serve the Lord, had but a very contracted view of the things which he proposed to teach : but God so ordered it, that his exertions in the cause of religion should introduce him to the acquaintance with Aquila and Priscilla, and be the means of bringing him to the full knowledge, and complete enjoyment, of the Gospel of Christ.
In the account here given of him, we notice,
I. His qualifications for the ministry —
These were certainly of the highest order : he possessed many qualities admirably suited to the work in which he was engaged. They were of two kinds;
1. Intellectual —
[He had a natural gift of eloquence ; I say, a natural gift; because it was a faculty distinct from that which may be ac- quired by study. Some men have in the very constitution of their minds a facility of conceiving clearly, and expressing readily, whatever they wish to impart. Some, however learned they may be, can never acquire that which we call eloquence ; they have some embarrassments which they cannot surmount, or some deficiencies which they cannot supply. Others, with very little learning, can talk fluently and perspicuously upon any subject on which they have bestowed the smallest attention. This is a valuable talent, especially to any one who is called to
instruct or persuade others and happy was Apollos in
the pre-eminent measure of it which he possessed.
But, besides this, he was ivell versed in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. " He was mighty in the Scriptures," being able to bring them to bear upon any point which he wished to discuss, and to shew from them what was agreeable to the mind and will of God. " The woid dwelt richly in him in all
wisdom" This also is of the utmost importance to one
who undertakes to teach others, since the sacred volume is the armoury from whence he must take all the weapons for his warfare, and the treasury from whence alone he can procure the riches which he undertakes to dispense.]
2. Moral—
[He was "fervent in spirit" glowing with zeal for the honour of his God, and ardently longing for the salvation of his fellow-creatures This in a minister is indispen- sable : the difficulties which he will have to encounter are very great, and fervour of spirit is necessary to carry him through them ; nor can he hope to be extensively useful to others,