5th.  As to the case of Apollos, which some urge as affording irresistible evidence to prove that all who are qualified may preach the gospel, a few words may suffice.  He spoke boldly in the synagogue, the practice of which is no rule to the Christian Church.  He was not yet acquainted with some important doctrines of the New Testament Church, much less could he be acquainted with the ordinances of it.  Two intelligent Christians instructed him more perfectly in the way of God.  He was recommended by the brethren to the church at Corinth, and there he labored successfully in the work of the ministry.  And what is all this to the purpose for which his example is urged?  We have no information, indeed, of what time, nor in what manner, he was called and admitted to the work of the ministry, more than we have about many others mentioned in Scripture:  but he is expressly called a minister, and is, once and again, classed with the chiefest of the apostles, 1 Cor. i. 12, iii. 5, 22.

Lest these and the like arguments should be found insufficient, recourse is had by some to the plea of pure motives and good designs, with a kind of appeal to the judgment of the great day, and profession of trust, that they are such as will not then be condemned.  It is a great satisfaction to have the testimony of conscience to the purity of motives in every part of conduct that is warranted by the word of God, and also to know that the judgment of the saints at the great day will be a judgment of mercy.  But every part of the truth of Christ will be determined at that day in exact conformity to what is now declared in the word.  And the purest motives and most noble designs are no rule of conduct to any; much less can they give satisfaction to others.

These observations concerning the institution of a gospel ministry, the writer is persuaded, are agreeable to the word of God:  if they be not, it would be idle to appeal to his motives in support of them.  But he can freely say that they are here offered to the public, not from a desire of controversy, but from a conviction, that at this time it is necessary, on different accounts, to call people’s attention to the mind and will of Christ, as revealed in the word concerning this subject.  Let not such of the friends of religion, as may be of different sentiments from what are here expressed, be offended at an attempt, in the spirit of meekness, to remove their mistakes:  nor let them impute it to envy, pride, or selfish principles.  In a perfect consistency with all that he hath advanced, the writer can say, “Would to God that all the Lord’s people were prophets.”