II. SER M. Judgment that God himself had denounced, and which was foon after fulfilled against his Son Zachariah by the Hands of Shallum the Son of Nabefb, 2 Kings xv. 10. However, this, Amaziab thought, would not nearly enough affect Jeroboam himself, to raise his Indignation against the Prophet: The Story therefore must be improved; and what the Prophet had denounced against his House, muft be reported to the King as if threatened to his Perfon. Amos vii. 10, 11. Then Amaziah the Prieft of Bethel fent to Jeroboam, King of ' Ifrael, faying, Amos hath confpired against thee in the midst of the Houfe of Ifrael: The Land is not able to bear all his Words. For thus Amos faith, Jeroboam fhall die by the Sword, and Ifrael. fhall furely be led away Captive out of their own Land. How the King took this, and what Answer he made to it we do not read But it feems from the next Words, that the Idolatrous Prieft had Encouragement enough to infult the Prophet, and to forbid his appearing any more before the King. Alfo Amaziah faid unto Amos, O thou Seer, go, flee thee away into the Land of Judah, and there eat Bread, and prophesy there: ver. 12. There perhaps thou wilt find more Encouragement, fince there it is likely thy Prophe ver. 13. SER M. cies will meet with more Regard: But prophefy not again any more at Bethel, for it is the King's Chapel, and it is the King's Court. The Anfwer, which the Prophet returns to the Prieft, is fuch as became the Mouth of one that fpake by a fuperior Authority to that which forbad him: He gives him to understand, that the Judgments which be had denounced, he had denounced by the Divine Authority and Command; and that conveyed to him not in the Course of the ordinary Way of training up to Prophecy, but by virtue of an immediate Infpiration and Call, which unfought and unexpected he had received from God: Then answered Amos, and faid to Amaziah, I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophet's Son: ver. 14. I was neither by Birth, nor by immediate Separation from the Womb, fet apart, or confecrated to the Office of Prophecy; nor had I my Education under a Prophet in any of their Colleges and Schools. But I was an Herdman, and a Gatherer of Sycomore Fruit; leading an humble, country Life, among Sheep-cotes and Folds, concerned for nothing but to provide Pafture for my Flock, thoughtless of any higher Condition or Employ, and void of any fuperior Knowledge or Skill. So far out of II. II. SER M. the ordinary Road of Prophets, ver. 15. the LORD took me (faith he) as I followed the Flock, and the LORD faid unto me, Go, prophefy unto my People Ifrael. After which he Thus the Prophet afferts and vindicates his Commiffion and Call; fhews it to be independent upon any Power on Earth, and confequently that he was accountable for the Exercise of it to no Man. concludes with repeating and confirming the Judgments he had denounced; but adding withal a particular Judgment against Amaziah, for daring to question and dispute his Authority: ver. 16, 17. Now therefore hear thou the Word of the Lord; Thou fayeft, Prophesy not against Ifrael, and drop not thy Word against the House of Ifaac: Therefore thus faith the LORD, Thy Wife shall be an Harlot in the City; and thy Sons and thy Daughter's fhall fall by the Sword, and thy Land shall be divided by Line: And thou fhalt die in a polluted Land, and Ifrael fhall furely go into Captivity forth of his Land. This is both the Occafion and Meaning of the Text: But I have no Design to treat of it at present as it stands related to the Context, (in which Light it would afford us many use ful upon at ful Obfervations worthy to be infisted : I. In the FIRST Place, That here is a direct Intimation, that, even in the Ages of Infpiration, the Jews had fettled Colleges or Schools for the Education of Prophets, and to fit and difpofe them for the Reception of the Spirit. SERM. II. SECONDLY, That here is also a tacit Conceffion, that God, ufually chofe his Pro-. phets from hence, and that none were ordinarily called to that Office, unless he had been trained up to it by fuch Education. III. THIRDLY, That here is an Instance, that upon exercifing this Office, without such preceding Preparation and Study, the Prophet was expected to be able to alledge an immediate Infpiration and Call from God. Thefe Heads therefore, with other Obfervations which they will fuggeft, and a suitable Appli D 4 II. II. SER M. Application of the whole at last, I propose for the Subject of my prefent Difcourfe. I. And FIRST I would obferve that here is a direct Intimation, that, even in the Ages of Inspiration, the Jews had fettled Colleges or Schools for the Education of Prophets, and to fit and difpofe them for the Reception of the Spirit. This I take to be fuggested by the very firft Branch of Amos's Answer to Amaziah: I was no Prophet, (faith he) neither was I a Prophet's Son: a direct Implication that there were at that time in Ifrael not only Prophets but Prophets Sons. Now by the Son of a Prophet, it is plain from other Paffages of Scripture, which I fhall have Occa fion to mention by and by, is to be understood one, who, under the Care and Direction of a Prophet, was educated or trained up as a Difciple or Scholar: If then a Prophet's Son be a Prophet's Difciple; it is reasonable we should understand by a Prophet in the Text, not only one who was actually endued with the Spirit of Prophecy (without which, be fure, a Man could not be a Prophet;) but one who was also engaged as a Tutor or Instructor to others. So that both Terms together seem plainly to intimate, not only that there was a Succeffion |