SERM.

GOD for his untimely Pity in his releafing II. Benhadad, whom the LORD had appointed to utter Destruction. And indeed when any Bleffings were to be promised, or any Judgments to be denounced, or fome extraordi nary Event to be told to the People; the Meffenger was ufually chofen from these Schools, where, by their preparatory Exercife and Discipline, they were rendered more susceptible of the Divine Impulse, by knowing as it were how to yield to and cherish it, and how to behave themselves under the Revelation. But this leads me directly to

II. The SECOND Obfervation which I made upon the Text, viz. That it contains a tacit Conceffion that God ufually chofe his Prophets from hence, and that none were ordinarily called to the Prophetick Office unless they had been trained up to it by fuch Education. And this I take the fame Words to imply which I laid down as the Foundation of the foregoing Head: I was no Prophet, (faith Amos) neither was I a Prophet's Son : Which he mentions to fhew, that it was fomething extraordinary that he should be endued with the Spirit of Prophecy; which was not usually given to any but those who

II.

SER M. had been trained up in the Ufe of fuch preparatory Exercife, as might qualify them for it.

That this was really the Cafe, I think may be inferred from the Inftance of Elisha, whofe Prefiding over the Prophets, (after the Affumption of Elijah) as their Inftructor or Guide, has already been obferved from his Care in providing for them, from their fitting before him in the Pofture of Difciples, and from their addreffing him for Leave to enlarge their Building. And that he himself had been trained up in the fame Manner before, appears from what is faid of him, when Elijah caft bis Mantle upon him, viz. that he arofe, and went after Elijah, and miniftred unto him, 1 Kings xix. 19, 21. In what Quality or Refpect he miniftred, may be gathered from Elijah's being afterwards called his Master and Father; c. ii. 3, 5, 12. which fhews, that Elifba was his Difciple or Son. So that His Cafe alone is an Instance fufficient, that when a new Prophet was wanting to fucceed a former in an extraordinary Measure of the Prophetick Spirit; a Prophet's Difciple was accepted by God as the fittest Person to confer it upon. For Elisha, we know, had, according to his Requeft, a double Portion, ver. 9-15. of the

II.

Spirit of his Master, which muft fignify at SER M. leaft that he had the Share of a First Born, or doubly the Portion of a Prophet's Son; and is interpreted by fome (though not I think upon very probable Grounds) of twice as much as had been given to Elijah *.

An equal Degree, be fure, he had. For his Miracles were not fewer nor less notable, nor his Predictions lefs verified. When Elias was covered with a Whirlwind, Elifeus was filled with his Spirit: Whilft he lived, he was not moved with the Prefence of any Prince; neither could any bring him into Subjection. No Word could overcome him; and after his Death his Body prophefied. He did Wonders in his Life, and at his Death were his Works marvellous, Eccluf. xlviii. 12-14.

If any one should here object, that Elifba was defigned and nominated by GOD to be Succeffor to Elijah, and to be Prophet in his Room, 1 Kings xix. 16-21. before ever he was called to minifter to him; it is what I know, and what I would urge as a farther Confirmation of the Obfervation I have made. Because from hence it appears, that though God himself had fingled out Elisha, with in

* See Pole's Synopfis and Eftius on the Place.

tent

SERM. tent to confer fo large a Share of his Spirit II. upon him; yet he previously commands E

Ac

lijah to anoint him, to apprize him of the Design which God had towards him. cordingly, Elifba immediately follows him,: attends him as a Disciple for ten Years afterwards, being inftructed, no doubt, during all that Time in every Thing neceffary to fit him for that high Office he himself was to execute, as foon as his Master should be taken from his Head. And from this Attendance on Elijah it was, that a Servant of Jehoram, King of Ifrael, inferred, that Elifba the Son of Shaphat was a likely Person, by whom to enquire of the LORD, viz. because he had poured Water on the Hands of Elijah, 2 Kings iii. 11.

on any

And that even the Leffer Degrees of the Prophetick Spirit were seldom bestowed upbut those that were educated and trained up in fuch previous Studies as might dispose them for them; may be inferred from the Wonder which the People expreffed at the Prophefying of Saul. For had it been ufual for those to be endued with the Spirit, who had not gone through fuch a preparatory Course; Saul's bearing a Part with them in their Anthems or Hymns only, would not

have caufed fo great an Admiration as to have SERM.
given Rife to a Proverb, as we find it did;
it being cuftomary from that Time, when a-
ny one was observed to rife of a fudden from
an obfcure Condition to fome eminent Dig-
nity, to fay, Is Saul alfo amongst the Pro-
phets? Sam. x. 12. The Amazement in-
deed was fomething allayed by a prudent
Queftion of a Stander-by; who feasonably
afked them, who was their Father? i. e.
who was the Father of that Company of
Prophets from whom the Spirit of the LORD
was derived upon Saul? intimating, no doubt,

that the fame GOD who enabled and affifted
them with his Spirit, could, if he pleased,
infpire Saul alfo of a fudden, without the
Help of
any other Master, or previous Edu-
cation. And, be fure, the Power of GoD
is not to be difputed. However, it is evi-
dent from the Aftonishment of the Beholders,
that the Cafe was exceeding novel and rare:
And this Inftance of it fhews that it was
more a Token of the Strength and Power of
the Spirit in the Prophets, than of any due
Tendency or Qualification in Saul For the
Spirit of Prophefying did not continue and re-
main with Saul, as it did with the Company
of Prophets whom he met; but as soon as
VOL. I.
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ever