unless he lay himself out in the service of God to the utmost of his power.
To this was added that most amiable of all graces, humility of mind. Notwithstanding his natural talents and eminent acquirements, he was willing to be instructed by any one who could advance him in the knowledge of the Lord. Aquila was only a mechanic, and not invested with the sacred office of a teacher : yet when he and his wife Priscilla invited Apollos to their house in order to " expound to him the way of God more perfectly," Apollos thankfully accepted their invitation, and diligently availed himself of their instructions. This is an excellence rarely found in persons who are high in popular estimation : the admiration with which they are honoured, too often puffs them up with vain conceit, and indisposes them to learn from those, whom they regard as their inferiors in station or attainments : but the more rarely such docility is found, the more highly should it be appreciated, and the more carefully should it be maintained.]
Thus endowed, he greatly distinguished himself by, II. His ministerial exertions —
He improved for God whatever talents he pos- sessed—
[When he was only partially " instructed in the way of the Lord," and knew nothing more than what he had learned from John the Baptist, he instructed others to the utmost of his power with great boldyiess, and diligence. The doctrines which John the Baptist had preached were in direct opposition to the habits of the world, and were sure to call forth the enmity of those who would not part with their sins : but Apollos feared not the face of man ; but both " spake" in private, and " taught" in public, and that too with unremitting activity, the things which he considered as of such vital im- portance to the welfare of mankind. When he himself was more fully instructed, he desired to extend the sphere of his labours, and to proceed to Corinth, to supply, as he was able, the place of Paul. Then especially did he make Christ the one great theme of all his discourses. " The things of the Lord," as far as he understood them, he had before declared : he had warned men of the Messiah's advent, and had called them to repent, in order to get their hearts duly prepared for a suitable reception of him : but now he saw, not only that the Messiah was come, but that Jesus of Nazareth was he, and had done and suffered all those things which had been pre- dicted of him. Thus, in the scope of his ministrations, he determined, with the Apostle Paul, to " know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified :" and, though we have not the