been instructed by Paul, and whom Paul left at Ephesus, when he went from thence, and hom some suppose to have been ordained a preacher by this apostle, perceiving that Apollos knew only the doctrine of John, 'took him and expounded to him the way of the Lord more perfectly.' And according

It must, by this time be manifest to you, that no man can claim a right to officiate in the character of a minister or teacher in the church, until he has been approbated and recommended to the work by the elders of churches.

I shall now shew, that whenever ministers or preachers travel into parts, in which

ly we find, that when Apollos went to Achaia, he helped the believers, and mightily convinced the Jews, shewing from the scriptures, that Jesus was the Christ.' Before he went into Achaia, the brethren' in Ephesus wrote to the disciples, exhorting them to receive him.? As there were now many believers, so doubtless there were also elders or ministers in Ephesus. We find, not long after this, Acts xx. that there was a number of elders in that city, who had the oversight of the church there; and probably of the churches in other parts of Asia; that they had been there for some time, and had been acquainted with Paul's ministry, 'from the first day that he went into Asia.' It is certain then that there were elders in Ephesus, as early as the time when Apollos was there. These probably were the brethren, or at least among the brethren, who recommended him to the disciples in Achaia. For brethren is a term often used for elders of the church. It is by no means supposable that Apolios should be known to none but private Christians. So learned and eloquent a man, who had read and spoken openly in the synagogue, and been instructed by Aquila, would certainly become acquainted with the elders. If he was known to them, doubtless they concurred in this recommendation; and if they recommended him, they had previously approved him in the character in which he went to Achaia.

they are not known, they ought to carry with them competent credentials; and that no man has a right to act, and Christians have no right to receive a man, in this sacred character, unless he exhibits sufficient testimony of his being vested with it. This is a just conclusion from the position already proved; and is farther evident from the uniform practice in the apostles' time.

Paul, after he had preached Christ for some time in Damascus, went to Jerusalem, and essayed to join himself to the disciples. there But they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. Acts ix. So cautious were they not to receive one, who had not given them sufficient evidence. of the truth of his pretensions. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, the proper judges in cases of this nature, and declared to them, how Paul had seen Christ in the way, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Christ; and on this testimony of Barnabas, who was himself a minister of Christ, they received him; and he was with them,

coming in and going out at Jerusalem. You will observe, he associated with the apostles. He did not shun them: He submitted to be examined and judged by them; and being accepted, he consorted and cooperated with them. How differently he conducted from imposters and deceivers, who choose to avoid the company of the regular ministers of Christ!

In the apostolic times, the preachers of the gospel, when they travelled from place to place, carried with them written credentials. Paul says, 2 Cor. iii. Need we, as some others, letters of commendation from you, or epistles of commendation to you? Ye are our epistle, known and read of all men. His words import, that others, that ministers in general, when they travelled beyond the circle of their acquaintance, had occasion for letters of commendation, although he himself was, by this time, known so universally in the churches, and especially in Corinth, that he needed no such letters.

Judas and Silas are very particularly recommended to the church in Antioch by