matters referred to in that chapter seems to have been this:  The church at Corinth was numerous, and had many ministers, of whom the most, if not all, were endowed with some miraculous power, such as that of prophecy, of speaking strange languages, and the like; they were proud of these gifts, and forward to show them, ver. 26, which occasioned disorder in their assemblies for worship; those that had the gift of tongues prevented the prophets, and did not modestly give place to one another.  These disorders the apostle reproves, and exhorts them to exercise their gifts in a more regular and decent manner, for the edification of the church.  This being the case, it is strange to plead this passage as a warrant for the preaching of the gospel by those who are in no office, and who neither have any miraculous power to prove their immediate call by Christ to the work of the ministry, nor are admitted thereto by the call of the church.

4th.  Further, we are referred to Acts viii. 1-4, for an example of the preaching of the gospel by persons not in office.  We are told, ver. 1, that “there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad—­except the apostles.”  And it is said, ver. 4, “they, that were scattered abroad, went everywhere preaching the word.”  From this it is argued, that the Church in general proclaimed the gospel of the Lord Jesus.  But why mention the Church in general, when the method of reasoning used would equally prove that the Church universally did so; and the absurdity of such reasoning must be evident upon a very little consideration of the subject.  How absurd to suppose that all mentioned in ver. 1, refers to and comprehends all the members of that church, and that all the thousands and ten thousands belonging to it were all scattered abroad, or that they all, men, women, and children, went everywhere preaching the word!  Are we not told, ver. 3, that some of them, probably many of them, both men and women, were haled and committed to prison?  Or, had all the members of the church been driven from Jerusalem, how were the apostles to be employed?  Did they only tarry to gather a new church?  When it is said, ver. 3, that Saul entered into every house, how absurd would it be to suppose that it is meant every house in Jerusalem, or even every house in which there was a Christian!  The expression, also, everywhere, ver. 4, must be limited.  It would therefore be unreasonable to object against a proper limitation of the word all, ver. 1.  And about the just limitation of it we need be at no loss.  They were all scattered abroad—­except the apostles.  What reason can there be for mentioning only the apostles as excepted, while there were so many other members of that church still remaining at Jerusalem, but this, that the persons referred to were of the same description in general with the apostles, persons in office, ministers of the church?  Others might also be scattered, but these are here spoken of; and Philip, an evangelist, and endowed with miraculous powers, is mentioned as one of them.