would she have us accounted of, giving no heed to other "endless genealogies." These full often "minister questions," but unto the messenger of Christ appertains "godly edifying which is in faith." The reason why the minister of the Gospel should be held in honour, to those who consider aright, is no earthly one, but is from above. Not because he is Paul, not because he is Cephas, not because he is Apollos, not because he is this or that favourite teacher, is this honour conferred upon him,-but because he is the Ambassador, the Messenger, the Watchman, the Steward, of the Lord; "to teach, and to premonish, to feed and provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep that are dispersed abroad, and for his children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever."

This, then, Christian brethren, after the teaching of the Church, is the subject to which I shall direct your attention more especially this day; first, because it is right you should bear in mind the heavenly commission of the regularly ordained ministry; next, because I have sworn," and, by God's help, "am stedfastly purposed" to give "faithful "faithful diligence, always so to minister the doctrine and sacraments, and the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded," as also to be ready to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines ."

*1 Tâm. i 4.

Ordering of Priests.
See the Ordering of Priests, ut suprà.

And think not that this is a point which needs little to be dwelt upon,-think not that it is one which is at all times ready to be acknowledged. It is usually the reverse. The minds of men are not set upon righteousness, the rather, they would have teachers after their own hearts' lusts, and are set on this. As it is written in the Prophet Isaiah; "Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us "."

A remarkable instance of this unwillingness to receive the word of the Lord, by his own messengers, is recorded in the text, and it may be advantageously dwelt upon before we proceed further.

Jeroboam, the first of that name, "made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi," and one of these priests, not of the sons of Levi, was the Amaziah of Bethel, mentioned in the text, which sent to Jeroboam the second, the son of Joash, king of Israel, saying, "Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not

7 Isa. xxx. 8-11.

8

* 1 Kings xii. 31.

able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said to Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there. But prophesy not again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court:" in other words", "Retire home closely to thy own country of Judah, and there maintain thyself, and there bestow thy pains and admonitions; but venture not any more to vent thy prophecies in Bethel, for thou knowest the condition of this place, it is both the king's sanctuary for his devotion, and the king's court for state; meddle not any more with prophesying here, lest thou provoke the king's anger against thee."

The more's the pity it was the king's sanctuary, "the king's chapel, and the king's court," for it was no longer "the house of God,"-the name which had been given it by the patriarch Jacob after his vision of the ladder with "the angels of God ascending and descending on it ","”—but Betharen, the "house of vanity," the "house of idols," insomuch that it is written in the prophet Hosea, "Come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The Lord liveth" in an idolatrous temple. And again, in this prophecy of Amos, "Thus saith the Lord unto

'See Bp. Hall's Paraphrase of Hard Texts, in loc., ed. folio, p. 557.

10 Gen. xxviii. 19.

'Hosea iv. 15.

the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live; but seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought 2.

Here, however, was now the king's court, and here, in the face of an idolatrous calf, a true prophet of the Lord was commanded by an idolatrous priest not to prophesy again, as though a king's or a queen's palace needed not the word of truth as much as the poorest cottage in the land! But what was the reply of Amos? Did he listen to Amaziah, and suppress the truth? Did he forget that "by righteousness the throne is established," and that sin, especially the sin of idolatry, is a reproach to any king or people? Did a threat alarm him, and did he listen to man rather than to God? Far from it! but like Peter and John in after times, he could not but speak what his office commanded him, in God's name, to speak 3. "Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son ; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by

2

Amos v.
4, 5.

3

See Acts iv. 19, 20.

the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land; and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land."

Thus did this faithful messenger "constantly speak the truth, and boldly rebuke vice," and the unwillingness shown to receive his testimony is an apt illustration of that general indisposition shown towards the delegated authority of the Christian priesthood, thus consigned in the words of the great High Priest of the covenant, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I

you

5 99

Nevertheless, as it is stated in the Ordination Preface, "It is evident unto all men, diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been three orders of ministers in Christ's Church;-Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. Which offices were evermore had in such reverend estimation, that no man might presume to execute any of them, except he were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities as are requisite for the same; and also, by public prayer, with imposition of hands, were approved and admitted thereunto by lawful authority." Accordingly, it is declared in our Article "Of Ministering in the Congregation," that "It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same.

Amos vii. 14—17.

John xx. 21.