II.

SER M. Business of a Prophet, that St. Paul generally chufes to exprefs it by Prophefying, Rom. xii. 6. 1 Cor. xiv. 31, 32. And amongst

the different Officers that God had appointed in the Church, he distinguishes those who were peculiarly endued with this Gift, by the Name of Prophets, 1 Theff. v. 26. It is generally believed indeed, and upon good Foundation, that the Prophefying St. Paul fpeaks of, Ephef. iv. 11. was a Faculty of teaching the Mysteries of Religion by the Help of a Divine Illumination from above: And it is certain, that the Notion of prophesying im plies in it not only the Office of expounding and interpreting the written Word; but alfo of revealing Things not before known, and of foretelling Things future by Revelation from God. But even in this highest Senfe, at will appear to imply no more than what the Disciples at the Prophetick Schools, were often endued with. The Sons of the Prophets both at Bethel and Jericho were beforehand apprized of the Design of the LORD to remove Elijah from the Head of Elisha, 2 Kings ii. 3, 5. And it was alfo a certain Man of the Sons of the Prophets that denounced to Abab, 1 Kings xx. 35, &c. under the Parable of a Prifoner, the Judgments of

God

GOD for his untimely Pity in his releafing 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 fufceptible of the Divine Impulfe, 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

SERM.

II. The SECOND Obfervation which I made upon the Text, viz. That it contains a tacit Conceffion that God ufually chose his Prophets from hence, and that none were ordinarily called to the Prophetick Office unless they had been trained up to it by such 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 something extraordinary that he should be endued with the Spirit of Prophecy; which was not usually given to any but those who

2

had

{

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 Disciples, 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 Respect he miniftred, may be gathered from Elijah's being afterwards called his Mafter and Father; c. ii. 3, 5, 12. which shews, that Elifba was his Difciple or Son. So that His Cafe alone is an Inftance 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 Perfon to confer it upon. For Elifba, we know, had, according to his Requeft, a double Portion, ver. 9-15. of the

II.

Spirit of his Master, which must 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 Prinṛe; neither could any bring him into Subjection. No Word could overcome him; and after his Death his Body prophefied. He did Wonders in bis 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 Elifba, with in

See Pole's Synopfis and Eftius on the Place.

tent

SER M. tent to confer fo large a Share of his Spirit

II.

:

upon him; yet he previously commands Elijah to anoint him, to apprize him of the Design which GOD had towards him. Accordingly, Elifba immediately follows him, attends him as a Difciple 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 Mafter fhould be taken from his Head. And from this Attendance on Elijah it was, that a Servant of Jeboram, King of Ifrael, inferred, that ELisha 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.

And that even the Leffer Degrees of the Prophetick Spirit were seldom bestowed upon any but 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, usual for those to be endued with the Spirit, who had not gone through fuch a preparatory Courfe; Saul's bearing a Part with them in their Anthems or Hymns only, would not